So you want to settle down with a nice cozy house in Whiterun? I feel you, friend. Having your own place to store loot and craft gear is a game changer in Skyrim. But who has 5000 gold to drop on a house when you‘re just starting out? Not me!
Don‘t worry, I‘ve got some tried and true methods to hook you up with a free house so you can get moved in ASAP. We‘ll exploit some loopholes, grab unlimited gold, or earn money the old fashioned way. Before long you‘ll be customizing your very own bachelor/bachelorette pad!
Fast Exploits First
Let‘s knock out a couple quick exploits up front to snag your free house. Don‘t worry, we‘re not breaking any laws here – just flexing some creative player choice.
Steward Standoff
My favorite trick is to catch the steward while he‘s distracted. Here‘s the playbook:
- Wait until around 10pm-12am and find Proventus Avenicci in bed upstairs in Dragonsreach.
- Wake him up to chat, then immediately ask to buy Breezehome.
- If you time it right when he‘s going to sleep, the game will glitch and give you the house for free!
It may take a few tries to get the timing down. Quicksave first and be ready to mash through the conversation. But when successful, you get a free house with gold intact!
Storage Swap
Got an older save file? There‘s an even easier method by storing your gold:
- Initiate buying Breezehome from Proventus near a container like a chest.
- Agree to pay 5000 gold, then immediately stash your gold in the container.
- This tricks the game into completing the sale with no gold transfer!
As long as a container is within reach, you can dump your coins out of sight and keep them all. Now that‘s a bargain!
Hidden Chest of Gold
If NPC exploits aren‘t your style, there‘s a secret chest you can raid instead:
- Climb the Throat of the World to the very summit where Paarthurnax lands.
- Go around the backside of the tower and drop down onto a rocky outcrop.
- You should see a glowing chest tucked against the rocks.
- Open it up and grab the infinite gold inside!
This magic chest restocks every time so you can easily accumulate enough to buy Breezehome. No need to steal – the ancient monks clearly want you to have it!
Just be careful not to get blown off the mountain by unexpected dragon attacks. And watch out for frost trolls…
Earn an Honest Living
If using chests and exploits feels too dishonorable, you can always earn the gold legally through hard work:
- Loot ancient ruins and sell valuables – dwemer ruins are most profitable.
- Chop firewood in towns with a woodcutter‘s axe equipped.
- Mine iron veins everywhere and smelt into gold/silver ingots.
- Harvest reagents and brew valuable potions to peddle.
- Invest in the Merchant perk to get 500 gold from every shopkeeper.
- Complete side quests and bounties – they add up quick!
It takes diligence, but you can amass 5000 gold through honest adventuring. I recommend doing a mix of quests, mining, wood chopping, and selling potions to speed up the process. Don‘t forget to buy back ingredients from alchemists to keep brewing!
According to my buddy Sam who‘s an obsessive Skyrim player, here‘s a great strategy:
"The key early on is mixing Blue Mountain Flowers and Blue Butterfly Wings. Sells for 200-250 gold per potion to any alchemist! Make a ton, fast travel selling to all the alchemists, buy back ingredients, make more. You‘ll have 5000 in no time."
Marry for Money
Here‘s the ultimate life hack – shack up with a fictional honey for free lodging!
- Complete a quest to gain favor with a marriage candidate.
- Equip an Amulet of Mara to signify you‘re on the market.
- When prompted, propose to your boo.
- Attend the ceremony at the Temple of Mara in Riften.
Once married, your spouse will offer to move in wherever you live, including Breezehome!
Some spouses like Ysolda and Camilla Valerius already own property of their own, scoring you a free house immediately. Now that‘s a wedding gift!
Pimp Your Pad
Alright, you‘ve secured your first house. Time to turn this rickety shack into a lush love nest! Here are my tips:
- Add the free crafting container from the Creation Club for unlimited materials storage.
- Buy upgrades like weapon racks and mannequins to show off your arsenal in style.
- Plant an alchemy garden outside and add a cooking pot for ingredient harvesting.
- Adopt homeless children and give them a real home with children‘s beds.
- Fill bookshelves with skill books found across Skyrim for free skill levels.
- Display unique items like Daedric Artifacts and Dragon Priest masks.
Transforming your house into a swanky bases of operations takes time and gold. But it‘s incredibly rewarding to customize your own space!
By the Numbers: House Prices
Let‘s take a data-driven look at the costs of all available houses, so you know values across Skyrim:
| House | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Breezehome | Whiterun | 5000 gold |
| Honeyside | Riften | 8000 gold |
| Vlindrel Hall | Markarth | 8000 gold |
| Hjerim | Windhelm | 12000 gold |
| Proudspire Manor | Solitude | 25000 gold |
And the cheapest options:
| House | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Severin Manor | Solstheim | FREE |
| Abandoned Prison | Cidhna Mine | FREE |
| Dragon Bridge Home | Dragon Bridge | FREE |
As you can see, Breezehome is the most affordable traditional house you can buy. But with some savvy tricks you can get it for free and still have the 5000 gold!
Final Thoughts
There you have it friend – everything you need to unlock a free house in Skyrim. I highly recommend snagging Breezehome early so you have a place nearby to stash all your valuables. It really improves the whole gameplay experience.
Exploit those sleepy stewards, grab secret chests of gold, or earn the money the honorable way. However you get those first 5000 septims, enjoy settling down in your new digs! Pretty soon it will feel just like home.
Let me know if you have any other great tips for getting houses for free in Skyrim! I‘m always looking to upgrade. Until next time, happy adventuring and may your new home bring you joy. Be seeing you!
