home facing EAST / North - Heavy Premium (Austin, West: cul-de-sac, lawyers)

[ElGnomo]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

In our part of the planet, a north facing home is best for passive solar. And yes, there are some buyers with preferences on compass direction and address digits as well.

But I think, beyond some anecdotal examples. it's a bunch of hooey. A south facing home with big oaks in front and a big back yard is going to sell better and for more than its north facing counterpart home across the street if that north facing home backs to a busy road, or lacks trees, or has a smallish yard, etc. In other words, the preferences exist, but those are easy nullified by practical issues and other lot features.

I don't believe any builders can charge "heavy premiums" for east/north facing homes. Too many buyers could care less or don't even know what difference it makes. They'd simply sell out of the cheaper ones first.

Steve

You might want to take off your realtor hat and pretend to be a buyer up in Brushy Creek/RR area. OP is right, builders are straight up cashing in on SE Asian cultural preferences. Of course, criminals are cashing in as well, to the tune of 30+ home robberies in the last 9 months - all targeting Asian and Indian homes.

So, keep looking for that "new home with Indian community", you'll keep getting gouged.

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by ElGnomo

You might want to take off your realtor hat and pretend to be a buyer up in Brushy Creek/RR area. OP is right, builders are straight up cashing in on SE Asian cultural preferences. Of course, criminals are cashing in as well, to the tune of 30+ home robberies in the last 9 months - all targeting Asian and Indian homes.

So, keep looking for that "new home with Indian community", you'll keep getting gouged.

I just ran a quick sales CMA for Round Rockat least 3/2, filtering for homes facing N and E compared to homes facing S and W. Avg sold price per sqft was $111.55 and $111.78. This is for resale homes, but you're right, the N and E facing homes command a whopping 0.2% premium over the S and W facing homes.

That said, the demographic of which you speak does have an affinity toward "brand new" homes, so it won't surprise me if the margin isn't a bit higher for new. But I haven't seen any builder lot maps that show the lopsided lot premiums being described here. Show me your evidence. Which builder, which neighborhood.

As I said, there are many factors other than compass direction that affect the desirability and value of a lot.

[RooCeleste]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

The are some cultures that will only buy a North or East facing home. There are cultures that absolutely will not buy a South facing home. Those cultures are a big part of the area. Because those directions are in a higher demand, just like anything with supply and demand, the price goes up.

I'm pretty sure Falconhead has hit the nail on the head...I'm in one of the neighborhoods that is very heavy on the culture that will only buy a North or East facing home and so it makes perfect sense that builders and sellers realize that, and have jacked up their prices accordingly.

I don't think for a minute that it has anything to do with the weather or sun. No premiums were put in our neighborhood because of that....until the demand for North and East facing homes because increasingly huge from the Indian community.

[10scoachrick]

It's interesting that the way a house FACES would be that important. So little of the 'living' in our house took place in the front. We didn't enter the front, only one room on the main floor actually faced the front of the house(side-entry garage took about 1/2 of the facade/front elevation). I would think the entire layout of the structure would have to change to 'benefit' from the orientation of the front.

On the other hand, just thinking of our one block in the old neighborhood, three of the families who represent the 'culture' being discussed lived in homes that face due WEST. I reckon they could get a bargain in the OP neighborhood. (Careful with those broad strokes...mea culpa

[cBach]

I prefer the backyard to face east so you get afternoon shade but to each his own.

[sojourner77]

The front of our house faces NNW, and it's very practical - no lot premium paid though. When the sun is high in the summer, we get full afternoon shade from the 2 story next door and deciduous tree line planted along our west fence. When the angle is low during the winter, we get full backyard sun all day, and through the back windows with a higher SHGC. Great location for a trombe wall if needed.

[RooCeleste]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

It's interesting that the way a house FACES would be that important. So little of the 'living' in our house took place in the front. We didn't enter the front, only one room on the main floor actually faced the front of the house(side-entry garage took about 1/2 of the facade/front elevation). I would think the entire layout of the structure would have to change to 'benefit' from the orientation of the front.

On the other hand, just thinking of our one block in the old neighborhood, three of the families who represent the 'culture' being discussed lived in homes that face due WEST. I reckon they could get a bargain in the OP neighborhood. (Careful with those broad strokes...mea culpa

Mine isn't an assumption. I was told that by many of our Indian neighbors in the neighborhood. Some don't mind the direction it faces because they're not of a certain type of belief system, but many do. One friend in particular had to buy a certain house because they wanted our neighborhood and that one house was the only one facing East that was for sale.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by RooCeleste

Mine isn't an assumption. I was told that by many of our Indian neighbors in the neighborhood. Some don't mind the direction it faces because they're not of a certain type of belief system, but many do. One friend in particular had to buy a certain house because they wanted our neighborhood and that one house was the only one facing East that was for sale.

I never assumed you assumed.

[hoffdano]

This cultural preference for home facing direction was news to me. I found the link below which shed some light on it for those that are Indian.

What does Indian Vastu Shastra Say about Home Entrance Directions? ~ Interesting Things

[AustinS]

So I am a demon now and I like stale food as my house faces southwest

Entrance facing South- west

A house facing south-west direction is ruled by demon, Rahu. So, the owner can suffer from illegal or immoral activities. His taste is also of peculiar type and he especially relishes stale food.