Pretty simple notion:
If the entry of a house faces north, it will not see the light of day. This means it will be in shadow or backlit, as the one above just down my street!
This house was built with brown bricks. I wish I had taken a picture of it while it was being completely painted over.
A darkened elevation/facade is a liability for a few reasons. If you have a humid environment, then mold will inevitably start growing. In my same neighborhood a stucco house has perennial mold issues, facing north, and it looks terrible. So you have an upkeep situation.
In the case of brick houses, where mold may be easily power sprayed off (by the way, the best mold deterrant for stucco is to use an ancient remedy - a lime mix!), and is not a problem, the issue of dark brick or stone or wood on a northern face means the house can appear gloomy.
This may not be apparent initially, but with large canopy trees shading the yard as well, the house is in perpetual shade and loses its attraction. Try facing north everytime you talk to your friends and see what happens!
So the quick fix, and not too expensive, is to paint the brick a much lighter color. Perhaps dark stonework can also be painted lighter as well. The old stained Tudor styles or contemporaries from the 60s and 70s may exhibit the same problem.
You gotta wash that gloom right out of your hair!
Lighter colors on northern facing homes make the house more attractive and up the chances of a quicker resale! It is literally a difference between day and night...
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