Painting Like a Pro

A sure-fire way to make your home look better, prolong the life of your siding and add resale value all at once is to give the exterior a fresh coat of paint. But with a contractor paint job running in the thousands of dollars, you may be considering undertaking the task on your own this summer. If so, here are some tips and a couple of tools that can help you get the job done quickly with professional results.

Proper Preparation

Proper preparation of the siding is absolutely essential to a good-quality, long-lasting paint job. Loose and peeling paint must be removed first and the edges of the remaining paint feathered down to create a smooth surface for the next coat. Painting over old paint that is not well-adhered is pretty much a guarantee that the new paint job will fail. There is no way around this less-than-enjoyable task, so just resign yourself to it.

But while you can’t avoid it, you can make it a little easier by using some power tools. One, you might want to consider is Wagner’s PaintEater. The PaintEater is a hand-held electric tool that is somewhat similar to a disc sander, but instead of using sandpaper, it uses a 3M disc made from spun fiber. The fiber disc is aggressive in removing paint, but its unique design prevents the old paint from clogging up the sanding surface, so you get a lot more work done without constantly replacing the paper.

The PaintEater removes loose paint quickly, and will also feather down the edges of the remaining paint for a better, smoother surface. It can be used on wood, masonry and cement, but be aware that the rotary motion and aggressive paint-removal disc make it unsuitable for siding shingles or textured siding.

In addition to a tool such as the PaintEater, you’ll also need a hand scraper and a sander to take care of the corners and the hard to reach areas. With any of these tools, be sure to wear eye protection to shield your eyes from flying paint chips — which can be surprisingly sharp and dangerous — as well as a dust mask or respirator to protect you against inhaling the dust.

When you’re done with the scraping, the bare surfaces need to be primed to protect the wood and provide good adhesion for the top coat. Use a good-quality exterior primer that’s compatible with your top coat, and apply one or two coats on all bare surfaces.

When preparing the siding on an older home, you need to be very aware of the possibility of lead paint. Even if the home has been repainted with latex, one or more of the underlying layers may contain lead. For more information about testing for and removing lead paint, contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) online at www.epa.gov/lead, or by phone at 1-800-424-LEAD (424-5323)

Airless Painting

Professional painters rely on airless paint-spraying equipment to apply paint quickly and cleanly with minimal overspray. You can rent a professional-grade airless sprayer, but the occasional user might want to consider investing purchasing a airless sprayer such as Wagner's Paint Crew Plus.

Designed with homeowners in mind, the Paint Crew Plus has a 2800 PSI piston pump that’s driven by a 1/2-horsepower electric motor, so you have plenty of power for spraying a variety of finishes. The sprayer features a pressure selector that allows you to vary the pressure between 1000 and 2800 PSI, which is very helpful in choosing the best pressure for the finish you’re working with. Higher pressures are needed for spraying many of today’s exterior latex paints, and you can dial the sprayer down to a lower pressure to give you better control and less overspray when working with thinner materials.

The Paint Crew has wheels and a telescoping handle for easy transport, as well as a 2 1/2-gallon paint hopper that’s removable for easier cleaning. You also get a 25-foot high-pressure spray hose, a professional-grade metal spray gun and a reversible spray tip. A convenient hose wrap holds the hose when not in use, and there is a storage area for additional spray tips. Also included is a roller-arm assembly, which attaches to the hose in place of the spray gun, allowing for faster rolling of interior surfaces.

With this or any other type of airless sprayer, NEVER point it at anyone. The high-pressure pumps used with airless sprayers are capable of pushing paint through a person’s skin, so be sure you read and understand all of the safety precautions.

Web Based Property Managment Software

While there are many excellent accounting software programs out on the market today. The generic one size fits all application wasn't quite meeting the my needs as a property manager. Subsequently, I began the process of evaluating property based software and came across really great web source that reviewed many property software programs. You can visit www.thereibrian.com for a complete evaluation of property management software.

Many of these software programs offer a 15-30 day free trial. After reading all reviews, I chose a FREE web-based service called Rentec Direct. For a nominal fee you can upgrade your account for an enhanced version however the basic services that Rentec offers are outstanding. Set up for the units I have was very quick and user friendly. Once information is uploaded you can easily generate online reports that reflect profit and loss. Best of all since the software is web-based you have access to your files from any where you can get online. Additionally, you can set up tenant portals, so that your tenants can pay their rent online, check their account, and communicate with you online. Below is a description from www.rentecdirect.com

WHAT WILL RENTEC PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE DO FOR YOU?

*Full bank, property and tenant accounting to keep your record keeping simple and accurate.

