9 The people who hand out jobs all day
A homeowner hires you once every few years. These people place jobs every week. Start with the first three: they need no extra license and almost no money.
What you do
Get known by the people who hand out jobs every week: go to the supply counter the same morning every week, check the public permit list, and send property managers a sheet with your paperwork.
What it brings
25 out of 100 owners say local partnerships bring them work, more than Google Search (20). A homeowner hires you once every few years. These people place jobs every week.Source: Jobber 2026, survey of 1,050 owners
Time it takes
Two hours a month.
Today
Put your paperwork into one PDF (insurance, license, W-9, prices). Tomorrow, go to the supply house at the same time, with cards.
| Source | The play | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The supply counter | One store, the same morning every week. Learn the names. "If a homeowner walks in over his head, give him my card. I'll take care of him and send him back here to buy the material". Buy the counter lunch once a month. | $20-40/month |
| 2. General contractors, through permits | Permits are public. Search "[your county] permit search", write down every contractor from the last 90 days, call early: "I saw you pulled the permit on [street]. I do [your trade], I'm insured, I can start Monday. Do you need a quote?". | $0 |
| 3. Property managers | They turn you down over paperwork, not talent. Reason #1: the "additional insured" endorsement is missing from the insurance. Put ONE PDF together (insurance with the endorsement, license, W-9, prices) and send it to all of them. Promise this: "Text me a tenant move-out and I'll walk it within 24 hours with a price in writing". | $0-50 |
| 4. Interior designers | They pick the painter 60% of the time, and price comes LAST. "I work to spec: you pick color, finish and brand, and I use exactly that. Photo at the end of every day". | $0 |
| 5. Real estate agents | Never money (see the red box). Give them a New Homeowner Checklist with THEIR photo on top and your details at the bottom, as their closing gift. 75% of buyers hire a service within 2 years. | $0-150 |
| 6. Home inspectors | "Send me any report that flags [your trade]. The buyer gets a free estimate within 24 hours. I will never say your report was wrong". | $0 |
| 7. Restoration companies | Insurance size jobs without the wall of certificates: be their subcontractor. They win the claim, you do your part. | $0 |
Where money is ILLEGAL. Read this twice. Paying an insurance adjuster for referrals is treated as bribery or fraud in several states. It is a crime in California and banned by law in Virginia, Louisiana and Texas. Paying a home inspector breaks their code of ethics and federal rules. Paying a real estate agent to send you customers runs into the federal kickback law (RESPA): no money and nothing of value tied to the closing, the loan, the appraisal or the inspection. What IS legal, because your trade is not a settlement service: the agent buys the closing gift from you for their buyer (a cleaning, a room painted, a check up), paid at normal price. The safe currency is never money. It is speed, clean paperwork and making them look good. General contractors, supply stores and designers do not ask for a cent. That is why they are the first three.
And the habit that keeps every source alive: close the loop. Text 1, within the first hour: "Got it, I'll call him right now, thank you". Text 2, when you finish: "Done at [address]. The customer was happy. Thanks again". Almost nobody does this. It is the difference between one referral and a river.
Two more doors almost nobody knocks
The HOA vendor list. Do not go to the board. Go to the company that MANAGES the association. One company runs dozens of HOAs, and its approved vendor list is a single list. Same PDF you send property managers.
The utility company contractor network (Trade Ally), HVAC, plumbing and insulation only. Signing up is free, and in several states the customer's rebate (over $1,500 on a heat pump, for example) is only paid if a registered contractor did the work. Search "[your utility company] trade ally" and fill out the application one time.
What to say, word for word
English, to the real estate agentHi, I'm [Name] with [Company]. I do [your trade] here in [town]. I'm not here to ask you for work. I'm here to offer two things that help you at every closing. One: if you send me a house that's about to list, I walk it at no charge and hand you, in writing within twenty-four hours, what to fix before the photos and what's not worth touching. That list is yours whether you use me or not. Two: when a buyer of yours asks for a [your trade], I answer the phone the same day and I never make you look bad. I will never offer you money for a referral, because federal law doesn't allow it. All I offer is speed and making you look good.
Spanish, to the real estate agentHola, soy [Nombre], de [Negocio]. Hago [tu oficio] aquí en [ciudad]. No vengo a pedirle trabajo. Vengo a ofrecerle dos cosas que a usted le sirven en cada cierre. Uno: si me manda una casa que va a salir a la venta, yo la camino sin costo y le entrego por escrito, en veinticuatro horas, qué hay que arreglar antes de las fotos y qué no vale la pena tocar. Esa lista se la queda usted, la use conmigo o no. Dos: cuando un comprador suyo pregunte por [tu oficio], yo contesto el teléfono el mismo día y nunca lo dejo quedar mal. Nunca le voy a ofrecer dinero por recomendarme, porque la ley federal no lo permite. Lo único que le ofrezco es rapidez y que usted quede bien.
English, to the property managerHi, I'm [Name] with [Company]. I do [your trade] in [town] and I work with rental properties. Today I'll send you one PDF with everything your paperwork needs: the insurance with the additional-insured endorsement, the license, the W-9 and my price list. And one concrete promise: you text me a tenant move-out, I walk it within twenty-four hours and send you the price in writing. If that works, let's start with a single unit so you can see me work.
Spanish, to the property managerHola, soy [Nombre], de [Negocio]. Hago [tu oficio] en [ciudad] y trabajo con propiedades de renta. Le mando hoy mismo un solo PDF con todo lo que su departamento de papeles necesita: el seguro con el endoso de asegurado adicional, la licencia, la W-9 y mi lista de precios. Y le hago una promesa concreta: usted me textea una salida de inquilino y yo la camino en veinticuatro horas y le mando el precio por escrito. Si le sirve, empezamos con una sola unidad para que me vea trabajar.