8 Tricks to a Pro-Quality Paint Job

What to know before you pop the lid...

Quite simply there is no quicker, less expensive way to revamp a space.

1. Pick Your Paint Type:

Water-soluble latex is DIY-friendly because it cleans up with soap and water and dries quickly. Oil paint dries slowly and requires mineral spirits for cleanup, but it hardens into a very durable finish.

2. Choose Your Sheen:

Flat and low-luster paints give a rougher surface that hides flaws; glossier finishes highlight imperfections but for a smoother, more water-resistant surface that can stand up to the high traffic and moisture-think kitchen and bath.

3. Start with Good Tools:

Look for brushes with bristles that are tapered, split and arranged in multiple lengths to for a slim tip. A mix of nylon and polyester will hold and release latex paint particularly well, while natural bristles work best with oil based paints. With rollers, match the nap to the surface texture: 3/8-inch to 1/2-inch nap for most drywall.

4. Invest in Quality:

Cheaper paints and primers swap more pigment for costlier resin, so they cover walls well when wet but show bare spots as they dry. Quality primers, such as those from Zinsser, will adhere to glossy painted or stained surfaces without sanding, ultimately saving you time and money.

5. Prep:

To make the job easier, take the time to clear out the room and cover floors and fixtures with drop cloths. Spackle any damaged drywall, scuff and sand the surfaces to be painted, and vacuum up all the dust. Wipe down ceilings, walls, and trim with a damp sponge. Finally, prime the entire surface.

6. Cut In:

Use a 2 1/2-inch angled brush to pint the border of the area you're working on. Framing in your field this way buffers the roller from mussing adjacent surfaces.

7. Learn to Lay Off:

After you've rolled a section, make a series of long vertical strokes up the full length of the wall, moving in one direction (left or right). This last step, called laying off, will distribute wet paint in a nice, even layer.

8. Score Carefully:

If you've masked off baseboards with painter's tape, pull it off the same day you paint-but first run a putty knife blade held at a 45 degree angle along the edge so that you don't accidentally pull away any paint.

This Old House: Your New Home, "8 Tricks to a Pro-Quality Paint Job". Pg. (14) Spring 2011

5 Risks for Property Management

Taken from REALTOR: www.REALTOR.org/realtormag pg 28 REALTOR April/May 2011

Many sales associates have entered the field of rental property management as a way to shore up income. Here, Barbara Holland, CPM, of H&L Realty & Management Co. in Las Vegas, identifies some of the biggest liability mistakes common among those who haven’t’ yet learned the ropes.

1. Not having a written property management agreement:

Even if you’re just helping out a friend and managing the property for free, you’re walking on thin ice if something comes up-like the need to evict the tenant.

2.Using a makeshift lease agreement:

These agreements are easy to find on the internet-maybe too easy. If the agreement isn’t thorough, or if it doesn’t include sections that are required by your state law, you’re leaving yourself exposed.

3. Not depositing the security deposit in a proper trust account:

The proper place for the money isn’t with the owner. In some states, the trust account money must be in a separate property management trust account and not in the broker’s general sales trust account.

4. Not having the tenant sign a move-in and move-out form:

This form includes a property condition disclosure. Without it, you have little recourse if a unit is damaged beyond the usual wear and tear.

5. Trying to incorporate a lease-purchase agreement into the lease agreement:

There’s nothing wrong with doing this, but it’s complicated, and if it’s not done properly, you could invite trouble. For instance, you could have a difficult time evicting the tenant for nonpayment of rent if the court looks at the arrangement as a purchase agreement.