[Ima saver]

Well, my husband builds everyhouse as if he is going to live in it, and other than framing, concrete and dry wall, he does everything in the house himself. Agood builder will stand behind his workmanship for at least a year. A manintenance free home (stucco, vinyl siding or brick) is the best way to go. Lots of our customers still want the wood, cabin type, homes, but they have to be painted every few years. A cabin in the mountains is still a popular home style.
Try to build a house that has sellable features. Always plan where the beds will go, the tv's , the phone jacks. We put a tv jack, phone jack, and lots of wall sockets in every room in the house. Ou last spec house had a tv jack so you could watch tv from the jetted tub.

Even tho I never use it, I made sure to put a fireplace in the house, everyone wants one. We put in central vac. also, a switch in the kitchen to turn on and off the hot water heater!
For a little extra, you can put in rope lightening around the ceilings, or the toe kick (under the bathroom cabinets) or around a fancy tub.
Little things help sell and resell a house.
I pick out a stained glass window to put in every house!