ESO’s Player Housing System is now Live for PC & MAC!

TL;DR

  • Homestead introduces 39 unique player homes across Tamriel available for gold or crowns
  • Over 2,000 furnishings can be crafted or purchased for complete customization
  • All housing is account-bound and accessible to every character on your account
  • Robust editor tools and permission settings enable creative freedom and social sharing
  • Free update includes achievements, titles, and comprehensive housing management tools

The moment has finally arrived for homeowners throughout Tamriel! Beginning immediately, every PC and Mac owner of The Elder Scrolls Online can explore the comprehensive housing system, furniture creation mechanics, Master Crafting Writs implementation, and numerous additional features. This marks the official launch of the groundbreaking Homestead expansion!

After completing dangerous quests and intense battles, having a personal sanctuary to return to provides essential respite. Your perfect dwelling could range from a modest woodland cabin nestled in The Rift’s forests to an extravagant manor situated within Reapers March’s landscapes. With 39 distinct residential options available, every adventurer can find their ideal Tamrielic residence. The sophisticated Housing Editor interface combined with access to more than 2,000 individual decorative items ensures virtually unlimited personalization possibilities. Ambitious collectors can acquire every available property since all housing is account-wide, enabling every character you create to benefit from domestic comforts and storage conveniences.

The comprehensive Homestead enhancement, available at no additional cost to all Elder Scrolls Online subscribers, incorporates these significant components:

•Player residential system, featuring these elements:

39 distinct properties, obtainable through gold currency or premium crowns

Advanced Housing Editor instrumentation

More than 2,000 exclusive home furnishing items and decorative objects accessible via crown purchases, gold transactions, or Fabrication Crafting creation

Exclusive specialty furnishing pieces

Customizable residence access controls for guild members and personal acquaintances

Housing accomplishment milestones with four distinguished new honorific titles

When beginning your housing journey, prioritize acquiring a moderately-sized property that matches your current budget and furnishing capabilities. Many players make the mistake of purchasing the largest available estate immediately, only to discover they lack sufficient decorations to fill the space appropriately. Focus first on mastering the Furnishing Crafting system, which requires specific skill lines and materials distinct from standard crafting professions. For optimal efficiency, establish a dedicated crafting character specifically for furniture production, as this will save significant time and resource management efforts.

The permission system represents one of Homestead’s most sophisticated social features, allowing you to designate specific access levels for different visitor categories. You might grant decorating privileges to trusted guildmates while restricting casual friends to viewing permissions only. The four new housing-related titles—Resident, Landowner, Grand Master Architect, and Furnishing Master—require substantial dedication to unlock and provide prestigious recognition within the ESO community. Advanced players should focus on completing housing achievement categories systematically, as many provide unique furniture patterns and decorative items unavailable through other acquisition methods.

For those seeking comprehensive gameplay guidance beyond housing systems, our Complete Guide offers extensive strategic insights applicable across multiple gaming domains. Similarly, weapon enthusiasts will appreciate our detailed Weapons Unlock resource for optimizing combat effectiveness. When planning your character development approach, consult our Class Guide to ensure optimal specialization choices aligned with your preferred playstyle.

Once you secure your initial residence in The Elder Scrolls Online, it becomes a permanent asset without any recurring expenses. Unlike real-world properties, ESO dwellings impose no mortgage obligations or maintenance fees, making them excellent long-term investments for your gaming experience. All homes are shared across every character on your account, allowing seamless access regardless of which character you’re playing.

Buying Additional Homes

The housing system in ESO encourages property collection—you’re not limited to just one home and can theoretically acquire every available property across Tamriel. At the initial Homestead launch, nearly all non-DLC zones featured at least one purchasable residence. Players have two primary acquisition pathways: utilizing Crowns through the premium Crown Store or spending hard-earned in-game gold.

Purchasing Homes in the Crown Store

The Crown Store offers immediate home acquisition opportunities, available in either furnished or unfurnished configurations at your convenience. All properties introduced with Homestead’s debut appear in the Crown Store inventory except for the three initial inn rooms. Crucially, Crown Store purchases circumvent the standard Homestead tutorial quest and achievement prerequisites, providing instant access to your desired residence.

Access the Crown Store interface and select the “Houses” category to explore available options. Properties are organized by scale: Staple Homes (compact spaces), Classic Homes (mid-sized dwellings), and Notable Homes (spacious estates). Before committing to a purchase, you can virtually tour both furnished and unfurnished versions to assess layout and potential.

Purchasing Homes with Gold

For players preferring to use in-game currency, most unfurnished homes (excluding Crown Store exclusives) can be purchased with gold. Your first inn room costs nothing, while additional alliance-specific inn rooms require payment or can be obtained by repeating the introductory quest on alternate characters.

Gold-based property acquisition mandates completion of the “A Friend in Need” Homestead tutorial quest. Most residences also require specific achievement completion before becoming available for gold purchase. Imperial-style homes have simplified requirements—just the tutorial quest and Imperial Edition ownership. Check the Housing section in your Collections menu to review specific prerequisites for each property, or physically visit homes marked by house icons on your world map for preview and purchase options.

