Significance of slope in the desert

First post! Here we go:
I recently moved to Tempe, Az (just outside of Phoenix for those who don"t know) and am starting my search for a piece of property somewhere in the valley. I want something on a hillside so I initially started looking for south facing slopes. Then it occurred to me that I might be getting TOO MUCH sun out here in the middle of the desert. Is this not the case or would a north facing slope keep things cooler? Could there possibly be an advantage to living on an east facing slope that would be shaded in the afternoons? Like I said before I just moved to the desert from the suburbs of San Diego so I really have no clue what the summer will be like here, but the winter is very mild even compared to southern California. I don't think I have to worry about too little sun through the winter months. Any helpful tips or links would be greatly appreciated.

Look at Palm Springs, CA. It is situated just east of a mountain. In the summer time, the sun goes down around 2-3 pm.
Maybe that is why the Indians settled there thousands of years ago.

Having just spent most of a year in Arizona, you will definitely want a cool-facing slope in the warmer months. Creating cool microclimates in Tempe will be a full-time job. Create shade wherever you can/

Thanks for the replies John and Toby. I will have to visit Palm Springs next time I am back in southern California. Shade will definitely be one of my top priorities. Good thing I love to plant trees.