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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RENTING Washington's 2027 Rent Cap Is 10%: What Tenants and Small Landlords Should Know
Washington's Department of Commerce set the 2027 maximum rent increase at 10%. Here is how the formula works, who is exempt and what a tenant can do about an unlawful increase.
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MAINTENANCE AND COSTS How to Prevent Frozen Pipes This Winter, and What a Burst Pipe Costs
A single frozen pipe can release hundreds of gallons of water and a five-figure repair bill. Here is a room-by-room plan to protect your pipes before the first hard freeze.
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BUYING AND MOVING Buying a Condo in 2026: What New Reserve Rules Mean for HOA Fees
Condo prices are falling while Fannie Mae raises its reserve and insurance standards for buildings. Here is how to check a building before you make an offer.
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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 (28)-
Just in OCT 26 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. -
LANDLORD BASICS OCT 26 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. Read - MAINTENANCE AND COSTS OCT 26 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. Read
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BUYING AND MOVING 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. Read -
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 -
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
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