home facing EAST / North - Heavy Premium (Austin, West: new home, buying)

[john kumar]

I am looking for inputs wrto the Homes facing direction here in Austin. I am looking for new home and visited couple of builders in Roundrock area..

Pretty much most of the builders are charging heavy premium price for the home sites which are facing "East / North " and low cost for the "WEST" facing. Nothing for "South" facing homes.

Just curious what is the advantage of buying "EAST / North facing homes" instead of "West or South" ? Is there any logic or any reason behind home facing direction.

Why the builder tagging so much price for these lots ? am looking for reason

[HappyTexan]

Sun sets in the west. Now imagine that sun shining on the front of your house in the middle of August.

Normally you want a north/south facing house as those are our prevailing winds.. East gets the rising sun which, in the summer, will be out of your way by noon.

You want as few windows as possible on the west facing side.

[john kumar]

so north or north east will be best .. why builders charging heavy premum for these lots ?

any logis or reason behind that ?

[Trainwreck20]

Buy the cheaper lot and plant some trees. There will be no difference in home energy use within a few years.

[john kumar]

thx.. there should be some reason behind the price tag.. any one has clue

[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.

[Rakin]

I would never buy a East facing house. That hot summer late afternoon sun in the west kills backyard usage.

[Roadking2003]

Originally Posted by john kumar

thx.. there should be some reason behind the price tag.. any one has clue

Supply and demand. If more people want a house facing xxx, the price will be higher.

[10scoachrick]

Sounds like a bargain for those who don't mind facing whichever way isn't popular. The west setting sun was nicely blocked by tall trees across the street at out big house. We had huge oaks on the west and east sides of the house...couldn't have cared which way it faced.(well, as long as it faced the street )

Of course, I'd walk away from a developer who was getting greedy based on the direction of the lot.

[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