Think like the next buyer

To be truly blessed, forget about your own needs. Think instead of others — specifically those future home buyers that you hope will one day hand you a big fat cheque for your house.

Think of parents, for example. Few things are more effective at selling a house than great schools. So even if you don't have school-age kids yourself, make a point of inquiring into the quality of local education. Similarly, you should think of potential landlords. A basement apartment can make an expensive home affordable to a wide range of buyers, so even if you don't want to take in tenants yourself, you may want to buy a house with such an apartment already in place. Finally, in large cities, it pays to think like a commuter — a home that is close to downtown office towers can possess value simply because it reduces travel time for buyers who work close by.