Understanding the Ideal Aspect When Buying Property in Australia

What factors should you consider when investing in Australian property?

Price, size, fit-out, transport and area development are all important.

There is another aspect that also draws a lot of attention from buyers — the orientation of the property.

So which orientation is the ideal choice when buying property in Australia? Let Aobo explain below!

Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere

Because Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, the best orientation is not the same as back home, so facing south is no longer the ideal aspect. For different regions, the sun's position in the sky is different. So, as Chinese buyers know, when choosing a property for investment in Australia, the situation is reversed — facing north is the ideal.

And don't think that only Chinese buyers like north-facing properties; local Australians are also aware of the benefits of facing north, which is why Australian real estate advertisements in English use north-facing as a selling point too.

Choosing orientation for Brisbane and Gold Coast properties

Back home, apartment buildings are either slab-style or tower-style: slab-style buildings run through from north to south and are very comfortable; for tower-style buildings, choosing a south-facing aspect gives comfortable sunlight.

In Australia, property types are divided into apartments, townhouses and houses.

Australian apartments: all are tower-style, with aspects facing every direction. However, because Brisbane and the Gold Coast have a subtropical climate — evergreen all year round and warm as spring in winter, with an average of 7.5 hours of sunshine per day — Brisbane has earned the reputation of being a "City of Sunshine". According to the official statistics of the Australian Statistical Geography Standard 2016, Brisbane is the most liveable city in Australia!

So, if you choose a high-floor apartment, Aobo does not recommend a due-north floor plan, because too much sunlight in summer makes it quite hot. If you like sunbathing, we suggest choosing a north-east aspect; if you prefer cool and comfortable, then south-facing and south-east-facing are actually very good choices as well, especially a south-facing floor plan on a high floor with no obstructions and good views.

If you choose a relatively lower-priced low-floor apartment, then north-facing, north-east and north-west aspects will suit you very well.

If you choose a house or a townhouse, there is actually no orientation issue: because all four sides or three sides of the property face outwards, the whole property is open through north, south, east and west. Among these, you need to give particular thought to the orientation of the bedrooms:

If you like to greet the first rays of morning sunshine, then choosing east- or north-east-facing bedrooms is very wise; but if you want to sleep in and don't want the morning sun in your eyes, then a south-east aspect is also a good choice.

In summary, Brisbane is a warm, sunny city. You can choose the orientation according to your preferences (love the sun: face north or north-east; prefer cool: face south or south-east). However, we do not recommend choosing a west-facing property or a west-facing bedroom, because the western sun will affect your living comfort.