Home Types & Purchase Requirements

Choosing the right property involves careful consideration of your gameplay needs and available resources. Smaller Staple Homes work well for storage and basic crafting, while Classic Homes offer balanced space for social gatherings. Notable Homes provide extensive customization opportunities but require significant investment. Consider proximity to crafting stations, wayshrines, and resource nodes when selecting locations. For comprehensive gameplay strategies, consult our Complete Guide to enhance your overall ESO experience.

New players often underestimate the importance of starting with an inn room—these free properties provide essential banking and crafting access while you save for larger homes. Avoid purchasing multiple medium-sized homes early; instead, diversify with one of each size category to maximize functionality across your account.

The Crown Store periodically features unique residential properties unavailable through conventional gameplay channels. Premium offerings like the Earthtear Cavern and Grand Topal Hideaway represent these exclusive acquisitions, classified as Notable Homes within the housing hierarchy. These distinguished properties match manor-tier specifications for both item placement capacity and maximum guest allowances. Monitoring the Crown Store’s rotating inventory becomes essential for collectors seeking these limited-availability residences.

Strategic Acquisition Timing

Unlike standard homes with permanent availability, Crown Store exclusives typically appear for limited durations, creating urgency for interested players. These properties often coincide with seasonal events or major updates, making strategic Crown gem management crucial. Savvy players recommend setting aside a Crown reserve specifically for housing opportunities, as missing a limited-time offering might require months of waiting for potential reappearance.

Home Details & Previewing

ESO’s housing interface delivers comprehensive property intelligence for owned residences while enabling thorough evaluation of potential acquisitions. The system permits side-by-side examination of both furnished and unfurnished configurations for any property under consideration, empowering informed purchasing decisions.

Three distinct preview pathways provide flexible assessment opportunities:

Crown Store Navigation: Access the dedicated “Houses” category where you can dynamically toggle between furnished and empty layouts. The preview interface instantly adapts to display your selected configuration, allowing real-time visualization.

Collections Menu Access: Open your Collections interface and select the “Housing” tab. This method additionally reveals property classification, geographical placement, and acquisition prerequisites alongside the visual preview.

World Interaction: Physically approach any residential property throughout Tamriel and interact with its entrance mechanism—whether door, gate, or portal—to initiate the preview sequence.

Avoiding Common Previewing Mistakes

Many players overlook critical evaluation factors during preview sessions. Always assess travel convenience relative to crafting stations and wayshrines. Check outdoor space for potential garden or courtyard developments, and verify that interior layouts accommodate your intended decoration themes. Premium furnishings represent significant time investments, making layout compatibility essential.

Acquired properties automatically populate the “Collected” segment within your Housing Collections category. This management hub enables detailed examination of each owned residence, custom naming assignments, and instant transportation to your selected destination.

Upon completing a home purchase, the game seamlessly transitions you into your new living space. Immediate decoration access empowers creative expression through the housing editor interface.

The Housing Editor & Home Decoration Basics

Advanced Collection Management

Seasoned housing enthusiasts recommend establishing a primary residence for daily use while maintaining specialty properties for roleplaying or showcase purposes. Utilize the renaming feature to create memorable identifiers like “SilentMoon Retreat” or “Stormhaven Manor” for easier navigation. The direct travel function bypasses conventional fast-travel costs, making frequently visited homes economically advantageous.

Specialized achievement merchants scattered throughout Tamriel provide exclusive bind-on-acquisition decorative items available for purchase using either gold or Alliance Points. These vendors stock thematic pieces that directly correspond to specific accomplishment milestones, enabling players to showcase their adventuring triumphs through distinctive home decorations earned via quest completion and exploration. You’ll find these merchants positioned in strategic locations including Cyrodiil’s conflict zones, with each offering unique items that cannot be traded once obtained.

The premium furnishings merchant Zanil Theran operates exclusively within Coldharbour’s Hollow City during weekend periods, presenting an elite rotating inventory of high-end decorative pieces available for limited durations. Similar to Cyrodiil’s Golden vendor Adhazabi Aba-daro, this exclusive trader offers exquisite but costly items that cycle regularly, creating urgency for collectors. Locate Zanil Theran inside “Cicero’s Food & General Goods” establishment when he appears, though note this vendor commenced operations starting February 24, 2017, following the Homestead update launch.

While engaging in fishing activities across Tamriel’s diverse waterways, anglers may occasionally reel in aquatic-themed home decorations alongside their typical catches. These decorative items vary significantly based on water source classification—saltwater fishing holes yield marine-themed pieces like starfish and seashells, while freshwater locations produce river and lake-appropriate decorations. The rarity of these items demands persistent fishing efforts, with ocean-exclusive decorations impossible to obtain from inland water sources regardless of fishing proficiency.

Players possessing the appropriate crafting skills can create custom furnishings for personal use or economic gain through player trading. Successful furnishing creation requires obtaining specific blueprint plans and gathering necessary crafting materials, with plans discovered throughout the game world similarly to Provisioning recipes. Each crafting profession now features a dedicated furnishing tab at their workstations, streamlining the creation process while separating these schematics from standard crafting patterns.

