When you learn how to buy and build houses in Skyrim, you’ll not only have a place to rest your head but also somewhere to store or display all the gear you’ve collected. Here are all the houses up for sale, how to buy a house, or even how to build one.
All Houses in Skyrim & How to Buy Them
Our definitive Skyrim house guide tells you everything you need to know about how to buy or build a home. It also covers the different types of properties and plots of land that you can own, how much certain abodes will cost, and which quests (if applicable) are required to unlock them.
How to Buy a House in the Cities of Skyrim
There are five houses included in the Skyrim base game. For the most part, these are found in the game’s major cities. The quests you complete in these locations will provide an opportunity to purchase a house, and because you’ll become a Thane, you’ll also gain a companion to serve as your Housecarl. Finally, upgrades and additional features can be purchased from the Jarl’s Steward. Here’s a list of all the lodgings you can purchase:
Whiterun — Breezehome
Breezehome is one of the most basic homes you can acquire in Skyrim, but it’s also in one of the most convenient locations. It sits right in the heart of Whiterun, where most of your story quests will take place. To gain the right to purchase the house, all you need to do is complete the Bleaks Falls Barrow quest. You can start the quest by speaking to Farengar Secret-Fire, Whiterun’s court mage, after first arriving at Dragonsreach. After completing the quest, you can talk to the steward, Proventus Avenicci, in Dragonsreach to purchase the property and make all the upgrades.
- Cost: 5,000 gold
- Full Upgrade Cost: 1,800 gold
- Housecarl: Lydia
- Quest Required: Bleak Falls Barrow
Riften — Honeyside
Honeyside is the prime house for thieves in Skyrim since it sits right in the thieving capital of Riften. It also happens to be one of the other more affordable housing options you can get pretty early on in the game. To purchase it, you’ll need to go to Jarl Laila Law-Giver. She’ll give you one main quest to complete called “Skooma Trade.” To progress, speak to the Argonian Wujeeta at the docks. You’ll also need to be well-known in the hold, so you’ll have to complete five other random quests from citizens in Riften as well. After that, you can purchase the house and make upgrades from the steward Anuriel.
- Cost: 5,000-8,000 gold
- Full Upgrade Cost: 4,300 gold
- Housecarl: Iona
- Quests Required:
- Skooma Trade
- Assist Five Riften Citizens
- Unique Feature: Dock entry — Allows you to enter the house from the private dock outside of the city.
Markarth — Vlindren Hall
Vlindren Hall is built right into the mighty stone walls of Markarth. It is slightly more expensive than Breezehome or Honeyside, but it does include an Enchanting Table and Alchemy Station. To purchase it, you’ll need to play nice with Markarth’s Jarl Igmund. Speak to him to complete a series of miscellaneous tasks, including helping Markarth citizens by completing their quests and a side mission to retrieve a shield. When you’ve finished all the quests for the Jarl, he will grant you the title of Thane, and you can purchase the house from his steward, Raerek.
- Cost: 8,000 gold
- Full Upgrade Cost: 4,100 gold
- Housecarl: Argis
- Quests Required:
- Recover Hrolfdir’s Shield
- Kill the Forsworn Leader
- Assist Five Markarth Citizens
Windhelm — Hjerim
Hjerim is a cozy house in the snowy city of Windhelm. It costs about the same as Vlindren Hall and is about the same size. If you don’t mind a little PTSD from the serial murder quest, “Blood on the Ice,” it makes a fine house, especially for Stormcloaks since it’s right near Ulfric Stormcloak.
To purchase the house, you must complete the quest “Blood on Ice” by speaking to one of the Windhelm Guards in the graveyard area. You’ll also need to complete “The Battle for Fort Sungard” if siding with the Stormcloaks or the entire Civil Ware questline if siding with the Imperials. You can complete them by joining either side of the war by speaking to Galmar Stone-Fist in Windhelm or General Tullius in Solitude. Once those are done, you will either receive the house from Ulfric or can purchase it from replacement Jarl Brunwulf Free-Winter if siding with the Imperials.
