Look, the housing market is a nightmare. Everyone knows it. But in the world of Cyrodiil, specifically in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, it’s a whole different kind of stress. You’re not dealing with interest rates or credit scores; you’re dealing with grumpy counts, literal ghosts, and the fact that most houses look like they haven’t been cleaned since the Second Era. If you're hunting for oblivion houses for sale, you've probably realized by now that the game doesn't just hand you a flyer. You have to work for it.
The thing about buying property in Oblivion—and this is something the 2025/2026 Remastered edition makes even more beautiful to look at—is that every city has its own vibe. You want a shack? We’ve got a shack. You want a haunted mansion? Anvil’s got you covered. You want to live in a giant tower on a frozen mountain? You can do that too, though the commute is a killer.
How Buying Property Actually Works
It isn’t just about having the gold. Honestly, having 20,000 gold is the easy part. The hard part is getting the local nobility to actually like you enough to sell. Most counts and countesses won't even look at you until your disposition is at least 60 or 70.
You’ve basically got to play the persuasion minigame—you know, that weird pie-chart wheel—until they think you’re their best friend. Or, you can just bribe them. If you’re playing the Remastered version, the visual cues for these NPCs are much clearer, but the "hustle" remains the same.
The Starter Home: Waterfront Shack
If you’re broke or just starting out, you’re going to the Imperial City. Specifically the Waterfront District. It costs 2,000 gold, which sounds cheap until you see it. It is literally a wooden box.
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Vinicia Melissaeia at the Office of Imperial Commerce handles the sale. You need a 50 disposition with her. Once you buy it, it’s empty. I mean empty. You have to go to Sergius Verus at Three Brothers Trade Goods to buy the storage and kitchen area upgrades. Total cost ends up being closer to 3,000 if you want a place to actually put your stuff. It’s not glamorous, but it’s a place to sleep that isn’t a dungeon floor.
The Best Deals on Oblivion Houses for Sale
If you want the most bang for your septim, there is only one choice: Benirus Manor in Anvil.
Most people see the 5,000 gold price tag and think it's a steal for a huge manor. It is. But there's a catch. It's haunted. Like, "ghosts in the hallway" haunted. You buy it from Velwyn Benirus at The Count’s Arms.
After you buy it and sleep there once, you trigger the quest "Where Spirits Have Lease." You have to clear out the ghosts and help Velwyn settle a family debt with a lich. Once you finish that, the house magically cleans itself and gets fully furnished for free. It’s objectively the best deal in the game because you don’t have to spend a single extra gold piece on furniture.
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Middle-Tier Options
- Bravil (4,000 gold): Purchased from Count Regulus Terentius. It’s a bit damp. Honestly, Bravil is kind of the "shacks on stilts" capital of the world.
- Leyawiin (7,000 gold): Count Marius Caro sells this one. It's a colorful, humble-looking place, but it's spacious enough for a mid-game player.
- Bruma (10,000 gold): Countess Narina Carvain handles this. It’s a cozy log cabin style house. Great if you like snow and Nords.
Luxury Living: Rosethorn Hall and Arborwatch
Now, if you’re a high-fame hero with pockets full of Daedra hearts and dungeon loot, you’re looking at Skingrad or Chorrol.
Rosethorn Hall in Skingrad is the pinnacle. It costs 25,000 gold. That’s just for the house. The upgrades from Gunder at Colovian Traders will cost you thousands more. You also need 15 Fame and a 70 disposition with Shum gro-Yarug to even start the process. It’s huge, it has a private servant you can hire (Eyja), and there’s even a hidden treasure quest inside the house itself.
Chorrol’s Arborwatch is the runner-up at 20,000 gold. It’s right next to the Mages Guild. Very "old money" vibes. You buy it from Countess Arriana Valga. It’s a great house, but somehow it feels a bit less lively than Rosethorn Hall.
The "Free" DLC Homes (Remastered Edition)
If you’re playing the modern version of the game, you usually get the DLC homes included. These aren't exactly "for sale" in the traditional sense, but they are available.
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- Frostcrag Spire: A wizard's tower east of Bruma. You get it for free by just going there, but the upgrades (Alchemy lab, teleportation pads) cost a fortune from Aurelinwae in the Imperial City.
- Battlehorn Castle: To the west of Chorrol. You have to defend it from marauders. Once you win, you own a literal castle with a forge and personal guards.
- Deepscorn Hollow: The ultimate "bad guy" base. It’s an underwater lair for vampires and assassins. It even has a prisoner you can feed on.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often forget that you can’t just buy a house and be done. You need to account for the "Furniture Tax."
The base price of oblivion houses for sale is a lie. When you buy the Leyawiin house for 7,000 gold, you’re buying an empty shell. You have to track down specific merchants—usually the ones in the local general store—to buy "packages" like the Kitchen Area, Wall Hangings, or Bedroom Area. If you don't buy these, your house will stay a dusty, depressing mess forever.
Also, keep an eye on your Fame. For the high-end houses in Chorrol and Skingrad, no amount of money will help you if the locals think you’re a nobody or, worse, a criminal.
Actionable Tips for Home Buyers
If you are ready to settle down in Cyrodiil, follow these steps to avoid wasting gold:
- Maximize Disposition first. Use the Charm spell or high-level Persuasion to get the lowest possible price and ensure the seller even talks to you.
- Prioritize Anvil. Get Benirus Manor as soon as you have 5,000 gold. It is the only house that furnishes itself for free through a quest.
- Don't buy the Bravil house. Seriously. It’s basically a slightly larger shack in a swamp. Save your money for Bruma or Cheydinhal.
- Check the "Remastered" visuals. In the newer version, the lighting in Cheydinhal’s house makes it one of the most aesthetically pleasing homes in the game. It’s worth the 15,000 gold just for the windows.
- Store your items safely. Every player-owned house has non-respawning containers. This is the main reason to buy a house—to stop being encumbered by your 400 lbs of surplus armor.
Go talk to Vinicia in the Market District if you're just starting out, or head to Anvil to deal with those ghosts. Just make sure you bring enough gold for the furniture, or you'll be sleeping on a very expensive, very cold floor.