Re: Home building/living suggestions wanted.
Another way to describe that is "style over substance", but I understand. It is hard enough to get a house lot with a view worth looking out the window at, let alone a view that will coincidentally also be optimal for passive solar.
I recall one friend's house in an unremarkable neighborhood, built on a small lot, with a nice interior courtyard in the middle of the floor plan. The court yard let in a lot of sunlight and offered a much nicer vista than a neighbor, 20' away from each outer wall.
I was lucky enough to find a great lot (outside Atl) and came up with a kick ass house plan, but I didn't have enough cash flow to do it service, so I let the property go... It makes me sad to describe it fully so I won't, but the attic on the southern end was going to be a green house that followed the roofline in glass just for that end, with a hot tub inside that I could access from the master bedroom, and howl at the moon naked any time I wanted. :-( IIRC my living room vista looking down at the short waterfall was mostly facing east, so I shouldn't be so hypocritical.
JR
PS: Years ago my parents built a house on top of the highest spot in Westchester county (there was a marker on the spot). They had great views in all 4 directions. I learned from watching them that most people only have one house build in them. So measure twice and cut once.
