Picked a south-facing duplex over a north-facing one in Edmonton... glad I did

I was stuck between two similar townhouses in the same complex near Whyte Ave. One faced south with a tiny fenced yard, the other faced north with a bigger patio. My realtor warned me about the snow buildup on the north side... took her advice and went south. The winter sun melts the driveway naturally and the yard stays dry way earlier in spring. Saved me from shoveling slush for months. Anyone else pick based on lot orientation and end up surprised?

2 comments

2 Comments

barnes.brian11d ago

Wait, hang on - a "mini glacier" on her steps? That's wild. I knew north-facing was worse but I didn't realize it literally turned your front steps into a tiny ice age. That just sounds miserable, like you'd need crampons to get your mail. I've only been in my south-facing place for one winter so far and I already feel like I cheated the system somehow. The way the sun hits my driveway at like 10am and just melts everything while the neighbors are still scraping is almost comical. Makes me wonder how anyone survives a north-facing place here without losing their mind, honestly.

ross.angela11d ago

Three years in and my south-facing driveway is basically a self-cleaning oven in winter, especially compared to my neighbor's north side which is basically an ice rink until May. I remember scraping frost off my car one January morning while she was chipping away at a mini glacier on her steps, and I just felt this ridiculous sense of smugness (which I tried to hide, honestly). So yeah, your realtor saved you from a whole lot of frozen regret.