There’s something immensely valuable and rare in Final Fantasy XIV, and it’s not mounts, minions, strong gear, or beautiful skins—it’s housing. Players who own a house are part of an elite because it’s very hard to obtain, not only due to its price but also because the opportunities are rare.
There are many advantages to owning a house. You can earn easy gil using gardening, decorate your house and garden with hundreds of options available, stable your chocobo to train it, and much more.
Plots are usually all owned by players, and it’s the case in every FFXIV server. With that in mind, the only option to purchase a house is to wait for the auto-demolition process to take effect for inactive players. The house automatically demolishes when a player hasn’t entered it for 45 days, which makes the plot available for purchase by someone else.
While an apartment costs 500,000 gil, a house costs at least three million gil but offers many more functionalities. The price increases depending on the size of the plot (small, medium, or large). The ideal amount to save to be safe is around seven million gil. It looks like a lot, but it’s easy to get after a few months of playing regularly and selling unwanted items using retainers.
Purchasing a house in FFXIV requires a good deal of patience. Players get the chance to buy one every nine days via the new Lottery system, introduced in Patch 6.1 in April 2021. If they don’t get the winning number, they’ll have to wait for a few days and try again, until they win the lottery.
But first, to be able to purchase land to build a house, you need to have at least one class at level 50 and hold a rank of second lieutenant or above in a Grand Company.
How to get a house
Here is how to get a house in FF XIV, step by step:
- Complete the quest that offers access to the district of your choice. It’s possible to get a house in the Mist (Limsa Lominsa), The Lavender Beds (Gridania), The Goblet (Ul’dah), Shirogane (Kugane), or The Empyreum (Ishgard).
- Head to the officer of the district of your choice.
- Interact with them and select the “Go to specified ward. (Review Tabs)” option.
- Check every ward and its subsections to see if there is a plot available.
- If you see a price in white instead of the name of the owner, it means that the plot is available for purchase. Click on the ward number and head to the plot’s location.
- Once there, click on the placard and verify that it’s available for purchase. Click on the button to enter the lottery. You’ll have to pay upfront, even if you don’t end up winning the lottery for the plot.
- Go back there at the end of the five-days entry period, and check if you won or not. You have only four days to go there, until the end of the results period. If you won, you’ll see a pop-up indicating to finalize and claim the plot. If not, you’ll get fully reimbursed.
It’s generally advised to try and buy a small plot in the Goblet (Ul’dah) for starters, which is the less sought-after district and the cheapest option. Even if it wouldn’t be your first choice, it will be easier to relocate your house to the district of your taste rather than purchasing the plot there directly.
Alternative solutions
If you’re unable to get a house but want to dive into the furnishing aspect of the game and get your personal space, it’s also possible to use a Free Company house. There are numerous rooms inside that can be obtained by company members for 300,000 gil. It’s only a small space, but you’ll still be able to invite your friends and start decorating your space.
It’s easier to get an apartment, too, but it costs 500,000 gil and offers similar benefits to owning a room in your Free Company’s house. If you’re unsure about your Free Company’s activity long-term, however, it’ll be safer to acquire an apartment than an FC private room because it will disappear if the FC house is subject to auto-demolition due to inactivity.
It’s also possible to share an estate with up to three friends, so it can be a good idea to team up with friends to increase your chances of purchasing a plot and get help with furnishing.
