Zee writes:

Subject: Some basic ideas, but a bit misguided ...

Your reputation (standing) with a given faction has an impact on AH fees, and therefore profits. As such, the choice of *actual* AH location should be driven in part by your rep - note that this includes Neutral AH's: as your Steamwheedle rep improves, your fees also improve. Further, I'm unsure why you think Ironforge itself is important (other than, as you say, a central location in the eastern Kingdoms): remember, all AH's within a faction are linked. If you are playing Kalimdor, then Darnassus or Exodar are obviously better AH location choices: at times Stormwind is a much better choice. Finally, the trip to the any of the Neutral AH locations can be well worth it: certain items sell much better there (or can actually be sold), and you can often pick up items at basement prices, then take them for resale in your primary faction AH.