My wife and I are potentially going to build in Houston and have some options on lots. I am curious if there is a best direction (or worst) to face a home? We have kids and like to use our backyard so my gut was to try and avoid the western sun directly on back yard (so face front door west, NW, or something). Is there any rhyme or reason to this or am I overthinking it?

Face front door south. Good sun to make your front yard look good. Back yard will face north to get minimal sun.

Some people get way carried away with it and wont buy a house unless it has the perfect angle. The main thing is don't face the back porch to the west if you can keep from it. If you have some nice shade trees then not as big a deal. Above that though is orient the home according to the property. Nothing worse than pulling up to the back of a home because it was set weird on the property.