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You can

• Find homes for sale,including foreclosures
• Post your own home for sale
• See which homes in your neighborhood sold, and for how much
• Get advice on buying, selling, home improvement, even tips from Pros
• Find information on any neighborhood, including school districts, population data, photos,etc.
• This is my favorite part - You can find your home and get an estimate on it’s value

Speaking of home value, one way to increase yours is to use masonry when you are doing any remodel.  Masonry generally holds a 5% to 10% increase in resale value—based on a study that showed brick homes commanded an average 6% higher resale price than non brick homes in the same neighborhood.

Regardless of your home’s material, have fun at www.zillow.com!

 Wood Fired Ovens

Wood fired ovens cook a great pizza, but they can also be used for  breads, meats, vegetables, and desserts.

Wood-fired ovens usually have brick walls, but can also be made if stone or architectural concrete block. They retain heat and cook food quickly, which gives it a crisp outer shell while keeping the inside moist.  Tasty and beautiful!

Grills

The heart of any outdoor kitchen will likely be the grill- the place where all the action happens!  Depending on your family size and entertaining style these masonry encased grills can range from under 27" to over 48".  It’s a good idea to think about additional storage and appliances around the grill as well.  What good is it to cook outdoors if you are always running inside to grab something you need?

Shade and Relaxation 

In the notoriously humid St. Louis summers, you’ll definitely want to include a covered area when planning your perfect outdoor cooking and dining space.   This can be done with a simple awning or a more elaborate retreat with stone or brick accents.

To select materials for your outdoor kitchen, visit these websites:

Earthworks

Richards Brick

Acme Brick

Kirchner Block and Brick

Visit www.masonrystlouis.com/faq.php for a list of residential mason contractors in the St. Louis Area.

St. Louis is a city built on brick - sturdy and steady through the years, the St. Louis brick tradition is undoubtedly present.

Other communities of comparable age are dominated by frame houses or by stucco and stone.  St. Louis’s solid brick presence is a significant part of its impact and appeal.

Several factors led to the brick base of St. Louis.  St. Louis was sitting atop  dozens of high quality clay deposits. In fact, Dogtown and the Hill were formed by immigrant groups who moved there to work the clay mines.  By 1839, St. Louis  brickyards were turning out more  than 20 million bricks a year.

In 1849, the steamboat White Cloud caught fire and drifted onto the riverfront wharves; a third of the city was destroyed in the subsequent blaze.  As a remedy, an ordinance was passed that forbade the construction of wooden buildings, and St. Louis became even more predominantly brick.

That tradition continues today.  In St. Louis, brick and home have remained practically synonymous.  The strength and stability of brick has been the foundation of choice on which St. Louisans have chosen to establish their homes.

Information courtesy of St. Louis County Public Library.