Curb Appeal Is Still King

Curb appeal counts: If you're looking to invest some money in your house, look no further than the front door. For the second year in a row, curb appeal projects remain at the top of the list of high-value home improvements, according to just-released data from Remodeling's 2010-2011 Cost vs. Value Report.

In fact, an entry door upgrade is the curb appeal project that returns the most at resale -- and the only one surveyed to recoup its entire cost, at 102 percent payback. Other big returners are a replacement garage door, an upgrade to fiber-cement siding and a wood deck addition.