We have a family member who is on a quest to buy a family home outside of Sydney, which will be their first house purchase. They have been sending a myriad of homes and which we swiftly discounted several – based solely on the rear aspect. In their frustration at us crushing their dream of home ownership, they asked why aspect is so important. We realised that they, like most of our first ‘house’ buying clients don’t appreciate the importance of aspect.
Of course, all houses have a south side but it’s determining which side of the home is best suited due south. For example, the rooms in Zeina’s home which have only south facing windows are bathrooms and the TV room. The teenagers love this because they like to sit in the dark, plus there’s no reflection on the TV…
Experienced home buyers are more aware of the importance of aspect. They understand that a home with a good aspect can improve it’s value by as much as 10%.
In our experience the ideal aspect in Australia tends to have the living area of the home facing north, east or north-east.
However, we do have clients who buck the trend. Even though we suggest a north aspect is ideal, we investigate (for resale purposes) why they’re buying a home and how long they intend to hold the home.
If they want to stay cool in summer and don’t mind a cooler home in winter then a south rear tends to suit. However, houses that are south-facing can experience condensation because of different temperatures inside and out. If there’s not enough sun/heat coming in then there can be other problems such as mould.
We’ve actually had a few clients who love the heat (seriously) and their first preference is to be west facing.
We also have clients who want a harbour view on the North side of Sydney harbour. That wonderful view is only going to happen with a south-facing living room. To make the most of the outlook, and to maximise light we then look at a prospective home for any opportunity to bring the light in.
If budget is a constraint and location is non-negotiable then there are ways to make the most of a less-than-ideal aspect to take advantage of the possible price discount.
Not every home can face the same way so I suppose it is true that there is a home to suit everyone. However, as a buyers agent we like to buy a home that will appeal en masse at resale time. After all, a good purchase now leads to a better sale in the future.