How do you guys feel on the exposure of the houses? I didn't want them to be in a shadow but at the same time I didn't want them to stand out too much because they're not the focus.
Not that I'm a pro on the subject, rarely take this kind of photo myself, but as an observer I would say I mush prefer the first one, the exposure is much more balanced. There is a lot to look at in the pic, without any one item being distracting. I find the second one too contrasty, some parts of the sky are blown whilst the houses and the water are quite dark. Although the left part of the sky is lovely in the second one as well
The composition of the first one is much better as well, with a balance of houses and then trees, and the grass verge in the foreground providing a nice "lead in"