Best Home Remodeling Projects

Opt for exterior updates to get the highest return on investment.

You might crave a new kitchen or a spa-like bathroom, but if getting a good remodeling return matters, spend your dollars where the Remodeling magazine 2010-11 Cost vs. Value Report says prospective buyers will be most likely to see them: on your home's exterior.

Among the projects with the highest returns:

1. Front door - 102.1 percent
2. Garage door - 83.9 percent
3. Fiber-cement siding - 80 percent
4. Wood deck - 72.8 percent
5. Minor kitchen remodel - 72.8 percent
6. Wood windows - 72.4 percent
7. Remodel attic into a bedroom - 72.2 percent
8. Finishing the basement - 70 percent
9. Completely new kitchen - 68.7 percent
10. Two-story addition- 65 percent

Check out Top 10 Home Remodeling Projects to find out exactly which updates the 4,000 Realtors and appraisers surveyed for the report predict will have the best return based on their cost and the value they add to your home.

And read 6 Smart Home Remodeling Tips for more ways to spend your remodeling dollars wisely.

Copyright 2010 Hanley Wood, LLC. Reproduced by permission.