Eligible plotting spot?

Just when I think I've learned everything about plotting a villagers house, I run into a new problem. This spot (marked with cherries) seems perfectly eligible, but thus far no luck on the newcomer using it. I've patterned the entire town so the only other spot the house can be is where the animal being replaced is.

I've double checked the guidelines and everything. 2 spaces of buffer at the front, check, 2 spaces away from neighbour, check, at least one space from all other angles, check. This game is so infuriating when it comes to plotting. It's sometimes just impossible to know whether a spot isn't viable for no real reason (like dead spaces for plants), or whether you're just having terrible luck. It's taken me upwards of 100 resets to get some spots used, so it's hard to say anything definitively.

Not even sure why I'm posting... perhaps to make sure I'm not overthinking and missing something really obvious?

I assume it's a valid spot unless you ran into the so called "acre limit"

http://www.belltreeforums.com/showt...-plot-resetting&highlight=acre+villager+house