If you are in the market for granite countertops for your home, you may have noticed they can be quite costly. In many cases, the bulk of the cost of a kitchen remodeling job is the granite countertops. This has many people looking for a way to save a few dollars on the granite counter tops they want as well as the work to install them. In many cases, this can be done, but you also need to be careful that you are not the victim of a rip off. Here are some things to look for in a stone countertop company.   Look at a Portfolio   Make sure the company you are considering can do the work they say they can. Ask for pictures and references of jobs they have completed in the past. Make sure those references are real. Give them a call. See what they thought about the job that was done as well ... 11/25/2008

My daughter Alisha is having her 20th birthday on November 24. Her cousins Elisabeth (far left) and Joy (far right) decided to have a surprise birthday party for her last Friday.  Boy, was she surprised!  Also in the picture - Amanda (second from left), Charity, and Alisha (second from right).   This party was at the Olive Garden in Chesterfield, Missouri.   Alisha's brother Stephen (left) even came home from college for this event.    Her youngest brother David is on the right.  A couple of friends - Josh (far left) and Chris (middle) and her cousin Daniel (far right) were also there... I think there were  14 people (including Alisha). She had a great time - Happy Birthday, Alisha!   I Love You!!   :) Service you Expect from a Realtor you can Trust! GRI, e-PRO www.SelectMyHome.net  314... 11/16/2008

Residential homes sold in Chesterfield, MO 10/1/06 - 10/31/06:  Sold                                                         2 Bd.    3 Bedroom        4 Bedroom        5+ Bedroom      All Bedroom     #Units 0 7 29 8 44       Dollar Value $0 $2,225,150 $13,817,267 $4,611,900 $20,654,317       Average List Price $0 $335,229 $490,986 $622,788 $490,170       Average Sold Price $0 $317,879 $476,457 $576,488 $469,416       Average Days on Market 0 70 62 81 66       Average Square Feet 0 1645 2574 3655 2623       % of List Price 0.00 94.82 97.04 92.57 95.77     Residential homes sold in Chesterfield, MO 10/1/07 - 10/31/07: Sold                                                          2 Bedroom   3 Bedroom    4 Bedroom      5+ Bedroom   All Bedroom     #Units 1 3 32 1 37       Dollar Value $135... 11/09/2008

This information is provided for general awareness only, and is not intended for the purpose of providing legal, accounting, tax advice or consulting of any kind. Please consult with your tax professional for complete details. More information is available at IRS.gov. Provided by: Dwight Puntigan Century 21 Luetkenhaus 410 Crestview Drive O'Fallon, Mo. 63366 636-219-6242 http://Dwightpuntigan.point2agent.com/ http://www.stcharleshousing.com/ 2008 Housing Stimulus Legislation First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Fact Sheet Who is Eligible · The $7,500 tax credit is available for first-time home buyers only. · The law defines a first-time home buyer as a buyer who has not owned a home during the past three years. · All U.S. citizens who file taxes are eligible to participate in the program. T... 08/17/2008

The Dog Days of Summer Everyone knows that the "dog days of summer" occur during the hottest and muggiest part of the season. If you are in the Midwest, you might be more acutely aware of what this means. Humid and steamy hot from July through early September.  It's that time of the Summer when things are wrapping up...not much happening, a stagnant point prior to kids going back to School and pre-season football beginning shortly. But where does the term come from? Why do we call the hot, sultry days of summer "dog days?" Apparantly, in ancient times, when the night sky was clear and unobscured by city ligh and smog, different cultures around the world drew images in the sky. They would connect the dots of stars to create images. For example, the Chinese would see different images than... 08/07/2008

Has anyone had experience with have a home mitigated using a heat exchanger (forced ventilation)?   Forced ventilation. This method is similar to house/room ventilation. It uses fans to increase a home's natural air exchange by drawing air into the house. As the existing indoor air leaves the house through vents or open windows, it takes the radon with it. Heat loss can be a problem during cold weather, so this technique should be considered carefully. A heat-recovery ventilator, or air-to-air heat exchanger, is an option. It uses exhausted air to warm or cool incoming air. A heat exchanger is most effective for basement use. It must be properly maintained and can add to energy costs.   Any comments would be appreciated.   08/07/2008

I thought this might be a good time of the year to review trends in Chesterfield, Missouri real estate. A good way to do this is to share Trulia data for our area. See below: Clearly, Chesterfield has enjoyed greater market appreciation than many areas in the St. Louis area.  The end point of the graph shows the story of our current market. Appreciation has flattened out or "normalized."  Sellers in our area concerned about loss of value in their homes shouldn't worry, at least at this point.  Market appreciation may have slowed to a crawl, but overall, market value has not decreased either.  Sellers who list their home today will not have the luxury of expecting market values that we saw, just two years ago.  Sucessful sellers selling their homes these days are pricing their homes real... 10/04/2007

Chesterfield Valley Market Snapshot by Doug Aegerter, Keller Williams Realty SouthwestAs a complement to our weekly Market Watch Report for the entire St. Louis County Real Estate Market, the St. Louis Home For Sale Team is highlighting an area of St. Louis County each week. This week we are again taking a snapshot of the Chesterfield, Missouri Real Estate Market. Comparing the two reports and taking a quick look at Median Values in all categories it's pretty much status quo with a slight increase in DOM.The "Weekly Snapshot" has been expanded to include, Ranch, Multi Level and Condo, single family residences. The snapshot features single family residences that were listed and sold in the past 6 months. For a detailed report specific to your property you can request a Comparative Market... 09/25/2007

Two weeks ago, my oldest son Clarke went off to college. It is hard for me to realize that I am old enough to have a child that is college age. My loss is Mizzou's gain. Clarke plans to major in mechanical engineering. While I am worried that he has everything he needs, he is busy hanging out with friends and enjoying his new lifestyle with it's associated freedoms. It is a very familiar feeling for me as I am a Mizzou alum - twice! I remember walking to class crossing the quad behind Jesse hall. Rain or shine, it was always a hoof to get to my next class on time.School is in full swing now as various school districts have been opening their doors over the past few weeks. It always feels good to see the yellow school buses picking up the excited grade schoolers for their first day of sc... 09/08/2007

Jim and I had a great Labor Day weekend. We ended up showing property to some new buyers so we didn't have enough time to take in all of the fun activities available in the St. Louis, Missouri area over the past weekend. Chesterfield, Missouri was the place to be for the St. Louis County Fair and Air Show. The Blue Angels were the highlight of the show each afternoon. The weather cooperated beautifully-it was warm and dry. The turnout was great!We were lucky enough to be invited to a private "hangar party." This allowed us an insiders view of the airfield. As we walked around the hangar and tie down areas, we got to see beautiful aircraft. We actually walked a bit further, and were able to get a fairly unobstructed view of the airshow. We confess that our favorites were the Blue Angels.... 09/06/2007

 Successfully pricing homes in a shifting Chesterfield Missouri Real Estate market.As a complement to our weekly Market Watch Report for the entire St. Louis County Real Estate Market, the St. Louis Home For Sale Team is highlighting an area of St. Louis County each week. This week we are taking a snapshot of the Chesterfield, Missouri Real Estate Market.The "Weekly Snapshot" has been expanded to include, Ranch, Multi Level and Condo, single family residences. The snapshot features single family residences that were listed and sold in the past 6 months. For a detailed report specific to your property you can request a Comparative Market Analysis(CMA) from the St. Louis Home For Sale Team. This service is absolutely free and without obligation.Market Statistics for Chesterfield, Missouri 05/15/2007