When you hear that the commute direction matters, you probably think “Of course, I want to commute in the opposite direction of everyone else to avoid rush hour traffic”. But it isn’t quite as simple in a desert landscape where the sun shines at least partly some 300 days every year. That means 600 opportunities to drive with the sun in your eyes, or with the sun warming your back.
With the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, you may want to consider finding your home in the east and commute to the west since you will have the sun behind you both in the morning and in the evening instead of constantly wearing sun glasses and trying to maneuver the sunshade to keep the strong glare out of your eyes.
So if you work in Phoenix, then Chandler and Gilbert are good candidates for your dwelling while Glendale and Peoria may be less attractive, at least from a commute perspective.
This article is part of a series of notes about buying a house in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area.