But not all of them are useful, or even good enough for a seasoned veteran to store their items. Each house also has a different “feel” to it, naturally. Which makes each of them better-made for different types of playthroughs – especially so if you’re keen on role-playing. Are you a thief who lives in the outskirts of the Imperial City? Or are you a powerful wizard that calls Bravil a home? Options are more than aplenty on TES IV, that’s for sure. I’ve managed to compile a list of all the best houses that you can occupy in Oblivion. Choose wisely the place that you’ll be calling your home – this is one of the most important decisions in every Oblivion playthrough!
15. Imperial City House
The Imperial City House might be a small one, but it’s also one of my favorite houses in the game. Located just outside the city in the area near the docks, this small house might as well be called “the Imperial City Shack”. You’ll have room for storage and enough space to live a conservative life. It’s not one of the most expensive houses in the game given its moderate price of just 2000 coins. However, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. If you intend to live large, I suggest you keep looking for options on this list. This house seems like the ideal place to live if you’re a thief or if you’re roleplaying a warrior with ligth pockets!
14. Bravil House
Do you want to live in a shack but you don’t want to feel like you’re broke? Then the Bravil House is the one for you. This place has a small and rather moderate interior, but I’ll be damned if it’s not one of the best in the game for its cozy design. For starters, the house is located in Bravil. That’s good enough of a reason for you to want to live in it. And apart from the size I think its interiors are not too shabby, either!
13. Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary
Although this is not a house for sale per se, the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary is the best place to be if you’re an assassin or someone who lives a life on the edge of the law. Note you must be a member of the Dark Brotherhood in order to enter the Sanctuary, of course. So it does suit the player who’s looking to disregard the law in favor of his own desires.
12. Deepscorn Hollow
Another fantastic place to live for those who don’t really care too much for human integrity. The Deepscorn Hollow comes with the official Vile Lair DLC. It’s by far one of the best houses in the game, and one that comes with a cool quest that you must complete to own it.
11. Summitmist Manor
Summitmist Manor is not only the location for one of the best quests in Oblivion. It’s also one of the best houses that you can inhabit once the quest is completed. The quest is called Whodunit? and you can only start it if you’re a member of the Dark Brotherhood. It’s one of the first quests that you’ll have to complete before climbing the ranks of the Brotherhood, so you can’t miss it. In any case, this fancy manor will become a fine place for you to inhabit. Cozy, spacious. Just what the Dark Brotherhood ordered.
10. Leyawiin House
It’s a true shame that the Leyawiin House for sale isn’t a better player house (or a bigger one). But it does have one advantage: it’s located in Leyawiin, one of the best cities in the game! If you’re ever dreamt of living by the coast in a fortified city, then you’re a bit of a damn weirdo. However the Leyawiin house is the one to suit your needs. A fantastic place to live regardless of the type of character you’re roleplaying (unless you’re rich, in which case you might want to keep looking).
9. Arch-Mage’s Study
Those who happen to live in the Arcane University are not only revered as the best mages in the land, but they also have access to some very decent living quarters that serve as cool player homes. However, should you happen to become the, Arch-Mage of the Arcane University you’ll be able to access one of the game’s finest player homes: The Arch-Mage’s Study. This fantastic location serves its purpose of housing the head of the Arcane University, a position that you’ll surely be able to hold sooner rather than later.
8. Cheydinhal House
Cheydinhal might have one of the most unique looks like a city in Oblivion. And I’m sure that many players can agree when I say that the main city of the Dark Brotherhood in Oblivion is also one of the most fancy-looking in the game. The Cheydinhal house fits the city quite perfectly. It has the look of a small manor, and whoever decides to call this home will experience nothing but an air of luxury that not many other houses in the game are able to offer.
7. The Marie Elena
The Marie Elena might be nothing but a pirate ship docked in the Imperial City. But it’s still a fantastic location for you to rest and store your items if you’ve disposed of the pirates during “A Water Grave”. You will struggle to get close to it at first. But once you’re leveled-up enough, it will make for a fine player home – especially so if you’re comfortable living near the saltiness of the sea. I really like the Marie Elena as a player home, but it’s for pure roleplaying reasons. If you think living in a ship is your thing, give it a try.
6. Battlehorn Castle
Although you need the Fighter’s Stronghold official plugin if you want to own the Battlehorn Castle, this amazing home can be fully upgraded into one of the finest in all of the Elder Scrolls franchise. It does cost a bit to get it and you’ll have to complete a quest prior to owning the castle itself. But its large halls and rooms make it a fine place to inhabit if you’re looking for a large and luxurious place to own. Live the life of a king in the Battlehorn Castle and get praised just like the Hero of Kvatch deserves to be praised!
5. Benirus Manor
This house might cost a mere 5000 coins, but there’s a good reason for it: the damn thing is haunted to hell. Purchasing this manor will let you start a quest where you’ll have to cleanse all of the evil spirits that plague it. Be prepared to fight against the forces of nature. And once you’re done, get ready to renovate this once-beautiful house and restore it to its former glory.
4. Arborwatch
If you love Chorrol then Arborwatch is a must-have for you. This beautiful house is located in one of the most beautiful cities in the game, no doubt. It has some incredibly sophisticated interiors that suit the life of a fancy Oblivion player. And that ensured, one way or another, that you’ll always feel like an important person at home. The problem? Arborwatch costs a staggering 20,000 coins, making it one of the most expensive houses in the game. It does require you to be a notorious hero by the time of purchase, too. If you happen to tick both boxes you’ll want to pay a visit to the count of Chorrol and purchase it!
3. Bruma House
I know that the Bruma House is a small one when compared to other places on my list. But the Nordic feeling that you get out of Bruma is just too good to not rate this house as one of the best in the game. Bruma is a small city, but one that truly gave us an early taste of what was to come in Skyrim during the earlier days of TES. By far the coziest home in the game, the Bruma House is not too shabby to call a home. And most importantly, not expensive at all.
2. Dunbarrow Cove
Complete the Dunbarrow Cove to get your hands on one of the most sought-after properties in Oblivion. This house, located on the inside of a small cave, is going to be your ticket to the life of a pirate. With every upgrade that you get for the Dunbarrow Cove, your pirate crew will grow in size. It’s a unique place to live and one that serves the purpose of a role-player quite well.
1. Rosethorn Hall
Do you happen to want to live in Skingrad? Yeah, don’t we all… Well are you looking for the best house in the game? If so then visit Rosethorn Hall, a three-story mansion that costs an eye-watering 25,000 coins. I think I actually did drop a tear at that price. But with that said, it is easily the best house in the game! So if you stack up enough coinage I highly recommend looking into Rosethorn.
