Having hardwood floors in your home is a timeless feature that adds to the home’s value, but many people are unaware of how to properly maintain wood floors to keep them looking new for many years to come. A few ways you can keep your hardwood floors well maintained are: Dust the floors every week or two to clean up dust and pet hair, deep clean the floors with wood cleaning products, and be sure you do not soak the floor, standing water can cause damage to hardwood floors. Cleaning off stains and marks is a little more complicated- be sure you find out what kind of finish has been applied to your hardwood floors before trying any stain or mark-removal remedy. More here

The Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program’s report has stated that there is approximately $22 billion dollars of usable money from the Treasury’s Making Home Affordable program, with an additional $3.4 billion available from the Hardest Hit Funds Program. These available funds are for struggling mortgage holders to ensure they can keep their homes. Experts worry that many homeowners are unaware of the program. The report said; the “treasury should improve coordination between these programs so that they work together as seamlessly as possible to provide effective, sustainable mortgage relief to as many struggling homeowners as possible.” More here

Selling a home can be stressful and time consuming, and although the housing market is strengthening, that doesn’t necessarily mean selling your house will be without obstacles. A few reasons you may have trouble selling your home are: Price- if you are pricing your home too high it may take a long while to sell the home if you ever sell it all; try to emotionally disconnect from your home and see the true value. Looks- if your house is not well maintained and requires extensive renovation, buyers may be scared off; clean up your house and maybe add some fresh neutral-colored paint- landscaping can also add needed curb appeal. Marketing- provide realistic photos of your home and a detailed description of the house and community in numerous outlets and locations. More here

Last month, home resales increased at the fastest rate seen in approximately eight months. According to the National Association of Realtors, existing home sales exceeded many analysts’ expectations by jumping 2.6%, increasing the annual rate to 5.04 million units. As mortgage rates decrease and the U.S. job market continues to grow, the housing market is expected to flourish. More here

July and August are typically the hottest months of the summer, and keeping your home cool during these months without spending a fortune can be difficult. A few tips that may help you stay cool in your home during hot summer months are: Keep blinds and curtains closed, this will block out hot sun rays and aid in keeping your house more comfortable without touching the thermostat. Close off rooms that are not being used. Use light-weight cotton bedding to keep cool during sleep. Adjust the settings on your ceiling fans to counter-clockwise, this adjustment will keep room temperatures lower. Also, Try to avoid cooking inside as much as possible, and plant trees and tall shrubs around your house to shade it from the sun. More here

Reverse Mortgage rules are about to change for married couples making the loan process considerably easier. In the past, there have been instances where one spouse took out a reverse mortgage loan and then passed away, leaving the surviving spouse facing foreclosure. On August 4, 2014 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will pass a new rule to help protect couples. Surviving spouses will now be able to continue living in the home as long as they make the required insurance and tax payments. The new rules also state that couples can now qualify for a reverse mortgage if only one spouse is 62 or older. More here

Many people now eschew unhealthy chemicals and pesticides when attempting to control insects that have invaded their homes. Here are a few ways you can naturally get rid of unwanted bugs in the house: Make sure all of your windows and doors are properly sealed and that when opening windows you have screens on them. Any large holes in your homes such as crawl spaces and chimneys should be covered; you can use a wire mesh cloth to cover many openings. Keeping your yard well maintained will also help decrease the amount of bugs near your home, standing pools of water are a mosquito paradise. Properly store and handle your trash and trash cans, and encourage natural predators such as birds and bats to visit your home. More here

According to the Federal Housing Agencies House Price Index, home prices are still rising but have begun to slow down significantly. In May, home prices increased 0.4% from a month earlier, while from May 2013 to May 2014 home prices jumped 5.5%. May marked the 26th consecutive month home prices have grown. CoreLogic’s Deputy Chief Economist Sam Khater said, “it is well known that higher-end home sales activity has been strong over the last two years, however, recently there’s been a shift, from both directions. Not only have higher-end home sales themselves started to weaken over the last few months, but the weakness in the lower-end segment is expanding into the upper-middle segments of the price distribution.” More here

It is possible to update your bathroom on a budget, and here are a few simple tips that will take your bathroom from the 1970s to 2014 without spending a fortune: Paint the bathroom with a bold, contemporary color, and buy accessories such as a shower curtain and hand towels that will help compliment your color palette. Compare bathroom lighting costs online to ensure you are getting the best price. Use an old piece of furniture as a vanity and get granite remnants for the counter top. Perhaps most importantly, have a solid plan and all of your materials purchased before beginning work. More here

According to a recent study, location may not be the most important factor when buying a home. Homebuyers are choosing certain features over location in many instances. Features like an open kitchen plan, bathtub, superb landscaping abilities, and plenty of closet room may lead a potential buyer away from a home with a convenient location. Valerie Dolenga, spokesman for the Pulte Group, home building company said, “when we first started surveying families — I think a lot of it was done around that time [before the housing crash] — a lot of people were looking for the most house for their money. Now people are thinking about maximizing their budget. Kitchen, storage and bathrooms are probably the three most important things.” More here