Homeownership Blog

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Toronto homeowners face no shortage of landscaping options, and that’s precisely where the difficulty lies. Dozens of companies claim to be the best, so cutting through the noise requires more ...

Outdoor
Top 6 Landscaping & Outdoor Renovation Companies in Toronto

October 20, 2026

Oct 20, 2026

You’ve saved fifty photos of dream kitchens. You know you want a bigger bathroom or maybe a new deck. But these ideas don’t come with a price tag. That gap ...

Construction
How to Turn Your Home Improvement Ideas Into a Realistic Project Plan

October 20, 2026

Oct 20, 2026

When a real estate investor wants to pull equity out of an income-producing property, there are two main routes: a DSCR cash-out refinance and a conventional cash-out refinance. The two ...

Real estate
DSCR vs. Conventional Cash-Out Refinancing: Which Is Right for Investors?

October 14, 2026

Oct 14, 2026

Why Household Dust Deserves More Attention Household dust is rarely just one thing. It’s a mixture of tracked-in soil, textile fibers, skin flakes, pet dander, pollen, and countless other particles ...

Home maintenance
Creating a Lower-Dust, Healthier Home Cleaning Routine

October 14, 2026

Oct 14, 2026

After testing drinking water since 1995, ETR Laboratories says some of its most useful lessons have come from cases where the number on the report did not tell the entire ...

Plumbing
What Decades of Water Testing Have Taught ETR Laboratories About Private Wells

October 14, 2026

Oct 14, 2026

A backflow test may sound like one more maintenance task to squeeze into a busy week. In reality, a little preparation can make the appointment much easier. A tester needs ...

Plumbing
How to Prepare for Your Backflow Test Appointment in Five Simple Steps

October 05, 2026

Oct 5, 2026


Business

By Kukun Research • Inaugural edition What the Index Is The Kukun Renovation-HELOC Index scores every ZIP code, county, and state on how likely its homeowners are to take out ...

The Kukun Renovation-HELOC Index • Q3 2026

October 20, 2026

Oct 20, 2026

By Raf Howery | Kukun A homeowner replaces their roof. They don’t tell their insurer. Two years later, a hail event damages the new roof, and the claim comes in ...

How Insurance Underwriters Are Using Permit Data to Catch Undisclosed Renovations

October 13, 2026

Oct 13, 2026

By Raf Howery | Kukun If you’re evaluating property data APIs for the first time, the market looks deceptively simple: several vendors, similar feature lists, wildly different prices. The reality ...

The Buyer’s Guide to Property Data APIs

October 06, 2026

Oct 6, 2026

By Raf Howery | Kukun Every building permit is a homeowner raising their hand and saying, “I’m about to spend real money on this house.” Most lenders never see it. ...

Permit Data for Lenders: The HELOC Blind Spot Hiding in Public Records

September 30, 2026

Sep 30, 2026

By Raf Howery | Kukun The building permit data market has a dirty secret: most providers are selling the same upstream data. A handful of original sources aggregate raw permit ...

Not All Permit Data Is Created Equal

September 28, 2026

Sep 28, 2026

By Raf Howery | Kukun Building permit data is one of the most underused signals in real estate, and one of the most valuable. A permit tells you what happened ...

How to Query Building Permit Data by ZIP Code via API

September 22, 2026

Sep 22, 2026



Home remodeling guides
I want to renovate my house - where do I start?

The thought of starting a home renovation can be overwhelming. Let’s face it, there are a lot of factors to consider and countless sources of information telling you how to manage all the details. At Kukun, our personal mission is to create a sanctuary of knowledge to guide you through every step of the process. Construction, layout, materials, budget, contractors, design and decor. This is home remodeling education at its finest!

The remodeling knowledge we place at your fingertips includes:

  • Layout ideas for each part of your house so you can find inspiration before any work begins

  • Cost guides to prepare you for unexpected situations

  • Remodeling guides so you can plan every step of your projects

  • Decor guides to help you plan the look, feel and final touches of your remodel

  • How to hire great contractors and other pros and effectively manage your relationships with them

  • Real estate information if you are thinking about buying a property or selling yours

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Recent loan articles

When a real estate investor wants to pull equity out of an income-producing property, there are two main routes: a DSCR cash-out refinance and a conventional cash-out refinance. The two ...

Real estate
DSCR vs. Conventional Cash-Out Refinancing: Which Is Right for Investors?

October 14, 2026

Oct 14, 2026

You’ve used the Kukun Bathroom Renovation Cost Estimator, you’ve picked out the antimicrobial quartz, and you’ve even found a vetted contractor. The vision is clear. But then comes the reality ...

Lending and mortgage
Financing the “Dream”: Comparing HELOCs, Cash-Out Refis, and Reno Loans in 2026

January 30, 2026

Jan 30, 2026

Buying a house requires careful financial planning. Finding the right balance between your home aspirations and the practicality of your monthly mortgage payment can pose challenges. One good way to ...

Lending and mortgage
Useful tips on how to increase mortgage preapproval amount

October 08, 2025

Oct 8, 2025

Building your dream home from the ground up is an exciting opportunity, and if you’re a veteran or active-duty service member, a VA construction loan can make it possible, often ...

Lending and mortgage
Can You Build a House with a VA Loan? Complete Construction Guide [2026]

October 01, 2025

Oct 1, 2025

If you’re finally thinking of that long-awaited home improvement project – whether a bathroom remodel or a kitchen renovation – or want to consolidate outstanding debt, a home equity line of ...

loans
How long does the HELOC application process take?

December 13, 2022

Dec 13, 2022

Homeownership is regarded as a smart financial move as it helps build a considerable amount of wealth. According to a new Bankrate.com survey, although most homeowners have good home equity, ...

Lending and mortgage
Why is using HELOC for home renovations a smart idea

February 19, 2022

Feb 19, 2022

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