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What is the Perfect Solar Position for a Lakeside Home?

By
Real Estate Agent with Century 21 Foothill

Thye View East

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 lake 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 View North

Northern View

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!

The View from The dining Room

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

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.

The Dock

The Dock and Boat Lift

This vacation home, just coming on the market November 1, 2010, 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.  Asking price?  I know you're curious.  $649,000 for 1600 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a completely remodeled high end kitchen and great room.  Oh yes, a deck that runs the length of the house, a boat lift, private dock, sandy beach and . . . ah . . .the views! 

LR and dining main

Remodeled Kitchen and Great Room

Get in touch with me if you'd like to know more about this perfectly positioned sunny home.

Joel Gwillim
CIR Realty - Condo Specialist - Calgary, AB
Associate - REALTORĀ®

Nice touch Bob. Great spin and love the photos.  It's a charming home!

Oct 31, 2010 05:33 AM
Li Read
Sea to Sky Premier Properties (Salt Spring) - Salt Spring Island, BC
Caring expertise...knowledge for you!

Very nice presentation!    In my "wet coast" region, though, the opposite exposure would be the treasured one, as we don't get searing heat, and to view the sunsets as late as 10 p.m. is the "winner".

Oct 31, 2010 05:34 AM
Bob Jenkins
Century 21 Foothill - Grass Valley, CA

So true, "Wet Coaster."  I guest the real point is that sun position on the lake influences value, wherever the property is located.  In my part of the country, late afternoon sun shining unobstructed though the windows can raise the inside temp to 110 or 120 degrees--and we're up here in the hills!  Imagine what west-facing lakefront homes are like down in the "flats" of California's Central Valley.

Oct 31, 2010 05:56 AM