Kenponet — Your home, in plain numbers
New This week · The plain-English housing desk
Home costs, minus the guesswork.
Guides on renting, buying, owning and upkeep, with the numbers and the rules laid out so you know what to do before you sign, buy or call a contractor.
Three editors, one rule: put a number on it first
01 · Featured
The ones readers keep forwarding.
Three favourites from the archive, from negotiating your rent to the repair bill that grows the longer you wait.
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BUYING AND MOVING Tri-Merge Credit Reports: What the FHFA Proposal Means for Homebuyers
Federal regulators are weighing whether mortgage lenders must pull three credit reports on every loan. Here is what the tri-merge rule is, what could change and what buyers should do now.
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LANDLORD BASICS Rental Registry for Small Landlords: What Columbus Now Requires
Columbus, Ohio is starting an annual rental registry in 2027. Here is who must register, what it costs and what small landlords in any city should check about their own local rules.
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MAINTENANCE AND COSTS How to Apply for LIHEAP Heating Assistance in 2026-27
The federal heating aid program is opening for the 2026-27 winter in many states. Here is who qualifies, what to bring and how two states set their dates and income limits.
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Why Kenponet exists
Rates and rents move. Good numbers last.
Headlines about rates and rents change by the week. What you need is the version you can act on: the cost, the rule and the first step. That is the one we write.
02 · Read by length
How long have you got?
Every story, sorted by how long it takes to read. Tap a length or let it turn on its own.
01 / 04
Quick
Short reads that fit between two meetings.
02 / 04
Coffee
One cup, one idea, explained properly.
03 / 04
Lunch
Pieces worth a proper sit-down.
04 / 04
Deep
The long ones, for when you want the whole picture.
03 · Browse by topic
Find your corner of home.
Five desks we keep coming back to. Point at a row for a peek at its newest story.
Recently published
More stories (25)-
Just in OCT 25 How to Negotiate a Home Price This Fall as Inventory Climbs to 1.60 Million Sales are slow, listings are piling up and mortgage rates sit above 7 percent. Buyers finally have some leverage, if they know how to use it. -
MAINTENANCE AND COSTS OCT 25 Electricity Bills in 2026 and 2027: What EIA Expects and How to Cut Yours Federal forecasters expect the average residential rate to hit 18.2 cents per kilowatt-hour this year and 18.7 next year. Here is what that means for your bill. Read -
OWNING OCT 25 How to Cancel PMI in 2026: What the New Executive Order Changes and What It Does Not A new order wants mortgage insurance dropped sooner, but it will not help most current homeowners soon. The rules that already exist can. Read - OWNING OCT 23 Flood Insurance Deadline: What Happens to Your NFIP Policy After December 11, 2026 The National Flood Insurance Program expires December 11, 2026 unless Congress acts. Here is what a lapse means for your renewal, your closing and your options. Read
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BUYING AND MOVING OCT 23 How Much Are Closing Costs in 2026? Averages by State and How to Cut Them The average US closing cost was $4,528, or 1.04% of price, but Delaware buyers paid 3.06%. Here is what is included and how to plan your cash to close. Read -
RENTING OCT 23 2027 Rent Increase Caps in Canada: B.C. at 2.2% and Ontario at 1.9% B.C. and Ontario have set their 2027 rent caps. Here is what each allows in dollars, how much notice a landlord must give and what to do about a bad notice. Read -
RENTING OCT 22 Rental Junk Fees in 2026: What Landlords Can Charge and What Rules Apply Hidden monthly charges are the target of a federal settlement, a possible FTC rule and new city and state laws. Here is how to spot them before you sign. Read -
RENTING OCT 22 Rent or Buy in Fall 2026? What the Latest Home Sales Data Means for Renters September home sales rose, prices hit a new high and mortgage rates climbed to 6.86%. Here is how to read those numbers if your lease is up soon. Read -
MAINTENANCE AND COSTS OCT 22 Home Energy Rebates in 2026: How Much You Can Get for a Heat Pump and How to Claim It The federal HOMES and HEEHR rebates are still alive in 2026, but they run state by state and the money can run out. Here is how they work. Read
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