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The Importance of Orientation in Downtown San Diego Real Estate

By Mike in Downtown San Diego Real Estate|November 2014 with 0 Comments

Downtown-san-diego-real-estateOne of the most important considerations when purchasing Downtown San Diego Real Estate is the orientation of the unit. Understandably, many buyers are concerned with the interior features, layout, amenities, location, etc but the orientation of the unit within the building is one of the few things that cannot be changed and needs to be taken into consideration.

North Facing Units: We will start with north facing units. Because the sun rises in the East and sets in the West on an axis that stays below San Diego, the North facing units will never receive direct sunlight.  Many developments (The Mark, Renaissance) even skipped putting window shades on the North facing units because there was no need. Some buyers will see this as an advantage in that electric costs will stay down due to the fact that there is no need to run the air conditioner throughout the day. North facing units in the East Village/Gaslamp/Marina neighborhoods also benefit from fantastic city views with really come alive at night.

East Facing Units: East facing units generally get the worst rap here in Downtown San Diego. Due to the rising sun in the morning, you will generally get direct sunlight into your unit from about 6a-9a every morning. The morning light is not as hot as the afternoon sun, which East facing units avoid which will help keep afternoon AC usage down. East facing units also miss out on the sought after Bay/Ocean views. Units in the East Village and Cortez Hill have views out to East County and the mountains. East facing units in the Marina and LIttle Italy have a bit of an advantage in that they pick up those great city views at night.

South Facing Units: South facing units are the bees knees. In most the East Village high-rises, South facing units will have views of the Coronado Bridge, San Diego Bay, and Petco Park. In Little Italy and Cortez Hill, South facing units will have those great city views mentioned earlier. One thing to consider though, during the winter months, the sun runs on a little lower track meaning that south facing units will have some direct sunlight for a good portion of the mid-day time frame. It’s a small price to pay (get some good window shades) in order to have the best views,

West Facing Units: West facing units in the Marina  and Columbia neighborhoods are some of Downtown’s most expensive properties. West facing views from almost ever neighborhood will have views of the water (bay/ocean), Coronado Island, and Point Loma Peninsula. Condos in the East Village and Cortez Hill will also have those aforementioned night-time city lights views. Because of the sunset views, expect to pay a premium of the western facing units. The main thing to consider with a western facing unit is that with the sunsets, comes the afternoon/evening sun. Many western facing homeowners end up running their AC throughout the day because of the hot afternoon sun blasting directly into the unit.

For more insight into the importance of orientation in Downtown San Diego Real Estate, please contact us. We look forward to helping you find the perfect home. ')}