Working at Homes

A look at a few, however, gives an idea of the trend. Nationally, landscaping services grew from $3.3 billion in 1998 to $4.8 billion in 2002, according to the Economic Census. In the Washington-Baltimore area, that category grew from $65 million in 1998 to $97 million in 2002.

Pet services, including dog walkers and sitters, increased from $494.3 million nationally in 1998 to $761.8 million in 2002, and in the Washington-Baltimore area went from $13.8 million to $22.7 million.

The economy in general is moving toward service as manufacturing jobs have disappeared, and many job-seekers find it appealing to create their own businesses cleaning houses, walking dogs or running errands.

"Essentially there's not a lot of start-up costs," Fairchild said. "You don't have to buy a retail site or stock inventory. You don't have to hire until you need someone. You don't need to hire more dog walkers until you have enough dogs."

Often the businesses are started by people with what he calls the right kind of cultural capital. They know the trends, and they're looking for a change. A restaurant chef tired of working long hours and holidays becomes a personal chef. A mother looking for a flexible work schedule sets up a cleaning business. A librarian who understands filing becomes a personal organizer. And many, many newcomers to the region find jobs with lawn services and landscapers.

Helen Alberse, an Ashburn resident and mother of four, noticed how traumatic it was for the family's golden retriever to visit the groomer. So Alberse and her husband bought an Aussie Pet Mobile franchise, taking grooming to the dogs. "Services are so big these days," she said. "Everybody's so busy around here. There's not enough time to have fun and hang out."

Indra Books quit her commute from Leesburg to the District, where she had been a government information technology manager, and opened On the Go 4 U, which provides personal shopping, organizing and other concierge services. "It's become a necessity for people here to get help," she said. "Everybody is running themselves into the ground."

Jacob and Susan D'Aniello, who now live in Charlottesville, opened DoodyCalls in Fairfax in 2000 and four years later began selling franchises. Their clients include homeowners, apartment communities and homeowner associations.

"Some people do it because they don't have time, some people do it because they don't want to do it themselves and some people are old" and can't clean up after their pets the way they used to, said Jacob D'Aniello, who previously worked as a technology consultant.

Many suburbanites who moved farther out from the city in search of a nice big yard discover the grass is the first chore they want to unload.

"They've never done it," said Gary Cogle, owner of A-1 Lawn Care Services of Kearneysville, W.Va., which serves Loudoun County and West Virginia. "They might buy a mower because it's a neat little thing."

For a few months or even as long as a year, those new suburban residents will toy with their new mower, cutting their own grass, he said.