- Cost: 8,000-12,000 gold
- Full Upgrade Cost: 9,000 gold
- Housecarl: Calder
- Quests Required:
- Blood on the Ice
- The Battle for Fort Sungard (if you sided with the Stormcloaks)
- Entire Civil War questline (if you sided with the Imperials)
Solitude — Proudspire Manor
Proudspire Manor is the most extravagant house up for sale, and rightly so. It is a manor set right in the capital of Skyrim, Solitude. It comes with an Alchemy Station, an Enchanting Table, and all the storage and displays you could need. To get it, you’ll need to complete two quests for Falk Firebeard, the steward of Solitude in the Blue Palace. You can start the first quest by speaking to Falk directly after the meeting you overhear when entering the Blue Palace for the first time.
- Cost: 25,000 gold
- Full Upgrade Cost: 11,000 gold
- Housecarl: Jordis
- Quests Required:
- The Man Who Cried Wolf
- Elisif’s Tribute
Solstheim — Severin Manor
This is one of the only houses you can get without spending any gold. However, it requires you to have the Dragonborn DLC. This Morrowind-styled house is in Solstheim, which is convenient while completing quests there, but also means you will have to travel back and forth from Skyrim to get there. To get it, you must complete the side quest “Served Cold” from Captain Veleth (it’ll be the third side quest that he gives you).
- Cost: Free
- Quests Required: Served Cold
- Unique Feature: A fully upgraded city house in Raven Rock. You don’t need to purchase anything, and there’s no Steward.
How to Build a House in Skyrim
Several Skyrim houses were also added in the Hearthfire DLC. There are some key differences between these homes and the lodgings from the base game:
- Skyrim‘s Hearthfire DLC houses are found in the countryside, not inside cities.
- The plot of land for each residence is initially purchased from a Jarl or that Jarl’s Steward.
- Once you’ve reached the plot location, you’ll see several objects that allow you to build your own house, including lumber, quarry stone location, blacksmith anvil, etc.
- You can hire your own Steward for that dwelling. Options include companions, specific NPCs, and even your spouse if you’re married. Stewards can then purchase additional upgrades or features.
- Homesteads tend to have a unique feature that can be constructed, such as a Fish Hatchery.
Here’s a list of plots you can buy to build a house in Skyrim:
Dawnstar — Heljarchen Hall
Heljarchen Hall is outside of Dawnstar in The Pale region of the map. You can buy this snowy plot of land only after completing the quests “Waking Nightmare” and “Kill the Giant.” You can begin “Waking Nightmare,” by speaking to the priest, Erandur, at the Windpeak Inn. The second quest, “Kill the Giant,” is one you can only start when leveling 22 or higher. You can accept the quest from Jarl Skald the Elder in Dawnstar and, upon completion, can purchase a plot of land from him.
- Plot Cost: 5,000 gold
- Quests Required:
- Waking Nightmare
- Kill the Giant
- Unique Feature: Grain Mill — Allows you to make flour or straw from wheat.
Falkreath — Lakeview Manor
Lakeview Manor is outside the city of Falkreath and is, in my opinion, a more scenic plot of land than Heljarchen Hall. It overlooks Lake Ilinalta to the north and is surrounded by a forest of trees. To purchase this house, you must complete quests from the Jarl of Falkreath to earn the title of Thane. The Jarl can differ depending on whether you side with the Imperials or the Stormcloaks, which means the quests will vary as well. However, you can start them the same way by speaking to the Jarl in the Jarl’s Longhouse.
- Plot Cost: 5,000 gold
- Quests Required:
- If Siddgeir is Jarl:
- Rare Gifts
- Diplomatic Immunity
- Kill the Bandit Leader bounty
- If Dengeir of Stuhn is Jarl:
- Some Light Theft
- Dark Ancestor
- Rescue from Fort Neugrad (if you sided with the Stormcloaks)
- If Siddgeir is Jarl:
- Unique Feature: Apiary — Spawns honeycombs to produce honey.
