I can't fathom renting an apartment I couldn't see. I personally would agree that it really hadn't been properly prepared for new tenants. He can take care of the repair, you can take care of it at his expense, or by deducting it from the rent having documented that you've done so & keeping full receipts of what was spent. That said, forgive my sexism, but I'd hand it over to your husband & let it be a 'man to man' thing. Could it be that he thinks he can blow off your request 'cause you're "just the little woman"? Just a thought. Going forward if one can't properly & fully inspect a place, one should not take it! It'd be inappropriate & should be suspect from the outset.

I paint trunks of all my fruit trees (Bay Area is cooler than Tracy, but the sun should be equally intense, except for foggy areas). Trunks of some of my rose bushes that were not painted were sun scalded over the summer, so this spring I will paint them as well. As trees grow, paint cracks, so I re-paint at least every spring. Use the cheapest indoor white latex paint mixed 50/50 with water.

Hi Lindsay et al - I feel like I've inadvertently become an expert on BM whites (the hard way)! In the end I couldn't stand Cloud White in my windowless bathroom. It turned out to be way too yellow next to the greige tile and under the warm halogen pot lights. (am in the process of correcting what I did in there - let's just say Steam by BM wasn't a great choice either). Howeiver, I have used Simply White in a dark hall and also in a very bright bedroom and just love it! The paint guy told me Simply White is 'half Cloud White' and I can see why. The yellow/cream undertone adds a nice 'pick up' to the wall colour while still being white. I did the baseboards and trim also in Simply White but in satin in the bedroom and it looks great. A couple of years ago I did my kitchen in Decorator's White but it turned out to look much too cool and gray next to the creamy white cabinets. My cabinets were apparently done in Oxford White but read more like Simply White to me so the DW really clashed. I went ahead and re-painted the kitchen walls in Oxford White and, while it doesn't match the lacquered OW cabinets perfectly, it looks way better than with the Decorator's White. OW is a toned down version of SW because it has a hint of gray in it. Now, I have used White Dove in my living-dining room and stairwell. It definitely leans more creamy but not in an overly yellow way. I like a more 'true white' kitchen so I didn't/wouldn't carry the White Dove into the kitchen (I also like bit of contrast bewteen my Living-Dining and the Oxford White in the kitchen. Sure hope this helps a bit!

I have french oak flooring and did Simply white on the walls, and the trim work (one in eggshell the other in semi gloss) . It's a nice white. not too stark, and not at all yellow or gray. I originally had painted the walls w/White Dove, but it was very dingy looking. I wouldn't recommend that one. Alabster is similar to that, but IMO, leans a bit more yellow. you can see the diff on the wall here. Your painter may prefer SW, but you're paying him to paint the color you want. If you can't find a SW white that you like, then just have him go buy the BM paint. not a big deal. SW Pure white is close, but Simply White is a bit warmer. Why not get some samples and see what you like?