*Automatic ACH (electronic draft) support to automate and simplify receiving tenant rent payments.

*Publish vacancies online, complete with pictures, details and pricing.

*Tenant Screening provides you the security of knowing the history of each tenant you place as well as if they have past challenges paying bills.

*Online file management allows file storage related to tenants or properties safely and securely online

*Manage other recurring transactions such as: utility billing, landscaping or supplemental fees you may charge your tenants and let the software automatically generate the charges whether you're at a computer or not.

*You'll be up and running quickly making good use of the software without the expensive training required of other property management applications. The software is so easy to use you'll be up and running in 5-10 minutes.

*Easily manage tenants, their accounting and settings.

*Online software access anywhere in the world for you or your tenants With a single click, print a complete tax report of expenses associated with one or all properties to hand to your accountant at tax time.

*Many management reports to show your property performance.

*At a glance stats and graphs of current and historical property performance.

*Tenants have a special login to the management software to view their balance, when their rent is due, and ability to place repair requests.


RENTEC DIRECT IS FREE!

When we say no risk, we mean it! All the basic functions necessary for a landlord or property management firm to manage rentals is included in our basic product which is free! We're not offering a time limited demo like everyone else, we're giving away the basic fully functional version of Rentec property management software for free. No obligation whatsoever. Our free version even includes our new file library to store and backup your important files online (online backup companies and desktop software charge for this, we include it at no cost). Take a product tour today to discover how valuable this software is for property managers / landlords.

Inexpensive Solutions to Increase your Property Value

Drive around any neighborhood and you notice a significant number of "FOR RENT" signs in windows and lawns. There is no shortage of vacant apartments in today's market. So how do you get your rental property rented quickly? Below are some inexpensive that can help increase the value of your income properties.



Add some curb appeal by doing some basic landscaping, particularly in the front yard. The front yard is the first thing that potential buyers see, so don't miss out on your chance to pique their interest. Prospective buyers and tenants make up their minds about your home as they walk the first 10 feet from their car to your front door. A junky yard will make them think that you've neglected maintenance. A pristine yard will reassure them that your home is well kept. Focus on a clean cut, straighten up the lawn edges, freshen the landscaping and add some color spots or striking shrubs for impact. Mulch is inexpensive, so use it. If your yard lacks interest, consider constructing a retaining wall. Use railroad ties, bricks, or stones to construct that wall. The landscape design should complement your home's style and colors.

Get a new front door, or give the existing one a facelift. Paint the front door a complementary but bold color. Choose a color that says, "Look at me!" Once you're finished painting the door, install a new doorknob that emphasizes sturdiness and class. Also install a new kick-plate that matches your lockset finish. Remember, while your prospective homebuyer or tenant is waiting for you or the real estate agent to let them in, they are observing your front door. If you have an old storm door, get rid of it. If you really feel the need for a storm door, install one of those with a lot of window space to highlight the bold color of your front door.

Install some blinds and window shades. Certain rooms could really use blinds or shades to emphasize style. The best places to start are the living room, kitchen, master bedroom, and master bathroom. These are the four rooms that prospective buyers and tenants will study most when evaluating your property. Pick window shades that complement existing furniture or your paint color. If you want to stick with inexpensive vinyl blinds, then make sure all the blinds in the room are a matching color. When showing a home during the day, you should always have your blinds and shades open to let in abundant light (unless you've got a clear view of the mess in your neighbor's backyard).

Make sure every light bulb in the house works. Always make sure that every light bulb in your home works. If the prospective homebuyer or tenant can't see your place, then you can't expect them to like your place. When people see lamps with one good bulb but three burned-out ones, they think that you don't maintain the residence and they worry about other deferred maintenance. Where it's safe, use higher wattage light bulbs in your lamps for a bright, warm atmosphere. Also consider slightly pink-tinted or full spectrum "natural" light bulbs to create a warm glow for your home. Don't forget about the bulbs in your basement and in your exterior lamps.

Refinish your hardwood floors. Most people like hardwood floors, particularly if the floor has a luster to it. If your hardwood floors are stained, you still may able to sand them and apply a darker finish that hides stains. If your hardwood floors don't need to be sanded but have dull spots or cracks, try some off-the-shelf refinishing agents or cleansers. Murphy's® Oil Soap or Rejuvenate polish are personal favorites to restore that classic wood look.

Shampoo your carpet. Yes, many people like new carpet for obvious reasons. However, we can't always afford to buy new carpet, for obvious reasons. Rent a carpet cleaning vacuum or hire a shampoo service. The proper detergent and equipment can get rid of old stains and make odors disappear.

READ more on the member's page of the www.salemlandlords.org