Morthal — Windstad Manor
Last but not least is Windstad Manor, located outside of Morthal near the Salt Marshes. You can purchase the plot for this house by first completing the quest, “Laid to Rest,” picked up in Morthal by speaking to the Jarl, Jonna, or a guard near the burned-down house. Since you only have to complete one quest, it can be a bit easier than the other plots, but you do face the risk of catching Vampirism.
- Plot Cost: 5,000 gold
- Quests Required:
- Laid to Rest
- Unique Feature: Fish Hatchery — Allows you to breed different kinds of fish as part of the Fishing minigame to create a viable source of food for cooking. This feature is handy if you like to have Survival Mode enabled.
Creation Club Houses in Skyrim
The Skyrim Anniversary Edition introduced more new houses with the inclusion of Creation Content. These are often claimed after completing a new quest and come with various upgrades and features. There are nine available.
Goldenhills Plantation (Farming Creation)
- Cost: Free
- Quests Required: The Unquiet Dead
- Unique Features: Grain Mill, Apiary, Animal Pens, and Stables. This location also allows you to plant crops and hire farmhands. You’ll earn stable passive income depending on the farm’s productivity.
Gallows Hall (Gallows Hall Creation)
- Cost: Free
- Quests Required: Dreams of the Dead
- Unique Features:
- Altar of the Revenant: Creates Black Soul Gems out of Grand or Greater Soul Gems
- Bone Forge: Create Skeletal followers from various materials
Hendhraheim (Hendhraheim Creation)
- Cost: Free
- Quests Required: Hendhraheim
- Unique Features: A complete Viking home fully outfitted and hidden away in the wilderness
Myrwatch (Myrwatch Creation)
- Cost: Free
- Quests Required: Myrwatch
- Unique Features: Is a furnished mages tower.
Nchuanthumz (Nchuanthumz: Dwarven Home Creation)
- Cost: Free
- Quests: Nchuanthumz
- Unique Features: A home in a Dwarven ruin, with Dwarven Spheres and a manufactory that allows the creation of Dwarven Spiders.
Shadowfoot Sanctum (Shadowfoot Sanctum Creation)
- Cost: 7,500 gold
- Quests: None – Purchased from Vekel the Man in the Ragged Flagon
- Unique Features: Your own space in the Ratway with easy access to the Thieves’ Guild and the Riften Docks.
Bloodchill Manor (Bloodchill Manor Creation)
- Cost: Free
- Quest: Guests for Dinner
- Unique Features: Is an underground Vampire sanctuary with gothic decor.
Dead Man’s Dread (Dead Man’s Dread Creation)
- Cost: Free
- Quest: The Restless
- Unique Features: It’s a hidden pirate ship, complete with ghosts. Contains a variety of new attire.
Tundra Homestead (Tundra Homestead Creation)
- Cost: 7,500 gold
- Quest: None – Purchased from the Jarl’s Steward in Dragonsreach
- Unique Features: This is another home outside of Whiterun that comes fully equipped with no quest prerequisites.
Other Residences in Skyrim
While not full houses, there are other places you can gain the Well Rested buff. You won’t be able to move your family to these locations, though they offer full amenities and are often free through quest progression. These residences are:
- Apprentice’s Quarters: Located at the College of Winterhold before you complete the associated storyline.
- Arch-Mage’s Quarters: Available at the College of Winterhold after finishing The Eye of Magnus.
- Companions Quarters: Shared space available at The Companions building in Whiterun.
- Harbinger Quarters: Available after completing Glory of the Dead.
- Dark Brotherhood Quarters: Available at the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary outside Falkreath.
- Dawnstar Sanctuary Quarters: Available after completing Hail Sithis!
- Upgrades can be purchased from Delvin Mallory in Riften.
- Nightingale Hall: Available after completing Darkness Returns.
- The Ragged Flagon Cistern: Shared bed space in the Thieves’ Guild.
- Lord Harkon’s Quarters: Available after completing Kindred Judgement.
These are all the homes you can purchase or build in the base game and expansions of Skyrim. However, there are plenty of other housing options with mods as well. Having a nice, cozy abode means you can adopt children, have your spouse move in with you, grow rare ingredients, and become part of the world around you.
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