How to buy a house in Whiterun (Breezehome)
Wondering how to buy a house in Whiterun? The city has exactly one, Breezehome, and it is the cheapest home in Skyrim at 5,000 gold. You unlock it early in the main quest, buy it from the Jarl's steward in Dragonsreach, and furnish it room by room for another 1,550 to 1,800 gold.
This page covers the requirement, the seller, every upgrade with its price, what Breezehome lacks, and what to buy instead if you want an enchanter or more storage.
Breezehome upgrades sold by Proventus Avenicci (or Brill) in Dragonsreach
| Upgrade | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Alchemy laboratory | 500 gold | Alchemy lab, apothecary's satchel with rare ingredients, bookcase, chest, table and chairs |
| Bedroom furnishings | 300 gold | Dresser, end tables, table, a shield plaque with two iron greatswords and a shield, rugs |
| Kitchen furnishings | 300 gold | Cooking pot, shelves, table and chairs, hanging garlic, elves ear and fish |
| Living room furnishings | 250 gold | Bookcase, cupboard, shelves, weapon plaque and weapon rack |
| Dining room decorations | 250 gold | Better table, barrel, cupboard, shelves and rug |
| Loft decorations | 200 gold | Table and chairs, cupboard, weapon plaque and wall decorations upstairs |
| Child's bedroom (Hearthfire) | 250 gold | Two children's beds, chests, shelf and a practice dummy; replaces the alchemy lab |
| Housecarl's quarters | Free | Added automatically once Lydia is your housecarl after Dragon Rising |
Step 1: finish Bleak Falls Barrow for the Jarl
Breezehome goes on sale as soon as you complete the main quest Bleak Falls Barrow, the trip Farengar sends you on to fetch the Dragonstone. You do not need to kill the dragon in Dragon Rising first, although doing so makes you Thane and gives you Lydia. If you get stuck in the barrow, see the Bleak Falls Barrow puzzle guide.
Hand the Dragonstone to Farengar in Dragonsreach and the Jarl gives you permission to buy property in the city.
Step 2: pay Proventus Avenicci 5,000 gold
Speak to Proventus Avenicci, the Imperial steward who usually stands beside the Jarl's throne, and ask about buying a house. The price is a flat 5,000 gold. If you cannot find him, his daughter Adrianne outside Warmaiden's has a small delivery task that puts a marker on him.
If the Stormcloaks have taken Whiterun, Proventus leaves for Solitude and Brill sells the house and its upgrades instead. Under Jarl Vignar Gray-Mane, owning Breezehome is also a requirement for regaining the thane title.
Short on coin? Chopping firewood pays a fixed 5 gold per piece, so 1,000 pieces at any woodcutter buys the house. Selling ore, crops and dungeon loot is faster.
Step 3: furnish Breezehome
After the purchase, Proventus gives you the Whiterun Home Decorating Guide and sells upgrades one at a time, but only while he is in the main hall of Dragonsreach. If he is on the Great Porch or in his bedroom, the decorate option does not appear, so wait or come back.
Everything together costs 1,800 gold, or 1,550 gold with Hearthfire if you pick the child's bedroom over the alchemy lab. That brings the fully furnished house to 6,800 or 6,550 gold. The bedroom upgrade is the one to buy first: it adds the storage, a bed that gives the Well Rested bonus, and a shield plaque already stocked with two iron greatswords and a shield.
What Breezehome does not have
Breezehome is the only purchasable house in Skyrim with no arcane enchanter, and it has no mannequins or display cases. It does have more general storage than Honeyside or Proudspire Manor. Its best feature is position: it sits just inside the main gate next to Warmaiden's, so a forge, grindstone, workbench, tanning rack and smelter are a few steps from your door. Enchanting has to be done at Farengar's table in Dragonsreach or elsewhere.
Alternatives to Breezehome
If you want more than a starter home, compare the other options on Skyrim houses:
- Honeyside, Riften: 8,000 gold (the unpatched steward accepts 5,000), with alchemy lab, enchanter and a garden.
- Vlindrel Hall, Markarth: 8,000 gold, the most bookshelf space.
- Hjerim, Windhelm: 12,000 gold (8,000 minimum unpatched), huge armory, needs civil war progress.
- Proudspire Manor, Solitude: 25,000 gold.
- Hearthfire plots: Lakeview Manor, Windstad Manor and Heljarchen Hall cost 5,000 gold each and you build them yourself. See Hearthfire houses.
- Tundra Homestead (Creation Club): a fully furnished cottage east of Whiterun for 7,500 gold from the Dragonsreach steward, with no quest requirement.
On the map: 4 locations
Whiterun Hold 4
How to buy a house in Whiterun (Breezehome): FAQ
How do you buy a house in Whiterun?
Complete the Bleak Falls Barrow quest for Jarl Balgruuf, then talk to his steward Proventus Avenicci in Dragonsreach and pay 5,000 gold for Breezehome.
How much does Breezehome cost with all upgrades?
5,000 gold for the house plus 1,800 gold in upgrades, so 6,800 in total. With Hearthfire and the child's bedroom instead of the alchemy lab it is 6,550.
Do you need to be Thane of Whiterun to buy Breezehome?
No. Only the Bleak Falls Barrow quest is required. Becoming thane through Dragon Rising adds Lydia as your housecarl and gives her a bedroom in the house.
Why can't I buy upgrades for Breezehome?
Proventus only sells upgrades while inside the main hall of Dragonsreach. If he is on the Great Porch or in his room the option is hidden, so wait until he returns.
Does Breezehome have an enchanting table?
No. It is the only house in Skyrim without an arcane enchanter. Use Farengar's enchanter in Dragonsreach instead.
Who sells Breezehome if the Stormcloaks control Whiterun?
Brill, the new steward in Dragonsreach, sells both the house and its upgrades after Proventus moves to Solitude.