Skyrim Houses - Where to buy and how to build a house
When you're ready for home ownership, here's how and where to get your own domicile (or three).
In a game where you can get accumulate countless trinkets, get married and adopt children, it only makes sense you can dabble in home ownership too.
Skyrim Houses unlock when you complete certain quests and hand over a sizeable amount of gold, allowing you to have a base in some of the game's biggest cities.
Each house also allows you to upgrade and furnish each domicile for a small fee, and with the advent of the Hearthfire expansion, allows you to own additional plots of land and build your own, too.
If you are playing the 2021 Anniversary Edition, we have explainers on features such as fishing.
On this page:
Where to buy houses in Skyrim
Breezehome (Whiterun)
Cost: 5000 Gold
Location: From where you enter Whiterun, it's the second building on the right, after Warmaiden's.
How to unlock: To purchase it, talk to Proventus Avenicci in Dragonsreach (we found in him the Living Quarters) after you've completed the Dragons Rising story mission.
Hjerim (Windhelm)
Cost: 12,000 Gold
Location: This is in the North West corner of the city, opposite the House of Cruel-Sea.
How to unlock: Complete the 'Blood on the Ice' quest in Windhelm, which you can trigger by heading to the graveyard past midnight. Part of the quest has you access the house, after of which you can speak to Jorlief in the Palace of Kings, who will sell it to you.
Honeyside (Riften)
Cost: 8000 Gold
Location: From where you enter Riften, take a right, and it's the house at the end on the corner.
How to unlock: You have to buy this on the way to becoming Thane in Riften. To do this, you need to impreess Jarl Laila Law-Giver of Riften - you can do this by completing the skooma dealer quest (chat to Wujeeta in the Riften Fishery in the docks area to start the trail), and after that, increasing your reputation of Riften's citizens by running errands (run around and they'll give you tasks to do). After that, report back to the Jarl, then chat to the Steward Anuriel to purchase it.
Proudspire Manor (Solitude)
Cost: 25,000 Gold
Location: You can find this in the centre on the high street, on the right 'branch' of the city, next to Skyrim Faction Bards College.
How to unlock: You can buy this on the way to becoming Solitude's Thane. Visit Falk Firebeard in Solitude who will ask you to clear out an nearby cave. Chat to Jarl Elisif the Fair saying you've placed the horn at the shrine, then chat to Falk Firebeard again to get the chance to purchase the property.
Vlindrel Hall (Markarth)
Cost: 8000 Gold
Location: To locate this, as soon as you enter the city, turn right and take the steep set of stairs in the corner. Take the next set of steep stairs up again, and the house is at the very top.
How to unlock: There are a few ways to get this property, the easiest is by siding with the Stormcloaks in the Civil War and then chatting to Jarl Thongvor Silver-Blood. Otherwise, go to Understone Keep within Markarth and chat to Jarl Igmund. Earn his trust and complete his questline, where Steward Raerek will allow you to buy it.
Want more help with Skyrim? Find out how to join every guild and faction, how to earn Gold fast, learning about XP and levelling to 100, max Crafting skills, max Warrior skills, max Thief skills and max Mage skills, how to get married, where to buy a house, how to start Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn DLC expansions. If you're on PC, we have a list of console commands and cheats, and you can learn about the remastered version and how to install mods with our Skyrim guide. Finally, with Switch owners, we have Skyrim amiibo support explained to help unlock special Zelda-themed items.
How to build houses in Skyrim
If you own the Hearthfire expansion (which comes as part of the Special Edition) you are able to buy three plots across different holds and build houses on them. Here's how to unlock each plot:
Heljarchen Hall (The Pale hold)
Cost: 5000 Gold
Location: "Just follow the road south from Dawnstar, past Fort Dunstad, then head south. The land is near Giants' Gap, right on the board with Whiterun Hold."
How to unlock: Chat to whoever the Jarl is at Dawnstar's The White Hall to get the ball rolling on becoming Thane in the Pale to unlock this. If it's Jarl Skald then prepare to complete the quests 'Waking Nightmare' and a mission to kill a nearby Giant, whereas Jarl Brina (depending on the main story actions) should grant you access immediately. Here is itvd showing its purchase and location:
Lakeview Manor (Falkreath hold)
Cost: 5000 Gold
Location: "Follow the road east from Falkreath, then north at the crossroads. Turn left just past Pinewatch."
How to unlock: If you are the Thane of Falkreath, you'll receive a letter from a courier saying the plot is available to buy. If not, then becoming level 9 and above will see the letter come to you. Visit Jarl Siddgeir in the Jarl's Longhouse and complete the quest offered to you and the plot will then become available from the Steward. If you need it, here's Atroization with a complete walkthrough:
Windstad Manor (Hjaalmarch hold)
Cost: 5000 Gold
Location: "On the coast, across the Karth delta from Solitude."
How to unlock: Head to Highmoon Hall in Morthal and chat to Jarl Idgrod Ravencrane to start the 'Laid to Rest' quest. Once done, chat to the steward and ask about a house - they won't be one, but instead you'll get offered a plot of land instead. If you need it, here's TheJordanJames with a complete walkthrough:
