Baltimore Maryland Realtors and Contractor Referrals- how to navigate new rules.

Baltimore, MD: Starting in 2011 and amended several times since then, Maryland Realtors have been unable to refer home improvement contractors (handymen) unless they followed a strict set of protocols prior to, and during the course of the referrals. 

These set of rules have inhibited many Realtors in providing the full service and discuss past experiences that help many Maryland Homeowners and Homebuyers. Can you imagine asking for handyman and your Realtor responding with "sorry, I can't tell you who I know?". This has caused a lot of anguish in the community. . .

Until now. . .

Baltimore Startup and App (Web, iPhone, Android) EFynch has come up with a solution and is currently testing the system with Long & Foster as an approved vendor in the Home Service Division.

EFynch initially launched in October 2016 and after several strategy sessions with L&F Team Members in Chantilly, Virginia, the group developed a product that not only helps Real Estate Agents refer contractors- but actually makes the entire process as easy as hitting a single button in the app on on the web.

Handyman services are often required for all homesellers and many homebuyers want to use their help to get a jump start on various improvements and general work around their new homes.

In addition, EFynch provides new homebuyers (1st time or those who are upgrading) with valuable information on maintence and repair issues that they may not be fully aware of. EFynch strives itself on being a "community for home improvement" and helping Realtors, Agents, Homebuyers, and the local handyman is all part of the goal.

Information is verified by EFynch and they also provide the necessary links and backup information for each homeowner or Realtor to verify themselves.

Handymen have literally laid the cornerstone in many communities. But today, we need to verify license to be careful.

This program is only available in Maryland, specifically the Handyman and Handymen in the Baltimore Metro Area (Baltimore, Columbia, Pasadena, Annapolis, Ellicott City, Timonium, Reisterstown, White Marsh, Catonsvillef, Crofton, etc.)


property management app for home buyers

Work with on-demand handyman app: Here is the details on fees

An image comparing TaskRabbit, Handy, Takl, and Homee. This is taken from EFynch's website but we have verified the information. Takl (from Nashville) comes in the highest and seems the be the "boldest" (not in a good way). Taskrabbit is 2nd both groups assess a 40%+ fee. Competitors are lower and have better sites.

Working with an on demand- handyman app can be a valuable prospect.

Home Improvement is one of the last industries to engage in digital and it is one of the largest in the U.S.

Historically, home improvement has also been hard for advertisers as the field is crowded and the smart run away with the work leaving the small and independent guys to fend for scraps.  Around Maryland and Washington D.C., most independent handyman take year to build a customer base and typically the more successful guys are in their later years of their careers and had started while in their early 20's to build their rolodex.

Enter technology. Apps and the digital world are trying to reshape this. We are still in the early years of this movement but we looked at several local companies in the Maryland/ D.C./ and Virginia areas to see how each stacked up and treated their listed service providers.

Here is a list:

Taskrabbit: A quick Google Search shows several lawsuits in the past. With taskrabbit you are somewhat working for their organization. They say they do this to control standards but it seems to be a way to dictate price.

Handy: Same as Taskrabbit- you actually work for Handy. I had a Handy housecleaner work at my house before- she gave me her number as she left and I used her for another 2 years. They take such a high fee I didn't think it was fair.

Takl: Takl is a new group out of Nashhville. Working with Takl appears to be okay at first because the founder is a good ole boy who has been known to treat people right. This is good EXCEPT- Takl only allows for limited jobs and takes the highest commission cuts out of any of the competitors. Takl has to pay for all the commercials you hear and at the end- you may only walk away with 50% of what the customers has paid. Competition will likely overtake this group very quickly.

EFynch: We like EFynch. It's an open platform and they take the smallest fees (a modest 2% currently). The platform is 100% open and EFynch claims to be a community for connections (homeowner and handyman). This local group has promise and one of the few which has no restrictions on how many jobs you must take. 

We could not find much on Homee. Unlike TaskRabbit and Takl, Homee has has little press but the rates still seem extremely high.

See the chart above. Handyman and home improvement is competitive. Contractors need to find new ways to reach customers because the industry is shifting and the old dinosaurs will be left in the cold.  As we just celebrated Independance day in Washington D.C., we have to wait and see how the year unfolds in this industry. Things are changing but in our opinion commission rates are FAR too high for full penetration.

So if you need a handyman still where to go? It is still about going out and getting bids wherever you can and comparing multiple options for that next contractor.

Baltimore Metro (Towson/ Timonium/ White Marsh/ Cockeysville/ Reistertown) TV Mounting

Hey all. I just want to give a shout out to my favorite baltimore tv (flat screen television) mounting group. Baltimore tv mounting.

This is a great group. Only costs $45 for most TV and the installer- Teris is an experienced pro.

One of my TV's was able to be hung in 15 minutes. I had him come from a 2nd one which required some work- but he was intuititve and got the job done even though there were some hard wiring runs to be made.

I had a 75" TV and a 42" LED tv mounted to the wall. 

Good guy- would certainly recommend him.

Maryland, Washington D.C. Northern Virginia Roofing and home improvment app: EFynch Review

Baltimore Startup proves a “win- win” when performing home improvement and roofing replacement jobs around the home.

Timoniun, MD: Whether you need a small task, odd job, daily chore or whatever around the home- local startup app https://www.efynch.com has proven to be the Baltimore startup that can reshape the way you get it done. With low fees and a 100% transparent system, EFynch provides a way for any homeowner to find the local handyman, plumber, electrician, side worker, moonlighter, or even that summer break teacher looking for extra money doing handyman chores.

It started in Towson when the co-founder needed help hanging a tv (general labor or someone to just help assist him lift the tv). From there EFynch blossomed. They grew an app, took an small office space outside Federal Hill in Baltimore City and then their first paying customer came our of Crofton for a roofing job. The projects continued to roll in.

Handyman work in Columbia.
TV mounting in Ellicott City
Gutter cleaning in Glen Burnie/ Pasadena
fence installation in Reistertown

Then. . . EFynch Home Improvement Community expanded into the rest of Maryland, Washington D.C., and Northern Virginia.

Roofing in Chevy Chase
Drywall in Rockville
Painters in Columbia
Faucet in College Park
Toilet in Laurel

Alexandria, Arlington, Washington D.C, Upper Marlboro, Annapolis, Bethesda, etc. etc.

One area where EFynch really began to excel was Roofing. One of the most competitive industries in the Home Improvement Sector- homeowner know roofs are expensive, and the sales is way too strong.

EFynch allows a homeowner to take pictures of their roof, post it to the “roofing board” anonymously and get roofing bids from local roofers.  The system was developed with contractors and homeowners working together to get this done.
The results- roofs were being installed for as much as 40% below “retail roofing rates”- (think calling the add you see on TV- they are expensive- EFynch can help find a Maryland/ DC/ Virginia Roofer for much lower).

So why shift through the sales when needing a new roof?

We recommend trying EFynch (https://www.efynch.com) Privacy is protected and you can save a good bit of money getting a quality service. Roofers are constantly looking for work to keep crews busy- this is a way to capitalize on your next roofing projects and get a discount!

EFynch “Your Neighborhood Home Improvement App”.

CRAIGSLIST HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTORS AND HANDYMAN:

MANY ADS ARE FAKE!

As I have been working to build a home improvement service which is honest and true- one thing I have noticed (we work in Baltimore Maryland and Washington D.C.) is that many of the ads are fake.

After some research we actually found these "fake and misleading" ads are run by national handyman and home improvement websites. Not only are they misleading, they are actually illegal!!! To top it off- when I post a local business ad they are so aggressive, I have to make sure they don't "flag" my ads to stifle my chance of competing (kind of like ripping down your opponents posters in a high school SGA race).

Although my research has shown who each of these groups are tied to, I do not want to publish them here because I don't want to risk legal action- these guys have big pockets- you've probably seen their national commercials.

The truth is that many of those national advertisements discuss a list of thousands (millions) of happy customers when in reality, those customers thought they were only contacting a local, neighborhood plumber, electrician, roofer, or general handyman.

They are NOT customers of that site- they just happened to be tricked by the false advertising and called a number- which was then used to collect information and sell to the local contractors.

Above: A screen shot (one add on the left is imposed but that was taken from another screen. These are not "local handyman". This company occupies all the top spaces when you search for "handyman" in craigslist. This is accomplished through a practice called "Black Hat Hacking"- to trick the Craigslist system and devalue competitors. 

(410-231-7155)- BOB

(443-376-8335)- Home Contractor Services

(443-429-5231) Terry's Handyman Service

ALL FAKE- MISLEADING ADS- NOT HANDYMEN OR CONTRACTORS

Above: Not the "referring" listed in the add. This company basically collected your information and sells it to 4 contractors. They are called "Home Contractor Services" and even though it is advertised they are licensed- they are not- this is illegal! Same artwork and phone number as above.

 Same add from Baltimore- this guy also does service in Miami-- must have a lot of frequent flier miles!

Bob (410-231-7155) the 1/2 Off Handyman in Baltimore must have a cousin in Las Vegas. Since Bob's artwork is so great- his cousin Jim must also use the same guy. 

HEY!!! My Baltimore Handyman goes to Florida and Lake Tahoe!!! He must have a nice business and works in all his favorite vacation towns (sarcasm).

Above are two other ads that run constantly. All of these groups advertise being licensed and local- this is untrue. They are "answering services".

It's not that I am trying to cry about competition. What bothers me is there constant misleading ads and the ripping down of my advertisement.

I had my MHIC license for 8 years. I was the little man who had to fight the big guys. I want to give that little guy a chance but these guys simply do what they can to shoe horn themselves into the middle.

FYI- When they sell your information it is based on price. For general repairs it can be $15- when I was in Solar- it was $500-  as a homeowner, you be the judge.



BAD LIST:

(410-231-7155)- BOB

(443-376-8335)- Home Contractor Services

(443-429-5231) Terry's Handyman Service

ALL FAKE- MISLEADING ADS- NOT HANDYMEN OR CONTRACTORS

EFynch bring Columbia Maryland Homeowners Handyman and Contractor deals

How EFynch Weekly Handyman and Contractor Deals Help the Columbia Maryland Homeowner:

Each week EFynch works hard to bring relevant, money saving deals for our Maryland homeowners. These deals typically include normal services like:

Power Washing
Handyman 3 hour packages
Gutter Cleaning
Snow Removal
Mulch Delivery
etc.

We also try to provide some unique services which may go overlooked like:

Mailbox Post Replacement
Flower and Garden Box Install- coming soon :)
Smoke Alarm Battery Replacement
Dryer Vent Cleaning

These are all common things us homeowners need and are things we should consider.

So how do we get these deals?

The truth is we sometimes just “wing it”. For the most part we pay attention to our own homes and speak with our professionals. They recommend services that are starting to trend because of seasonality. These take priority but we also look for unique ideas. What can make your home more enjoyable or something we see on TV that is awesome, but not very common (i.e. the flower box garden).

Pricing is a little harder. Right now we have close to 1,000 members. We use these membership statistics and the success of previous deals as leverage- sometimes guaranteeing a pro a certain amount of work if a deal is offered.

Once we get a deal lined up. EFynch then scours the internet for similar deals to make sure our offering is the best. There is haggling and negotiations involved- it’s a lot of work. This is the reason why our deals are not always open to non-members (if you aren’t part of the group, why should you get the benefits?).

In the end, we work hard to provide the best deals available. Often you will see gimmicks from other sites like “$39 for a waterproofing inspection” (real deal offered by a large national group). To us, that offer is bogus- an inspection should be free, not an opportunity for a service pro to sit at your table with a drawn out sales pitch (which is what those other deals are).

EFynch has it’s benefits. It should always provide a value for our members. Take a look at our deals which can be found here (http://www.fynchnest.com/contact-us2.html). Let us know if you have any questions or if you want to see a specific deal offered?

One thing we would like you to do is present us with ideas. Who knows, maybe you have the next “hit” and with a few of your neighbors we can turn that into a home run!
Thanks,

Teris Pantazes
EFynch Co-Founder

Baltimore Home Improvement- getting house work done in Maryland and Washington D.C.