Unconventional acquisition methods include obtaining furnishing recipes and occasional decorative items through illicit activities like pickpocketing NPCs or committing murder. These criminal endeavors provide alternative pathways to rare furnishings, though they carry inherent risks including bounty accumulation and guard attention. Successful thieves should target wealthy citizens and specific NPC types known to carry rare plans, balancing potential rewards against the consequences of criminal behavior.

High-level crafting writ completions occasionally reward sealed invitations to create exceptionally specific items known as Master Writs. These challenging assignments are processed through the Mastercraft Mediator system, granting unique scrip currency exchangeable for exclusive goods. Rolis Hlaalu, serving as the Mastercraft Mediator, appears exclusively in Wayrest, Mournhold, or Elden Root when players possess active Master Writs or have previously completed them. His exclusive inventory includes crafting stations deployable in player homes, accommodating both standard and item set crafting requirements, though he exclusively accepts Writ Vouchers—the specialized currency from Master Writ completions—as payment.

Engaging in player versus player combat within your acquired residence presents an exciting gameplay dimension, though specific spatial requirements must be met. Dueling activities remain restricted within temporary lodging spaces such as inn accommodations and compact apartment-style dwellings, necessitating proper property selection for combat enthusiasts. Understanding these limitations before property acquisition prevents disappointment and ensures your housing choice aligns with intended gameplay activities.

Common mistakes include purchasing smaller properties expecting full functionality, only to discover combat restrictions apply. For optimal dueling experiences, prioritize medium to large homes with open floor plans and minimal obstructions. The spatial threshold typically begins at approximately 200 square feet of clear combat area, though specific measurements vary by property type and layout configuration.

Achieving property ownership within Tamriel represents a significant milestone for any dedicated adventurer, marking the beginning of extensive customization and personalization opportunities. The Homestead expansion fundamentally transformed player engagement with residential spaces, while subsequent Morrowind content further enriched available options. Current development roadmaps indicate continuous enhancements including additional architectural styles, decorative items, and quality-of-life improvements to the housing interface.

Future updates promise expanded property portfolios featuring diverse architectural styles from across Tamriel’s regions, alongside increasingly sophisticated furnishing options and placement mechanics. Advanced players should monitor patch notes for new housing items that often include interactive elements and utility features beyond mere decoration. The evolution timeline suggests major housing updates typically arrive alongside chapter releases every 12-18 months.

The Elder Scrolls Online continues evolving with compelling content through major expansions like Morrowind and system enhancements such as Homestead. Similar to numerous massively multiplayer titles, time-constrained players may utilize ESO Gold currency to acquire essential equipment, combat implements, and exclusive in-game collectibles. Established vendors like Mmogah provide reliable transaction platforms with growing player adoption rates due to consistent service quality and security measures.

Navigating the marketplace for currency purchases demands careful vendor evaluation to avoid security compromises. Consultation of comprehensive acquisition guides provides essential knowledge for identifying trustworthy marketplaces among available alternatives. Our platform maintains continuous customer support availability through 24/7 live chat services, ensuring assistance throughout the transaction process. For broader gameplay mastery, consult our Complete Guide to understand fundamental mechanics across similar game systems.

Optimization strategies include scheduling purchases during off-peak hours when transaction processing typically accelerates by 15-20%. Advanced players often diversify acquisition methods between direct purchasing and in-game farming based on current market rates and time availability. Security verification should include two-factor authentication, secure payment gateways, and vendor reputation checks across multiple review platforms before committing to transactions.

Action Checklist

  • Visit multiple property preview locations to identify your preferred home style and region
  • Research furnishing crafting requirements and begin collecting necessary materials
  • Set realistic gold/crown budget for initial property purchase and basic furnishings
  • Configure home permissions for guildmates and friends based on trust levels
  • Plan achievement completion strategy to efficiently unlock exclusive furniture patterns
  • Complete ‘A Friend in Need’ tutorial quest on your main character
  • Claim your free inn room through the quest reward
  • Browse available homes in Collections menu to identify gold purchase requirements
  • Prioritize achievement completion for desired gold-purchase homes
  • Evaluate Crown Store options for instant access to exclusive properties
  • Check Crown Store housing category weekly for new exclusives
  • Preview both furnished and unfurnished versions of target properties
  • Evaluate property location relative to crafting hubs and wayshrines
  • Reserve 10-15% of monthly Crown allowance for housing opportunities
  • Use Collections menu to rename and organize acquired properties
  • Complete achievement chains to unlock vendor furnishings, prioritizing gold-efficient purchases
  • Visit Zanil Theran in Coldharbour during weekends for rotating premium items
  • Fish at specific water types for aquatic decorations, focusing on ocean holes for marine items
  • Gather furnishing plans through exploration and criminal activities, targeting specific NPC types
  • Complete Master Writs to earn vouchers for exclusive crafting stations
  • Verify property dimensions meet dueling requirements before purchase
  • Research vendor security protocols and user reviews before gold transactions
  • Schedule currency purchases during server off-peak hours for faster processing
  • Diversify gold acquisition between farming and purchasing based on current rates
  • Monitor patch notes for new housing items and system improvements

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