From GRAND THEFT AUTO to SIMS: Expert reveals how much iconic gaming homes would cost in real life

A new study by Confused.com has determined how much it costs to buy and insure favourite fictional properties. While the cost to buy a property is our first thought, home insurance is a cost that can often be overlooked. After all, even fantasy houses need good home insurance.

Confused.com worked with property valuers at HouseBuyFast to estimate how much it would cost to buy and insure these fictional homes. Take a look at how much it would cost, as well as the real problems they might encounter in their imaginary worlds.

How much it would cost to live in famous fictional homes

The most expensive fictional gaming properties to insure

Michael’s house in Grand Theft Auto

[Image Credit: GTA Wiki/Grand Theft Auto]

Former bank robber Michael De Santa is rolling in cash, with his property costing a smooth £6 million. Michael’s ‘off-the-books’ deal to get the house means he probably didn’t have to fork out full price for the mansion – but insurance would cost £476 annually. From vandalism to attacks, this cost is bound to be higher than normal in the Grand Theft Auto universe.

Link’s house in The Breath of the Wild

In Breath of the Wild, Link’s house is set in an idyllic, mountainous environment, offering scenic views and the perfect place to unwind after a day’s adventuring, costing a mere £600,000 for the property. Inside you’ll find all of life’s necessities, like an open-plan living room/ kitchen, a bedroom with a desk, a bookcase and, of course, a weapons rack. That might be the only thing the insurer has more questions about, but if they get past that, it would be a budget-friendly £103 a year to insure. Its location in the prosperous Hyrule means that there isn’t much for insurers to worry about – provided they can keep Ganon from conquering the land.

The Goth House in The Sims 2

[Image Credit: ModTheSims]

Goth family in The Sims might not be to everyone’s taste, but for Mortimer, Bella, Cassandra, and Alexander, it’s home. The property spans four floors, with an attic and a rooftop deck on the top two, giving the family plenty of room to spread out. To buy it, the house would cost £380,000, and to insure it, the Goth family would have to spend only £86 a year. Quite reasonable for such a unique property, perhaps due to the lack of crime and steady weather patterns in the Sims neighborhoods.

Can the stars really afford to live where they do?

If like us, you’re always thinking about the financial implications of property ownership, you might have found yourself wondering how people afford to live in these fictional homes. Fortunately, we have the answers.

Perhaps the most famous example of ‘How do they afford to live there?’ homes, Monica’s flat in Friends is surely out of the price range of an up-and-coming chef. But as the show reveals, the £3 million property is actually rent-controlled.

Home to arguably the biggest celebrities of the Hobbit world, Bag End would have cost Frodo and Bilbo Baggins £1.5m to buy. Luckily, Bilbo inherited the property after his parents built it themselves, so both he and Frodo managed to dodge this big cost.

Want a home insurance quote for a real property?

If your home is more fact than fiction, we’ll help you compare the best home insurance quotes on the market. This lets you protect the things that matter in case anything goes wrong.

Just be warned, it’s not likely that insurers will insure against accidental ghost damage, lava, or zombie uprising.

Jessica Willock, a home insurance expert at Confused.com, comments:

“While we might dream of living in some of our favourite fictional homes, the reality is that some of these fan favourite properties aren’t the cheapest when it comes to buying and insuring them.

“There’s a lot to consider when moving into your forever home. Whether it’s set in a fictional land with wizards and Hobbits or closer to reality, it’s important that you have the right buildings and contents insurance to make sure your home is protected against any natural or supernatural damage that may occur.”

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