The sign in which your lagna or ascendant is placed becomes your 1st house. The sign next to that (clockwise in the south chart and anticlockwise in a north chart), becomes your 2nd house. The one next to that is your 3rd house and so on till the 12th house.
The 1st, 5th, and 9th houses are called trine houses. They are the most powerful and auspicious houses. They are also called Lakshmi sthanas as the rule all kinds of prosperities.
The 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th houses are called quadrants. They are also auspicious and powerful houses next to the konas.
The 3rd and the 11th houses are called houses of growth.
The 6th, 8th, and 12 houses are called Dusthanas or bad houses.
1, 5, and 9 are Dharma houses.
2, 6, and 10 are Artha houses.
3, 7, and 11 are Kama houses.
4, 8, and 12 are Moksha houses.
The First house or Lagna called Tanu sthana, represents your birth, body looks and soul, personality traits and inclinations, longevity, health, character and nature. It also rules your head the head, longevity, health, character and nature of the native. It is a kendra a trikona and Dharma bhava, and it is at the same time . It is one of the most important and auspicious house in the horoscope.
The Second house called Dhana sthana, represents your wealth, speech, family, face, right eye, mouth and the food you eat and charity and death.
The Third house called Bhatru sthana represents your younger brothers and sisters, courage, servants and subordinates, communications, talents and skills, sports, business, short distance travels.
The Fourth bhava called Matru sthana, represents mother, home, relatives, office or factory, emotions, domestic and house related happiness, landed property and conveyances, education mental peace and chest and lungs.
The Fifth house called Putra sthana, represents children, education and intellect, creativity, mantra, tantra and pooja.
The Sixth house called Shatru sthana, represents health, illness, injuries, loans, sports, maternal uncle, enemies and opposition.
The Seventh house called Kalatra sthana, represents spouse, sex life, reproduction and genital organs, partners, enjoyments and Kundalini shakti and death.
The Eight house called Ayu sthana, represents destruction, accidents, physical pains, inheritance, legacies, death and insurance.
The Ninth house called bhagya sthana, represents luck, prosperity, guru, father, religious and spiritual progress and knowledge of the scriptures, sadhana, pilgrimages, foreign travel and foreign trade, grandchildren.
The Tenth house represents your profession, business, authority and power and honours and achievements.
The Eleventh house represents gains and income, good news, money, elder brothers and sisters, friends, long distance travels, air lines and entertainment.
The Twelfth house represents losses, waste, expenses, foreign countries, imprisonment, death, sadhana and Moksha or final liberation. Each of the 9 different planets, while placed in the 12 different houses, produce different, and at times totally opposite results. Again each of them produce some good results and some bad results.
When placed in certain houses the planets are said to be in Uccha or in exaltation. A planet is in the best condition when he is exalted. The next best placement is called Moolatrikona, followed by its Swasthana or own house, followed by Mitrasthana or friends house and the worst condition is Neecha or Debilitation. The following are the placement conditions of the planets.