The Definitive Skyrim House Guide: How to Buy and Build Houses

Our definitive guide to all things real-estate in Skyrim tells you how to buy houses and build welcoming homes.
Our definitive guide to all things real-estate in Skyrim tells you how to buy houses and build welcoming homes.

It will take a little while, but when you learn how to buy and build houses in Skyrim, you’ll not only have a place to rest your head, but you’ll also have somewhere to store or display all the books, armor, and weapons you’ve collected. With some, such as homes added through DLC or the Creation Club, you’ll gain access to unique features that can open up new possibilities like farming.

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The Definitive Skyrim House Guide: How to Buy and Build Houses

Our definitive Skyrim house guide tells you everything you need to know about how to buy a house and how to build a home. It also covers the different types of properties and plots of land that you can own, how much certain abodes will set you back, 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 that 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 â€” Breezehome

  • Cost: 5,000 gold
  • Housecarl: Lydia
  • Quest Required: Bleak Falls Barrow

Markarth â€” Vlindren Hall

  • Cost: 8,000 gold
  • Housecarl: Argis
  • Quests Required:
    • Kill the Forsworn Leader
    • Dungeon Delving

Riften â€” Honeyside

  • Cost: 5,000-8,000 gold
  • Housecarl: Iona
  • Quests Required: Skooma Trade
    • Help five people in Riften with their problems. Quests include, but aren’t limited to:
      • Dravin’s Bow
      • Wreck of the Pride of Tel Vos
      • Stoking the Flames
      • Special Delivery
      • Spread the Love
      • Bloody Nose

Solitude â€” Proudspire Manor

  • Cost: 25,000 gold
  • Housecarl: Jordis
  • Quests Required:
    • The Man Who Cried Wolf
    • Elisif’s Tribute

Windhelm â€” Hjerim

  • Cost: 8,000-12,000 gold
  • Housecarl: Calder
  • Quests Required:
    • Rescue from Fort Neugrad (if you sided with the Stormcloaks)
    • Entire Civil War questline (if you sided with the Imperials)

Solstheim â€” Severin Manor

  • Cost: Free
  • Quests Required: Served Cold
  • Unique Feature: A fully upgraded city house in Raven Rock. You don’t need to purchase anything, but 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 â€” Heljarchen Hall

  • 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 â€” Lakeview Manor

  • 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)
  • Unique Feature: Apiary — Spawns honeycombs to produce honey.

Morthal â€” Windstad Manor

  • 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 especially useful 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 a variety of upgrades and features. There are nine available, and I list them below.

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.

And that’s our definitive Skyrim house guide, with everything you need to know about buying and buildings houses. 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. For more Skyrim tips, head over to our guides hub.

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Jason Rodriguez
Jason Rodriguez is a game reviewer and guides writer from the Philippines. With around 5,000 published articles, he's freelanced for numerous outlets, including GameSkinny, GameSpot, Polygon, IGN, PCGamesN, PC Invasion, and more.
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Ashley Erickson
Ashley, otherwise known as Glitchiee, is an avid gamer of RPGs, TTRPGS, farming sims, The Sims, and a variety of games in between. Playing on the NES and SNES, collecting 1st gen Pokemon cards, and playing on her Gameboy color are some of her favorite memories from early childhood. Combined with a passion for writing, Ashley is focused on bringing the best news, guides, reviews and lists the industry has to offer.