How to Check Sun Orientation Before Renting or Buying an Apartment

Why sun orientation is one of the most important apartment features

When viewing apartments, most people focus on size, price, and location. But sun orientation — the compass direction your windows face — has a profound impact on your daily life. A south-facing apartment in the northern hemisphere receives direct sunlight for most of the day, keeping rooms bright and warm. A north-facing apartment gets almost no direct sun, relying entirely on ambient light. East-facing windows catch the morning sun, while west-facing windows get intense afternoon and evening light.

The difference is not subtle. A south-facing living room can feel warm and inviting even on a cloudy winter day, while an identical north-facing room can feel cold and dim. Over time, this affects your mood, energy bills, and even the health of indoor plants. Real estate agents know this — south-facing apartments typically command higher prices — but many renters and first-time buyers overlook orientation entirely.

Understanding the four cardinal directions

South-facing apartments receive the most total sunlight throughout the day. In winter, when the sun is low, south-facing windows let light penetrate deep into the room, providing natural warmth and brightness during the darkest months. In summer, the high sun angle means direct light enters at a steep angle, and overhangs or balconies above can provide natural shade during the hottest hours.

North-facing apartments receive no direct sunlight in winter and only brief periods of early morning or late evening sun in summer. The light is diffused and cool-toned — pleasant for art studios and offices where glare is unwanted, but potentially depressing in a living space during short winter days.

East-facing apartments get morning sun from sunrise until roughly midday. This is ideal for bedrooms — you wake up to natural light — but the apartment can feel dark in the afternoon and evening. West-facing apartments are the opposite: dim mornings but bright, warm afternoons and evenings. West-facing windows can cause overheating in summer as the low-angle afternoon sun penetrates deeply into rooms.

How buildings around you affect your sun

Compass direction alone does not tell the whole story. A south-facing apartment on the ground floor of a building surrounded by taller structures may get very little direct sun. The buildings across the street, neighboring towers, and even large trees can block sunlight for hours, especially in winter when the sun is low on the horizon. For more details on how building shadows work, see our guide on when the sun hits different surfaces throughout the day.

When viewing an apartment, step to the window and look at what is directly to the south (in the northern hemisphere). If you see a tall building close by, that building will cast a shadow over your windows during the winter months when you need sunlight most. A simple rule of thumb: if the building across from you is taller than the distance between you, you will lose significant winter sun. The higher your floor, the less affected you are by neighboring buildings — upper floor apartments often get dramatically more sun than ground floor units in the same building.

How to check orientation during a viewing

Use the compass app on your phone to check which direction the main windows face. Stand at the largest window and hold your phone flat — the compass will show you the exact bearing. Due south is 180 degrees; anything between 135 and 225 degrees is broadly south-facing and will receive good sun. Between 90 and 135 is southeast, and between 225 and 270 is southwest — both very good for sun exposure.

Time your viewing strategically. If possible, visit the apartment at different times of day, or at least check whether the rooms are in direct sunlight during your visit. A midday visit on a sunny day will tell you a lot about a south-facing claim. If you can only visit once, morning visits reveal east-facing sun and afternoon visits reveal west-facing sun. As explained in our real estate sun exposure guide, these details can make or break your satisfaction with a new home.

Using Coffee in the Sun to verify before you sign

Coffee in the Sun lets you check building shadows at any address, for any time of day and any date of the year. Before signing a lease or making an offer, pull up the apartment's location on the map and use the Time Travel feature to check the shadow situation across different seasons. Look at midwinter — the worst-case scenario for sun exposure — and see whether your prospective windows are in shadow or in direct light at midday. Then check summer to understand the full range. This takes five minutes and can save you years of living in a dark apartment.