Eastern View

The price of a lakefront home can be significantly influenced by the home’s orientation to the sun’s path as it courses through the day from dawn to dusk.  Lakefront homes are most enjoyed, obviously, on the side facing the lake (not the street side).  Decks, porches, patios, and, especially, expansive windows are positioned between the house and the shore to take advantage of the entertainment areas and views.

The ideal position is when the rear of the house, with all of the aforementioned amenities, faces east or northeast.  The sun rises over the trees or hills in the east and shines in through all those windows, waking and warming the house in the morning.  How delightful!

View from the Lower Patio

In the afternoon, particularly the late afternoon, the sun has tracked over the top of the house and is heading downward toward the western or southwestern horizon.  This is the hottest time of day.  The rear, lakeside, part of the house is now in shade.  How delightful!

Rear of the House

If the lakeside of the house faces west or southwest, the late afternoon sun can be so intense that it sears through the windows into the home.  Curtains and shades have to be drawn, and the air conditioning has to be cranked to the max.  The sun turns the decks and patios into blast furnaces.  The homeowners have to erect awnings, roofs, and whatever they can think of to block out the sun—and, unfortunately, the view.

This vacation home at Lake of the Pines, California has the perfect sun position.  It’s east-by- northeast lakeside orientation adds tens of thousands of dollars to it’s value, and immeasurable enhanced enjoyment to its lucky owners.