How to become a Thane, buy, build, and upgrade a house in Skyrim

Every hero reaches a point where they need to take a break from their heroic deeds and settle down a bit. For example, buying their own house or even building one from scratch using their hands, head, and available materials. This guide is a real homeowner's manual for Skyrim!

A house is quite expensive, and furnishing it will require even more money. Of course, you can save up 5000 gold and use the glitch we described to get a house for free, or you can do it honestly.

To buy a house, you need to earn the trust of the local authorities. The opportunity to purchase a house will appear after completing certain quests in the area. Sometimes, to buy a house, it is enough to earn the title of local thane. Or you can use codes.

Once you become a thane, you will have a servant—a personal housecarl. The first one will be Lydia after you defeat one of the dragons at the beginning of the storyline. If you have a servant, your house will have a special room for the servant.

As soon as you befriend the entire town, find among the local bigwigs the person who will sell you a house. He will also be able to sell you furniture, decorations, and other items for your home. Among the upgrades, there are many things, even armor stands.

By the way, if your significant other in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim lives in their own house and you want them to move into your home, you just need to talk to him/her about it.

Breezehome

A small house near the city gates. To get the house, complete the quest Bleak Falls Barrow at the request of Jarl Balgruuf to become the thane of Whiterun, or buy the house from Brill after completing the quest Battle for Whiterun for either side of the conflict.

You can buy furnishings for the house from Proventus Avenicci, who can usually be found in Dragonsreach. The following upgrades are available for purchase: living room (250 gold), kitchen (300 gold), dining room (250 gold), upstairs living room (200 gold), bedroom (300 gold), and alchemy lab (500 gold).

Vlindrel Hall

To buy this house, help Jarl Igmund—complete the quests Kill the Forsworn Leader (Jarl), Find Hrolfdir's Shield, and help any 5 residents of Markarth. For this, Jarl Igmund will name you Thane of Markarth and allow you to settle in the city.

After fully upgrading the house, it will have: a bedroom (800 gold), a living room (900 gold), an alchemy lab (1000 gold), an enchanting altar (1000 gold), and a vestibule (500 gold).

Honeyside

You can buy this house after completing the quest The Raid and helping any 3 residents of Riften. After this, Jarl Laila Law-Giver will name the Dragonborn Thane of Riften and allow you to purchase the house.

After all the upgrades, you will have a nice house with a porch (400 gold), a kitchen (500 gold), a bedroom (600 gold), a garden (800 gold), an enchanting altar (1000 gold), an alchemy lab (1000 gold), and a children's room (550 gold).

Hjerim

You may remember this house from the quest Blood on the Ice. To purchase this house, you need to earn the title of Thane of Eastmarch by completing the aforementioned quest and fully completing the storyline of either the Empire or the Stormcloaks. Only then does the player character become Thane of Windhelm and can buy Hjerim.

The house can be upgraded with the following furnishings: an alchemy lab (1500 gold), a living room (1500 gold), a children's room (1250 gold), kitchen furniture (1000 gold), an enchanting lab (1500 gold), bedroom furniture (1000 gold), and an armory (2000 gold).

If you don't want to see the traces of murders left after completing Blood on the Ice, you can pay for cleaning services (500 gold).

Proudspire Manor

This is the most expensive house in Skyrim. To buy it, you need to complete the quests The Man Who Cried Wolf and Elisif's Tribute, and help 5 residents of Solitude. Only then can you become Thane of Solitude and get the opportunity to buy Proudspire Manor—a house consisting of 3 floors and 6 rooms.

The house is very large, and almost every room can be improved. Here are the furnishings available for Proudspire Manor: first-floor living room (2000 gold), second-floor living room (2000 gold), kitchen (1500 gold), bedroom (2000 gold), bedroom (2000 gold), enchanting altar (2500 gold), alchemy lab (2500 gold), and portico (500 gold).

Lakeview Manor

This house for The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim appeared after the release of the Hearthfire expansion. The main feature of Lakeview Manor is that the player must build it themselves; they only purchase the land. Therefore, there is no need to buy house upgrades, as they can be created using various resources.

However, this does not negate the necessity of becoming a Thane in the region. To become the Thane of Falkreath, you need to bring Jarl Siddgeir a bottle of Black-Briar Mead, complete a dungeon-clearing quest, and then pay the base cost of the house—5000 coins.

Heljarchen Hall

This is another house added in the Hearthfire expansion. As with Lakeview Manor, it cannot be upgraded with gold, as the Dragonborn buys not the house but the land for it. Heljarchen Hall must be built by the player.

But to get the right to purchase land near Dawnstar, you need to become a Thane. To do this, you need to complete the quest Waking Nightmare and help the Jarl by killing a giant. The task is not difficult, and the house's price is relatively low—only 5000 gold.

Windstad Manor

The third and final house from the Hearthfire expansion for Skyrim. It also needs to be built from scratch, while the 5000 gold fee covers the purchase of the land for construction.

Building in Hjaalmarch territory is allowed only for a Thane. To obtain this title, you need to complete the quest Laid to Rest and then pay the aforementioned 5000 coins. After that, all that's left is to build your own house in the Hjaalmarch region!

The third expansion for The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, called Dragonborn, is a real dream for anyone wanting to own property. That's because the keys to Severin Manor are given for free!

Of course, it's not that simple: the path to owning the manor is long and arduous. To become the owner of this property, you need to complete the rather lengthy quest Served Cold. Essentially, Severin Manor is awarded as a reward for helping to complete this difficult and responsible task.

Unfortunately, unlike many standard houses, Severin Manor cannot be upgraded. It initially has everything you need, and therefore, no additional furnishings can be purchased for it.