Your house should face this direction for the most natural light, experts say

There's so many things to consider when buying a new home, but most don't consider factors that might make their home and family healthier. This article looks at how your home's sunlight can impact your mood and wellbeing, among other things such as producing clean solar power. When your ready to go green (or greener), an authorized Panasonic solar installer can help you get started. 

When buyers search for a new home, location, square footage, and the home's condition are typically top considerations. But what about the direction that a home faces? 

“As a real estate agent, I’m rather obsessed with how a house faces when showing it to clients,” says Christa Kenin, a real estate agent at Douglas Elliman. “I always ask sellers and tell buyers where the sun rises (East) and where the sun sets (West) in a particular home to understand and demonstrate which rooms receive direct sunlight at which time of day.”

To determine which way a home faces, simply look at the front of the home and whether a majority of the windows and doors face a particular direction. This will impact the amount of sunlight that streams into a home throughout the day.

Which Direction Does My Home Face?

When identifying homes that face a particular direction, determine which direction the home’s front door faces. Most homes have four sides, so each side generally faces one of the four Cardinal directions, depending on how it’s situated on the lot. A North-facing home, for example, will feature a front door and entryway facing North.

“There is no science that helps decide the direction a house faces,” says Kenin. “Often the size and location of the lot are the deciding factors.”

Of course, all homes are designed differently, meaning that even if you have a South-facing home, for example, you might have a primary bedroom inside the home with most of its windows facing East. Or you could have a home with very few windows that instead receives light from skylights. 

In those cases, you’ll need to do a little more work to determine what kind of light each room of your home will receive throughout the day and what it could mean for your overall well-being and your home’s energy efficiency. 

“As humans, we gravitate towards sunny rooms and tend to spend more time in sunny rooms,” Kenin says. “A home’s position and the amount of sunlight each room receives can greatly impact the interior decorating choices that a homeowner makes."

Which Direction Gets the Most Sun?

In general, natural sunlight is a big perk for buyers – no matter its direction. “Many people want a home that gets a lot of natural light, so Southern exposure is often seen as a marketable and desirable selling point,” says agent Steven Gottlieb of Coldwell Banker Warburg. 

The sun rises in the East and sets in the West. For most homes in the United States, that means South-facing homes receive the most light throughout the day through their front windows. “In general, the South side of a home will receive the greatest direct sunlight and for the longest time each day,” Kenin says. 

Homes that face in the opposite direction, North, tend to get a softer overall light throughout the day. “North-facing homes get gentle sun throughout the day,” says agent Rashi Malhotra of Coldwell Banker Warburg. “It's never too harsh, so you will not feel the temperature fluctuations that you might experience in east- or west-facing homes that get direct sunlight.”

And homes that face either East or West will primarily see light either in the early morning hours or in the evenings as the sun sets. 

Impact of a Home's Orientation

It stands to reason that each direction has an implication for the amount of natural light that will enter your home. But does this really matter? 

Mood and Well-Being

Take time to deduce the impact of your home’s direction, as it can impact more than just which way to angle your porch chair for a view of the sunrise. “The orientation of a home can impact energy efficiency. In colder climates, facing South will capture more sunlight and reduce heating costs, whereas in warmer climates, facing North will keep the home colder, requiring less air conditioning,” says agent Karen Kostiw of Coldwell Banker Warburg.

“As we all know, the sun is a great source of life,” says Malhotra. “When your home faces East or West, you benefit from direct sunlight at different times of the day. The morning sun is powerful and energetic, while the evening sun is gentle and soothing. This natural shift in sunlight can influence your mood and brain activity, in turn regulating your energy levels and improving overall well-being.”

Energy Savings

Your home’s direction can also affect your heating and cooling bill. A South-facing home might feel cheery and bright all day long, but it could also mean higher cooling bills in the summer when the sun heats your already warm home. Alternatively, lots of sunlight in the winter could make your home warmer naturally. 

