The north arrow and orientation on a floor plan

Why orientation matters so much

Orientation decides when a room gets light. A west-facing living room is bright in the evening, an east-facing bedroom in the morning. For many buyers that ranks straight after location and price.

For outdoor space it is starker still. A south-facing terrace and a north-facing one are commercially two different products. Showing orientation on the plan filters prospects early and saves both sides a viewing.

Placing the north arrow correctly

The north arrow points to geographic north and sits in a corner of the sheet where it does not cover the drawing. It must be oriented identically on every storey of a property, or the drawings contradict each other.

Determine the direction on site with your phone's compass or from a map view. Do not copy it from an old plan without checking: rotated and mirrored copies are common in property files.

• North arrow in a sheet corner, not over the drawing
• Identical orientation on every storey
• Determine direction on site or from a map view
• State the orientation of balcony and main room in the text

Using orientation in the listing

Name the orientation where it has an effect: the balcony, the terrace and the main living room. One sentence is enough, and it answers a question otherwise asked in every first contact.

If the orientation is unfavourable, do not hide it. It becomes visible at the viewing at the latest, and a prospect who feels misled walks away more often than one who knew from the start.