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Reddit’s Top Stocks Beat the S&P by 40%

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Reddit's top 15 stocks gained 60% in six months. The S&P 500? 18.7%.

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_{Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investing involves risk including possible loss of principal.}

Consider The Handyman

If you’ve been in real estate for a few weeks, you already know this truth:

A good handyman is worth more than half the gurus on YouTube and at least three-quarters of your local REIA.

You can flip houses without perfect contractors.

You can manage rentals without a 5-star property manager.

But running any part of your real estate business without a dependable handyman?

That’s like trying to renovate a kitchen using nothing but a butter knife and motivational quotes.

Let’s break down why a handyman isn’t just helpful —

he’s an MVP.

What a Good Handyman Can Do for You

1. Handle a Wide Range of Rental Repairs

Light plumbing. Minor electrical. Door adjustments. Paint touch-ups. Drywall patching. Garbage disposal that sounds like it's grinding marbles. They’ve seen it all, and they fix it fast — usually with a tool you’ve never heard of and would absolutely injure yourself with.

2. Show Up on Short Notice

When you use them consistently, pay promptly, and don’t treat them like disposable labor, magic things happen:

They actually answer your calls.

Even better, they show up.

Sometimes the same day.

In landlord world, that’s the equivalent of spotting a unicorn at Lowe’s.

3. Finish Flip Punch Lists

The last 10% of a flip takes 40% of your sanity.

A good handyman closes the gap — outlet covers, caulking, small trim fixes, cabinet adjustments, missing hardware, that one door that sticks because the painter didn't pull the tape correctly… all the things that hold up your photo shoot and your listing.

4. Diagnose the Serious Stuff

Great handymen don’t pretend to be heart surgeons.

They’ll say, “Yeah, this looks like a leak behind the wall,” or, “You need a real electrician for this, not me.” That honesty alone can save you thousands and prevent you from hiring the wrong pro.

Signs You’ve Found a Good One

1. One or Two Core Skills — and Many Adjacent Ones

They might be great at carpentry, light electrical, or plumbing. The rest they’ve learned because they’re simply good with tools and curious enough to figure things out.

2. He Knows His Limits (and the Law)

A real handyman knows where his scope ends.

If the job needs a permit, a license, or a professional, he’ll tell you — not because he’s afraid, but because he wants you to succeed and stay out of the local news.

3. Answers the Phone or Calls Back Promptly

If he returns your call within an hour, congratulations — you’ve met the rarest species in the trades ecosystem.

4. Not the Cheapest — But Reasonable

Cheap handymen are expensive.

Reasonable handymen are priceless.

How to Find One

1. Network

Talk to landlords, investors, property managers, and contractors. They all have opinions. Sometimes good ones.

2. Ask Real Estate Agents

Agents know who bailed them out two days before closing when the home inspector found a “minor” leak that turned out to be a plumbing circus.

3. Visit the Pro Desk at Home Depot or Lowe’s

The folks behind the counter know more about local tradespeople than half the business cards on the bulletin board combined.

4. Apps

Thumbtack, TaskRabbit, Nextdoor, or even Facebook Marketplace…

Just remember that online reviews are often written by people who were angry, confused, or hungry at the time.

How to Hire a Handyman (The Smart Way)

1. Start Small

Don’t give him your full flip or your entire rental portfolio on day one.

Start with a simple job — a doorknob replacement, a small drywall repair, a garbage disposal, etc.

2. Increase Responsibility Gradually

Once he proves reliable, start giving him bigger tasks.

If he nails those? Congratulations, you’ve found a keeper.

3. Work with Two at All Times

Handymen come and go. Life happens.

Tools break. Trucks die. People “take a break” from work that suspiciously starts during fishing season.

Keep a healthy bench.

How to Pay Them

1. Pay Upon Completion

Most handyman jobs are under $1,000.

No deposits. No “materials money.”

If they can’t float $40 worth of caulk, screws, and outlet covers…

that’s a red flag the size of a billboard.

2. Never Give Them Your Credit Card (Ever)

Not for “a quick trip to Home Depot.”

Not for “the clerk will call you to approve it.”

Not even if they swear on their mother’s homemade potato salad.

If you do, you will:

• Buy them tools

• Buy them supplies for other jobs

• Buy snacks from the checkout aisle

• And possibly buy them a new shop vac “by accident”

Just don’t.

When to Fire Them

1. The First Time They Don’t Do What They Said

That’s not a mistake — that’s a preview.

2. The Second Time They Don’t Return a Call

If they ghost you, you ghost them harder.

You run a business, not a friendship circle.

And this, right here, is why…

Always Keep Looking for the Next One

Handymen turn over.

The great ones move up and eventually become licensed contractors.

The mediocre ones drift.

The bad ones implode.

Some simply have personal struggles that prevent them from being consistent. You can’t fix them — you’re not Jesus — and you can’t build your business on wishful thinking.

So you constantly build a bench.

You keep the “next man up” mentality.

And when you find a good one?

Treat him like the MVP he is.

Bottom Line

A reliable handyman is one of the most valuable assets in your entire real estate operation. He saves you money, time, stress, and deals. He helps you scale faster, turn properties quicker, and keep tenants happy.

Find a good one.

Treat him well.

Pay promptly.

Respect his limitations.

And always — always — be scouting for the next candidate.

Because in real estate, having two great handymen beats having one great contractor… every single time.

I’ve read the negotiation books — most are overloaded with techniques no one remembers, and too many feel manipulative.

So I built a short, ethical mini-course based on the practices that really work.

You can finish it in a few evenings and negotiate better tomorrow.

👉 Get the Negotiation mini-course for $19

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Editor’s Note: One of our readers just pointed out that the link to the smiley faces in the footer hasn’t been working. Thanks, Tom, for the heads up! We tracked down the problem and fixed it (at least in testing it appears to be fixed.) If you’ve never clicked before, or even if you have, give it a try. We love hearing from our readers.