What does a healthy real estate market look like?

The Wall Street Journal and Zillow, an online real estate site, recently took the pulse of the housing market and found a heartbeat. In fact, they discovered 25 places where housing values are within single percentage points of where they were at the peak of the market. Finding out why can help all homeowners gauge what's happening to the value of their own homes, the newspaper reports.

Topping the list is Jacksonville, North Carolina, home to the Marine Corps' Camp Lejeune where the change from peak prices is a mere 0.1 percent. Holding steady at number 25 is New York City where housing values have dropped 9.1 percent. In between are a combination of little-know and well-known cities including Erie, Pennsylvania and Boulder, Colorado. (See the full list.)

So what do these places have in common? According to the Wall Street Journal, it's "jobs, jobs, jobs," a lower foreclosure rate and houses that are cheaper to buy than to rent. If your community shares any of these traits, the newspaper says, you may already be on the rebound. But even if you aren't lucky enough to live in one of these places there are still things you can do to retain your home equity.

Apply a good coat of paint. Paying a pro to paint your house can easily cost $5,000 or more. Doing just the trim, shutters, and doors can spruce things up for far less. Front doors take only a quart of paint, so they're a great place to try bolder hues. In Consumer Reports exterior paint ratings, we judge appearance at three, six and nine years.

Improve your home's curb appeal. To distinguish your house from that foreclosure down the street, keep your bushes trimmed and grass cut and edged. Overgrown plants can obscure your home's best features. To find the best tools for the job, check our string trimmer and mower ratings.

Declutter your home and yard. Here's something you can do at no cost. Sell, donate, recycle, or otherwise get rid of stuff that you no longer want, that others could use, and that's hijacking space in your home and garage. How to get rid of practically anything will help you find new homes for your old stuff.

—Mary H.J. Farrell