When you’re on the hunt for your dream home, one of the first things a real estate agent is keen to point out is the aspect of a house — especially if it’s north-facing. But, what does the direction your property faces actually mean? Here’s what you need to know about the aspect effect.
For those who live and breathe property in Australia, having a north-facing home can seem like the holy grail of house hunting. What this means is that the main living areas and/or the garden of a home are north-facing (not necessarily the front of the home), these spaces can maximise natural light as the sun moves from east to west. This access to sunlight can also dramatically affect the temperatures within your home throughout the seasons.
Here’s how the direction your property faces can affect your home…
North-facing house
North or north-east facing properties are considered the most desirable because they get the most direct sunlight through the day, especially in winter when the sun is at its lowest. In the middle of summer, too, this means your garden will be away from the sun’s full force. In an urban area where sunlight is at a premium, this can make a world of difference.
Consider the wind as well as the sun! The summer nor’easters on the East Coast may be great for drying your laundry but you may have to tie down your outdoor furniture.
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East-facing house
East-facing homes might enjoy lovely sunrises and full morning sun but that will be over by noon. In summer, mornings can be uncomfortably warm, and in winter you won’t get much heat from the sun at all.
But remember, if you’re in a built-up area you might not be getting a lot of light anyway, so it’s really down to how you manage the light you do get. An architect will be able to help!
You can bet any open house is timed to coincide with the best time of day. Visit a house at other times, such as when the sun is going down, to get a good overview of the light.
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South-facing house
You won’t get much sunlight at all from a southerly aspect. Without careful management, your house will most likely be dark, with condensation becoming a potential issue that can cause mould and mildew. But sometimes you have to make this work.
If you have water views to the south, for example, you’ll want to find a compromise so have a look at how you can pull light through from the north side.
Placing generous windows at the rear of your home or installing skylights through your home can mitigate the effects of certain aspects.
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West-facing house
West-facing houses (even more so apartments) get the booby prize for aspect. The afternoon sun comes in at an almost horizontal angle and can be intense, particularly when also reflected off water, which can make for a very uncomfortable summer.
The sun from a low angle is especially hard to manage as most awnings and shade devices are designed to stop sunlight penetrating from above. So, a western aspect is best avoided, but if you are determined, just make sure you have a good architect on speed dial.
Internal glass doors can also allow natural light sources to travel further within the home.
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Which direction should your house face in Australia?
All of this is to say that, while each aspect has its pros and cons, north-facing wins out for its orientation to the sun. In saying that, there are plenty of ways you can alter your home’s design, such as adding the most suitable window furnishings or investing in a good quality dehumidifier, to make your home’s aspect work for you.
WriterLucy LindfieldDigital Editor
Lucy Lindfield has a long-standing love affair with homes that began with a childhood spent picking out the nicest house on each street from the back of her parents' 2000s Subaru. Years later, after completing both a Diploma of Interior Design at Design Centre Enmore and a Bachelor of Media at Macquarie University, she dipped her toe into PR at a bespoke firm specialising in architecture, then went on to produce social media and editorial content at a Sydney agency before settling right at home in…homes.Following a brief stint with Better Homes and Gardens, Lucy has spent several years writing under Homes To Love and managing the digital presence of Inside Out, Real Living and Country Style. It’s here that she can combine her great loves every day: design, architecture, lifestyle, homes, and, of course, words. In her free time, she finds her dream home over and over on real estate websites and spends far too long browsing Facebook Marketplace for mid-century furniture.
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