The most important thing about the stone is if you like it. If you do not like it, don't buy it! This is rule #1.
To check the porosity of the stone do the lemon test:
Drip a few drops of lemon juice onto your granite. If you see that under the drops of lemon it develops very quickly dark spots, it means that it's a very absorbent stone. If it takes a minute or two to be absorbed, then you're dealing with a better degree of absorbency. Either one should be easily manageable with the application of a good-quality impregnator-type sealer.
If it doesn't absorb into the stone at all, then you have a winner right there!
Scratch resistance? If it is granite you should be allright unless you abuse it. You can make cutting boards on it, drag pots across it and it won't wear, but there are things to avoid like silicon carbide scrub pads, citric acids which will etch the stone, etc...
To protect against the acids and to stainproof the stone, try this:
http://www.defusco.com/tenax-impregnator-and-sealer-liter-p-2095.htmlThis is Hydrex by Tenax. It dries invisible yet protects your investment very cheaply.
Glad I could be of service,
Mark
