How to Buy a House in Skyrim?

Before Bethesda added the feature to build your own houses, we could only buy homes in Skyrim. While building your own home sounds fun, buying one at different strongholds is very convenient. Here, we’ll be specifically talking about the house that you can purchase.

To buy a house, you’ll need to talk with the Jarl or their steward of the respective stronghold. The cost of houses ranges from 5000 gold coins to 25000 gold coins. Some houses even have multiple quests tied to them that you must complete in order to make them available to be purchased.

There’s a total of six different player homes located in every major city in Skyrim. Each of the player homes has a unique appearance and aesthetic to it. There’s the Breezehome in Whiterun if you prefer a serene environment.

If you enjoy the cold harsh weather of Windhelm, then Hjerim is the home you should be looking to purchase. We’ll go over the detail down below.

Note: Despite being a major city, Winterhold does not have a home that you can purchase.

Breezehome

Perhaps, the most easily accessible player home in the game is the Breezehome in Whiterun. You can buy this house quite early in your playthrough. The building is located beside the Warmaiden’s. You’ll find it as soon as you enter through the gates of Whiterun.

To buy this home, you’ll have to complete the “Bleak Falls Barrow” questline from Farengar. Then, speak with either Proventus Avenicci or Brill about the available house in Whiterun. Either of them will sell you the property for 5000 gold coins.

After purchasing your home, you can further purchase decorations, an alchemy lab, rooms like the bedroom, rooms for children, a kitchen, etc, by talking to the steward of the Jaarl. Each of these upgrades will cost you additional gold coins.

If you’ve already become the Thane of the Whiterun, you can add an extra guest room for your housecarls.

Hjerim

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the Honeyside in Windhelm. This is one of the most difficult player homes to obtain.

You’ll have to complete a couple of questline to be able to buy the home. The first is “Civil War”, a pretty lengthy questline, whereas the second is the “Blood on the Ice” questline.

Upon completing both of them, talk with Jorleif, the steward of Ulfric Stormcloak. The house will cost you a total of 12000 gold coins. You can find him usually within the Palace of the Kings.

Similar to other player homes, you can add and expand room in your by talking to the steward.

The unique features of this player home are its emphasis on weaponry and armory. You can upgrade your home and add weapon and shield racks, mannequins to hang your armors, an arcane enchanter to enchant your gear, and also an alchemy lab to craft potions.

Honeyside

Similar to the Hjerim, Honeyside is locked behind quests as well. Although not as difficult as Hjerim, but you’ll still need to complete a few quests to acquire this home.

First, you’ll need to complete the “Skooma Trade” questline. You can start the quest by talking with the Argonian lady, Wujeeta.

Next, you’ll need to become the Thane of Riften. In order to be so, you’ll need to help at least five different citizens in the Rift. Simply talk with them and complete their side-quests.

Once you have a good reputation in the Rift, speak with the Jarl and her steward Anuriel, or Hemming Black-Briar to purchase the house. It’ll cost you 8000 gold coins and can also be upgraded like other player homes.

Proudspire Manor

We covered the easiest and most challenging to obtain player homes, but the most expensive player home is undoubtedly the Proudspire Manor in Solitude.

You can buy this house from Falk Firebeard for a whopping 25000 gold coins. If you want to furnish the home fully, the cost will nearly double its initial price.

Before buying this property, you must complete “The Man Who Cried Wolf” and “Elisif’s Tribute” questlines.

Vlindrel Hall

Players who love the stone and Dwemer architecture of Markarth will appreciate the Vilndrel Hall.

Unlike other homes, you can acquire this house in multiple ways. You can complete either the “Recover Hrolfdir’s Shield” quest, the “Liberation of Skyrim” questline, or the “Season Unending” questline to get the permit to buy the house.

After completing any of the quests mentioned earlier, talk with the steward to buy the house for 8000 gold coins.

Like any other player house, you can add decorations and room to make your cold and harsh living space of Markath more “lived-in.”

Severin Manor

Finally, we have the Severin Manor in Solstheim. You’ll need to own the Dragonborn DLC expansion in order to purchase this property.

This is the only exception player home where you won’t be needing any money to purchase it. Instead, you’ll have to complete the “Served Cold” questline. Upon completion, you’ll get the house as a reward. Speak with Adril Arano to start the questline.

As Severin Manor is the only player home exclusive to Solethiem, you won’t be able to move your children, spouses, or housecarl from Skyrim to this home.

Bonus Houses

If you own Skyrim: Anniversary Edition, there are more houses that you can acquire. The first is the Tundra Homestead in Whiterun. You can buy this player home for 7500 by talking to the steward in Dragonsreach.

The second purchasable home is Shadowfoot Sanctum in Riften Docks. It costs 7500 gold coins and you can buy it from Vekel the Man in the Ratway.

There are a couple of hidden entrances to this home i.e. via the Riften Docks and the Ratway. This might be the perfect player home if you enjoy being part of the thieves guild.