Good article on finding out about permits. A friend got burned on this recently.
Home Depot Pro
I should have done this years ago but I joined the HD Pro program. It is free and anyone can join. I have been buying a lot of paint lately and you can get discounts for paint. Also, they track your purchases for you. Not a huge issue for me but I can give out my number to others and get points for more discounts. I will sign up for one at Lowe's too. I have come up with a color I will use from now on: Thickened Cream by Behr. Looks pretty good and Consumer Reports rates Behr highly. See below.
Bed-Stuy Restoration Corp
I got my residential units improved through the NYS Weatherization Program. BSRC did the job as one of the providers. They did a great job. I had to pay a portion of it because I don't live at the building but I got a lot for what I paid. The building was eligible because I had two Section 8 tenants that met the income limits. I have 20 OLD windows that my dad never fixed. 8 got replaced and the rest were caulked. Vents were installed in the bathroom and above the stoves. The pipes in the basement were insulated. The pipes now look like someone put a cast on them. The entry doors were fixed to prevent air leakage. The building was a big wind tunnel and buying the items at Home Depot and trying to do it yourself will result in a bad job. This is one where the pros need to do it. BSRC also gave me advice on some improvements I might want to consider and also did some other fixes that I paid out of pocket for. Now, I have a roster of contractors to use. I will get the rest of the windows done this year. The process from start to finish took two years but I literally got whatever under market rent back and a more valuable and energy efficient place. My family is very happy.
Commercial Leases
Our commercial space has been vacant for almost a year. I might have a tenant but he needs to do some due diligence on an issue. Commercial tenants can be great because you not only get the rent but they drop a lot of money into your space. So, lets say they go out of business, you have an improved space. But, your property can sit for a while and you get a lot of flakes. Also, you not only have to negotiate the lease terms and hire a broker and a lawyer but you also have to see if the business is a good one. If this one falls through, I will have to do some thinking. I was left at the altar by one restaurant before and my overall patience with tenants is running out.