Be firm but fair, and don’t hesitate to ask about what’s included—like prep work and trim.

I've painted more walls, ceilings and trim work than I could ever count in my lifetime and *I* suck compared to professional painters, and most of my paint jobs could pass for lower-end professional jobs. 

A great contractor takes pride in their work, whether it’s making sure tiles are perfectly aligned or that the trim looks just right.4.

Security Deposit: 2600Lease states no smoking/painting walls/no hanging things on wallsTenants have moved out and have left two truck loads of garbage to be removed.Damaged doorPainted walls which got on the ceiling and trim Lots of holes on the walls throughout the houseDamage from windows being left open constantly Weed was clearly smoked in the house (smell throughout the place) so we need to deep cleanWater bill wasn't paid so I had to turn back on utilityMissing keyQuoted costs:$450 junk removal (some furniture)$935 for damaged doors/windows, painting cleaning$30 for utility turn onTenants were only there for a year before moving out so a lot of this is beyond normal wear and tear. 

Don't confuse the two.You're 19, good for you to getting involved but keep it trim.

I use eggshell on the walls, flat only on ceilings and high gloss on trim and windows.

We used 20 foot ladders to trim low limbs. 

You could trim your expenses by eliminating property management - you can absolutely do this yourself on a 6-unit, even as a newbie.

@Grace Chee The process for this is time sensitive, you should have gotten a TRIM notice around late August, early September.

I like Jonathan's idea of trimming down properties.