First meetings are like first dates. Here's your chance to size up a pro and vice versa—so make a good impression. And take your time! Lupberger notes that some homeowners are in such a hurry to get on with it that they forget they're about to entrust their house keys—and their sanity—to a stranger. Eric Thompson, a general contractor in Hampton Bays, New York, is among those who stress the importance of a good personality fit. "It's like any relationship. It should feel natural and comfortable, like when I met my girlfriend." Maybe that's why HomeAdvisor, an agency that puts homeowners together with service providers, uses algorithms borrowed from Match.com.