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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be put off dream home because of aspect

83 replies

Heygirlheyboy · 11/08/2017 21:25

House is lovely, larger than ours with a big garden. Price is good. About to make offer but as I flick excitedly through brochure I see it's west facing.. They mean back east facing then which means no light there in afternoon/evening, doesn't it? I think it's worse than North facing? Anyone more experienced have any opinion on it? Should it really effect decision?

OP posts:
WanderingStar1 · 11/08/2017 23:44

Tbh our block is trees I think, if they were all cut down we'd get lovely sun like the field opposite. If you don't have a (very tall) house at the far end you may be fine, like Tidy. Perhaps just ask the vendors (via the agents?) - "at what time do you lose the evening sun in a) May, b) July, c) Sept, roughly? ". See what they say? Good luck!

OhYouBadBadKitten · 11/08/2017 23:45

theyve built the patio in the back corner to catch the evening sun by the look of it.

echt · 11/08/2017 23:47

I lived in a east-facing house but as the garden was long, it got evening sun. Another factor is where in the UK the OP's dream house is.. I was in London, so the warm summers meant that a cool room at the back was very welcome.

I have the same here in Australia, so am even more grateful for a cool back room.:o

Original poster
Heygirlheyboy · 11/08/2017 23:50

Ok looking at it on google looks more like North facing....very bloody confused. Even north west. Are iPhone compasses reliable for a check when viewing?

OP posts:
Original poster
Heygirlheyboy · 11/08/2017 23:51

Yes ohyoubadbadkitten but I wonder at what time it shrinks to there...7/8pm I could deal with. 4pm not so much.

OP posts:
Dragonflycushion · 11/08/2017 23:54

The only sure fire way is to tell the agents that you want to see where the light is at x o'clock and ask for a visit then.
I would do this as light is really important for me.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 11/08/2017 23:55

what time was that photo taken and where roughly is it? No promises, life a bit difficult at the moment, but if I get the chance I might be able to work stuff out for you. Take it it's a two store house?

Original poster
Heygirlheyboy · 11/08/2017 23:55

Sorry wanderingsky, the far end. Do you mean backing on? Woukdnt it be coming over front of 'my' house in the evening?

Have just spotted a house behind for sale and no boast about south facing garden.. All as clear as mud. I think I will ask about times and evening sun, as suggested by a pp.

OP posts:
OhYouBadBadKitten · 11/08/2017 23:55

you can pm me if you like.

Original poster
Heygirlheyboy · 11/08/2017 23:56

Yes it's two storey. No idea what time. Back door on right of picture there as such.

OP posts:
TinklyLittleLaugh · 11/08/2017 23:57

Our current house has a south facing garden and it absolutely bakes sometimes. We have to put a parasol up.

The front door is pretty much in shadow for most of the day though. It is a challenge to fill the planters I have either side of my door with nice summer flowers.

Basically there are pros and cons to every orientation.

UsedToBeAPaxmanFan · 12/08/2017 00:01

If it's important to you then visit at times you'd be using the garden.

Having sun in the garden is really important to me and dh. Our garden faces south west and is perfect for us. We would not have bought a house on the other side of the road (where gardens face north east) even if it had been considerably cheaper as it's a deal breaker for us.

Original poster
Heygirlheyboy · 12/08/2017 00:06

Well dh pointed out we're off a lot of summer so it's nice to have sunny garden in the morning. I think we'll ask to view next week around 4.30.. Will give good idea.

OP posts:
IvorHughJarrs · 12/08/2017 00:06

Our house faces South-West so garden faces North-East and we have no problems. The sun is on the back of the house in the morning, stays on the bottom part of the garden all day but then comes round the side of the house in the afternoon so all along one side too.
In fact the big bonus for us is that our conservatory is usable in the summer where those of neighbours facing the opposite way get too hot

MoonlightandMusic · 12/08/2017 00:06

Assuming the EA hasn't massively overstretched the garden in the photo, you should get sun in at least part of the back up to mid/late evening. The east-facing rooms in the house will get sun, or at least our old house, which was a west front/east rear did.

Also, type in the address to suncalc - that will then show you how much sun you'll get at various points of the year. Might help a bit with decisions!

Original poster
Heygirlheyboy · 12/08/2017 00:08

Oh thank you both, very reassuring.

OP posts:
OverOn · 12/08/2017 00:13

I'm confused - if you had a north facing garden, it means you would get no sun in it (apart from v late on a summer evening).

The sun rises in the east - so east facing gets morning sun.
'Travels' through the south - so you get most sunshine if south facing
Sets in the west - so you get afternoon and evening sun

If you have a south facing garden, it would be in the sun all day. But the front of your house would be freezing as no sun would enter your front windows.

I'd rather have a east or west facing garden, so both sides of the house get the sun. Ideally west facing as I'd prefer evening sun in the garden.

GreenTulips · 12/08/2017 00:20

Depends where your windows are!

Our north facing garden has the morning sun full blast from sun rise (annoying of the curtains are slightly open)

The sun moved to the east so the kitchen dinning room get the sun all afternoon - them lives to the front of the house in the evening

The other side of the house gets faint evening sun down the side and some in the he garden where the house doesn't be shadow

mikado1 · 12/08/2017 00:32

Youre not due north I say..

Well suncalc not as positive as some of you - two thirds arc of circle in Sun and what looks like back garden as top one third of arc not in Sun at all! So just getting Sun from side in morning, front of house for afternoon and left side for evening i.e. down to patio and perhaps a Ross some of garden. It has to be north facing so I don't know what the west in brochure referring to-south west front perhaps..

Original poster
Heygirlheyboy · 12/08/2017 00:37

Sorry heygirl, that was meant to be a pm. Took a look at it for you...take from that what you will. It looks very similar to us here except I now see we're actually North east and I see our garden as pretty sunny these days.

OP posts:
mikado1 · 12/08/2017 00:41

And now you've just copied my pm?!? Good night!! Sun definitely gone down!!

Original poster
Heygirlheyboy · 12/08/2017 00:46

Sorry mikado, don't know what I'm doing Confused

No problem posting, happy for others to hear results in case of any insight, thank you. And thanks ohyoubadbadkitten, ok'd you also. Too tired now. Will post after next viewing!

OP posts:
Headofthehive55 · 12/08/2017 02:33

Have had all aspects of houses.
I like the back to be west facing.
I like to sit in the evening sun.
It depends what other buildings are around.
Grass doesn't grow well on north sides, it ends up mossy.
East I found difficult. So often its warm enough to sit out but only if you are in the sun. Only on the hottest days do you want shade.

Original poster
Heygirlheyboy · 12/08/2017 10:46

Hmmm...mossy grass husband would have spotted I think. Ok I see true East far from ideal. Will report back! Pray for a sunny week ahead!

OP posts:
Maelstrop · 12/08/2017 11:38

I dismissed a house because we would have had no afternoon/evening light. It would drive me mad not to be an.e to sit out when I get home from work.

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