Chesterfield, MO

Residential homes sold in Chesterfield, Missouri 12/1/06 - 12/15/06:

Residential homes sold in Chesterfield, Missouri 12/1/07 - 12/15/07:

Residential homes sold in Chesterfield, Missouri 12/1/08 - 12/15/08:

Information courtesy of the MLS. It is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

The same number of homes was sold this year as in 2007, and the average sale price was up over $4,000 compared to 2007.

Average days on market was up 24 days compared to 2006, and the sale price compared to list price was down less than 3% compared to 2006.

Service you Expect from a Realtor you can Trust!

GRI, e-PRO

www.SelectMyHome.net 314-640-7061 (cell) Prudential Alliance , REALTORS 636-887-3554 (office)

Debi.Ernst@PrudentialAlliance.com

Rock Tops Granite owner, Bob Gasiorowski speaks at a workshop about kitchen remodeling

Chesterfield, MO - Home remodeling contractors in Chesterfield gathered for a local workshop event to network and share tips on various remodeling projects. One of the special guests invited to demonstrate a kitchen remodeling tip was Bob Gasiorowski, owner of Rock Tops Granite, a natural stone kitchen countertop fabricating company.

Bob's remodeling tip was regarding the sink that goes with a granite kitchen countertop. Bob said, "The under mount sink is perfect with a granite or natural stone countertop. They are very popular with their sleek appeal and clean look. Because they fit under the countertop, you can easily wipe crumbs right into the sink without them becoming caught under the lip of the sink. The older style sink with the caulked edge becomes discolored and dirty over time as crumbs and debris builds up and accumulates."

Everyone shared tips according to their specialty. One guy talked about new kitchen cabinets with mesh or glass doors, that can be seen through. He showed everyone how to hide the screws and fasteners with this type of cabinet. He also shared ideas for the person on a tight budget, explaining how to just replace the doors or re-face the existing cabinets to save money.

He really liked the idea of the under mount sink, so he asked Bob about using this style sink with a laminate or Formica countertop. Bob said, "The ideal countertop for an undermount sink is granite, marble or another natural stone or solid material. Countertops of laminate can eventually delaminate and bubble up over time, so an undermount sink is not recommended for this type of surface."

There were painting and drywall contractors, flooring specialists, kitchen and bath remodeling crews, and interior decorators at the workshop event. All had some great tips for builders, contractors, real estate investors and homeowners for sprucing up and remodeling homes, even on a tight budget.

Rock Tops Granite is the leading expert in granite and marble countertops fabrication and installation. With their use of the latest technology for cutting, shaping and finishing the stone to perfection, they produce the highest quality custom countertops at the lowest price of their competitors. Visit http://www.rocktopsgranite.com to locate a showroom in your area to learn more about natural stone kitchen countertops.

Contact:

Charlie Thiede

17411 23 Mile Road

Macomb, MI 48042

Phone: 586-263-6621

Toll Free: 1-877-ROCKTOP

info@rocktopsgranite.com

This press release was submitted by Right Now Marketing Group, LLC

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 as the service.

Check their License and Insurance

Before bringing a company into your home to do a kitchen remodeling job, make sure they have the proper paperwork. You need to make sure they are both licensed to do this job and insured. If something goes wrong during the job, you need to know you are protected and will not be out all of the money you have saved up to have the job done.

Good Supplies

One common rip off that is used on unsuspecting kitchen remodeling clients is to use less than quality materials for the job. This is usually more of a problem with unlicensed workers as they will promise you one material and then pull a bait and switch rip-off where they take your money and bring you less than equal materials, or no materials at all.

Another one of the rip offs that is similar to this one is a case where the person selling you the granite sells you remnant pieces. While you may not think this is a problem up front, if they are not from the same lot, they may not match up well and you could end up with countertops in different colors that don't match.

The key to avoiding rip offs in home remodeling is to do your homework. Know what you want done, what materials are supposed to be used and how the process should work. Also do your research on the companies that are out there and then choose the one that is best suited to your needs.

This article was written by Charlie Thiede, owner of Rock Tops Granite, specializing in creating and installing custom granite and marble countertops. Rock Tops Granite recently celebrated the grand opening of a new store in Maryland Heights, Missouri, in St. Louis County. They service Florissant, St. Ann, Chesterfield, Fenton and neighboring cities and communities. Visit http://www.rocktopsgranite.com to locate a showroom and learn more about granite kitchen countertops.

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 314-640-7061 (cell) Prudential Alliance, REALTORS 636-887-3554 (office)

Debi.Ernst@PrudentialAlliance.com

Residential homes sold in Chesterfield, MO 10/1/06 - 10/31/06:

Residential homes sold in Chesterfield, MO 10/1/07 - 10/31/07:

Residential homes sold in Chesterfield, MO 10/1/08 - 10/31/08:

Information courtesy of the MLS. It is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

10 fewer homes were sold this year compared to 2006, and the average sale price was down a little over $9,000 compared to 2006.

Average days on market was up 29 days compared to 2006, and sale price compared to list price was down almost 2% compared to 2006.

Service you Expect from a Realtor you can Trust!

GRI, e-PRO

www.SelectMyHome.net 314-640-7061(cell) Prudential Alliance, REALTORS 636-887-3554(office)

Debi.Ernst@PrudentialAlliance.com