Why you should call a Handyman first!
News from Baltimore Maryland Home Improvement and our take on EFynch.com (www.efynch.com)

You in your home and all of a sudden something goes wrong! A running toilet, leak in the roof, siding needs work, or drywall painting. Who should you call? For most- the first reaction is to turn to call a plumber, electrician, roofer, or painter.

Chances are, if the repair is small- you should also consider looking for a Handyman. A handyman is typically a person who know the most about your house as a whole. Sometimes they could be classified as a generalist however most handymen have previously worked as plumbers, electricians, roofers, etc. and are now out on their own. You get the professional service but not the price.

In Annapolis last week a homeowner called because they wanted a garage floor painted. The first reaction was to call a painter. But painting the garage floor is a simple job as long as you hire someone reputable. Here a Handyman was found using EFynch.com (www.efynch.com) who actually used to own a painting company but decided to scale down. Now this guy is just himself and a truck!

With low overhead he can do projects for a much lower price and being as it is just him, the owner was comfortable enough (after reading reviews and ratings) to let the contractor do some work while they were away.

Another example occurred in the Columbia/ Ellicott City area (another suburb of Baltimore Maryland). They had a simple cabinet that needed to be fixed. Instead of hiring a cabinet company, the handyman- who had a minimum hourly rate- fixed the cabinet but used the rest of his time to replace smoke alarm batteries, install smoke detectors, adjust the mounted TV and even tighten door locks!

A good handyman can be a great asset for any homeowner. Realtors can use these services often because the helpfulness of having a “go to” guy for regular projects is perfect. That is part of the reason we like EFynch and speak about them often here. The company primarily operates out of Baltimore but also serves everywhere between there and Washington D.C.

Their competitive pricing and strict adherence to privacy is highly regarded and many of the guys on their site are side-workers looking to use their skills and help you fix your house.

So the next time you think about calling that electrician for a TV install, try a Handyman first. Especially if you are around Baltimore- it might just save you some money.

You can also check out more information at www.Fynchnest.com which has a forum, videos, etc.

The app addresses are:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/efynch/id1156838095?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.efynch.app







Want more tips- check out these great blogs.
http://efynch.blogspot.com/

How to hire the right home improvement pro:
My Baltimore trip which involved an electrician, a plumber, and a handyman.

Maryland is a complex place and because of the federal government, many of contractors (or wannabe contractors) can find good work and give off a presence of being better than the are.

Washington D.C. is a big draw and money maker. The home improvement market blends into northern Virginia and Annapolis and Baltimore as well.

Anne Arundel County has some of the wealthiest zip codes in the mid Atlantic. Prince George's county is one of the wealthiest African American counties in the country.

Finding a good pro is hard because initial impressions of success can often be misleading.

Last fall I need a plumber to install a sump pump. The question was that because I needed electricity did I also need an electrician? The two trades (plumbing and electrical) don't usually work together and finding someone here in Timonium is tough (Baltimore County is an affluent suburb of Baltimore).

Using a new home improvement app call (EFynch.com) helped me locate the right pro, see verifiable peer reviews (not filtered like on other sites). I actually found a good handyman who was able to do the work at a lower cost than the hourly rates of an electrician or plumber.

This guy is just a general "fix it" guy so I wouldn't use him for complicated home tasks but painting, drywall, patching, even light landscaping are tasks he said he could do.

I would recommend the efynch service over other sites because it just worked. It was easy, no frill, no sales kind of experience.

Would I give it my glowing recommendation--- YES! because I couldn't give you one complaint about it and in Home Improvement- that actually mean a lot!

If you have any questions about your home please leave them in the comment box. I have been busy lately with work but I am working to answer any homeowner questions. I do my best to help everyone out and provide good info to new and seasoned homeowner alike.

Go RAVENS!!!! GO BALTIMORE!!!

*we forgot to mention Howard County (columbia) and Montgomery County (chevy chase, bethesda, rockville, etc.)-- sorry guys---- we still love you.