“The sun naturally warms East- and West-facing homes, making them energy-efficient by reducing the need for heating in cooler months,” Malhotra adds. “But in summer, the extra heat means we use more AC, leading to higher utility bills.”

Of course, the direction that your home faces is only one factor in its energy efficiency. If your home has been properly constructed for the climate, it can properly retain heat and cool air no matter its location or direction. 

“The materials used to construct a home affect its energy efficiency. In colder climates, concrete and bricks are often used to insulate a home due to their ability to absorb and retain heat from the sun,” Kostiw says. “Lighter wood or cladding products are used in hotter climate areas.”

Other Factors to Consider

Where you live in the country can also have an impact. “In Hawaii, it is preferable to be able to capture the East trade winds to cool your home if you don’t have AC,” says Michael Pieklo, a realtor associate with BHGRE Advantage Realty North Shore. “South-facing is great for placement of solar panels. West-facing can give you the bright and hotter, late day sun.”

In any case, energy-efficient windows will also be key to determining how that added sunlight affects your home’s temperature. 

Finally, sun damage can wreak havoc on siding and window dressings over time. If you notice your home’s paint fading on the South side, you might want to opt for better paint with UV protection. “North-facing homes may experience more moisture-related issues, while South-facing homes may require more frequent exterior finishes due to prolonged sun exposure,” Kostiw cautions.

Similarly, you can look for sun-blocking curtains that won’t fade. Many homeowners are mindful about where they hang art and photos in their homes or store books, as these items can fade over time as well. Blackout curtains can also help if your bedroom receives a lot of light and it affects your sleep. 

“If someone is light sensitive and it affects their mood or their sleep, then they may want to live in a home that faces one way or another, depending on the time of day,” Gottlieb says. 

PIelko also points out that a view can be advantageous. In Hawaii, for instance, homes with a view of the ocean often sell for more. They aren’t without their disadvantages, however. 

“Oceanfront homes, especially those with prevailing onshore winds, require considerable maintenance and upkeep,” he says. “Everything corrodes and rusts – even stainless steel. Wood soaks up the salt air and becomes ‘furry.’ Windows are continuously coated with blurry sea salt moisture. Appliances and electronics need replacement sooner, vehicles rust quicker, and consideration should be made for customizing landscaping to the environment.”

Deciding on a Home Direction 

If you’re building a new home, you might enjoy the luxury of deciding which direction you’d like your home to face. If you can’t determine the orientation of the front door, you can likely choose to add more windows to the side of your home from which you hope to get the most natural sunlight. 

“If a formal living room receives great sunlight, a homeowner may decide to turn that space into a home office to maximize the sunlight during daylight hours,” Kenin says. “Meanwhile, there’s nothing better than a sunny kitchen since homeowners spend so much time in this space.”

Cultural beliefs also play a part when deciding on a home's direction. “It's a matter of personal preference,” Malhotra says. “Each individual has different expectations for their home space. For instance, in my Indian culture, a North-facing home is associated with prosperity and good luck, while an East-facing home symbolizes health and harmony. According to Vastu Shastra, a traditional Hindu system of architecture based on ancient texts, the best house direction is Northeast, as it is associated with the god of wealth.”

When it comes to finding an existing home that is oriented in the way you prefer, you could be hard-pressed to find one. Broker Tate Kelly of Coldwell Banker Warburg has worked with clients in search of homes that face certain directions. “I absolutely love these cultural beliefs, and it is always interesting and inspiring to learn about them,” he said. “However, they can definitely make a home search more challenging but also make it even more gratifying in the end.”

When deciding on the direction of your home, it can also boil down to your likes and dislikes. You might choose to prioritize homes that get tons of morning sunlight, or opt for a home whose office space remains well-lit into the afternoon hours. Or you might prefer a home with a garden that receives proper shade from the home.

As you hunt for your next home, consider which direction each house faces and what it could mean for your mood and your home’s energy efficiency. 

This article was written by Kristine Gill from Better Homes and Gardens and was legally licensed through the DiveMarketplace by Industry Dive. Please direct all licensing questions to [email protected].