How to Buy a House in OSRS Ultimate Guide

Ever wondered what it’s like to have your own spot in the world of Old School RuneScape? A place where you can chill, teleport around, and show off your skills? That’s exactly what a player-owned house, or POH as we call it, brings to the table. As someone who’s sunk thousands of hours into OSRS, I can tell you that buying and building my first house was one of those moments that hooked me even deeper. It wasn’t just about having a roof over my pixelated head; it opened up a whole new way to play smarter and faster.

Let’s start with the basics. A POH is basically your personal customizable home in the game. You use the Construction skill to build rooms, furniture, and all sorts of useful stuff inside it. Why bother? Because it’s not just for looks. Your house can have teleports to key spots, pools that heal you up, altars for prayer recharges, and even storage for your gear. I remember grinding quests without a proper POH and thinking, man, this would be so much easier with a quick teleport hub.

Is a POH worth it for new players? Absolutely. Even at low levels, it saves time and gold in the long run. But don’t rush in blind; let’s break down how to get started.

Why You Need a POH in Your OSRS Life

Think about all the running around you do in Gielinor. From Varrock to Ardougne, it’s exhausting. A well-built house cuts that down. For me, the turning point was adding a fairy ring in my garden. No more trekking to Zanaris every time. Plus, it’s a flex when friends visit and see your maxed-out setup.

Short answer: If you’re serious about efficiency, get one ASAP.

How to Buy Your First House in OSRS

Okay, straight to the action. Buying a house is simple, but there are a couple ways to do it. You don’t need high skills or tons of gold right off the bat.

First option: Head to an Estate Agent. These NPCs are scattered in big cities like Varrock, Falador, Seers’ Village, East Ardougne, Hosidius, or Prifddinas. Talk to them, and for just 1,000 coins, boom your house is yours. It starts in Rimmington, which is fine for beginners.

But wait, there’s a free way too. Complete the miniquest called Daddy’s Home. It’s super quick, involves helping an old guy in Lumbridge, and rewards you with a house plus some Construction XP. I did this on my ironman account to save that 1k, and it felt like a smart move.

What if you’re broke? Grind a bit of woodcutting or fishing to scrape together the gold. It’s not much.

Step-by-Step: Talking to the Estate Agent

1. Find an Estate Agent. The one in Varrock is easy to spot near the east bank.
2. Select the “Buy house” option.
3. Pay up 1,000 gp.
4. Congrats! Now enter building mode to start customizing.

I messed up my first time by not realizing I had to toggle building mode. Stood there like an idiot wondering where my house was.

Getting It Free with Daddy’s Home

This miniquest is a gem for noobs. Start by talking to Marlo in Lumbridge. He’ll send you on errands like fetching items and building basic furniture. Takes maybe 10-15 minutes. Reward: Free house in Rimmington and 400 Construction XP.

Pro tip: Do this early. It jumpstarts your Construction skill.

Relocating Your House: Where Should It Go?

Rimmington‘s default, but you might want to move for convenience. Each spot has pros, like being near a bank or teleport.

Here’s a table of locations and costs:

I started in Rimmington but moved to Yanille once I had the gold. The proximity to the magic guild made spellbook swaps a breeze.

How do you relocate? Talk to the Estate Agent again, pick “Relocate,” pay, and done.

Building Your Dream POH: Rooms and Essentials

Now the fun part. Once you have the house, enter it via the portal (that glowing thing outside). Toggle building mode by right-clicking the portal or using the house options.

Construction level matters here. Start low with basic rooms.

Essential Rooms to Build First

Don’t overwhelm yourself. Focus on these:

• Garden (Level 1, 1,000 gp): Entry point, add portals or plants.
• Parlour (Level 3, 1,000 gp): Chairs for sitting, but upgrade to bookcases later.
• Kitchen (Level 5, 5,000 gp): Cook food without leaving home.
• Workshop (Level 15, 10,000 gp): Repair gear, build flatpacks.
• Bedroom (Level 20, 10,000 gp): Change appearance, servant hire.

As you level up, add powerhouses like the Superior Garden at 65 for restoration pools. That’s a game-changer for bossing; heals, restores stats, all in one dip.

I built my first kitchen and felt like a chef god, baking pies without burning them in a real range.

Full List of Rooms and Costs

For the completionists, here’s every room:

Pick based on your goals. If you’re into PvM, prioritize restoration and teleports.

Training Construction: From Noob to Max House

Buying the house is easy, but building it up? That takes Construction levels. And let me tell you, it’s one of the pricier skills, but rewarding.

How do you train it efficiently? There are methods for every budget.

Budget-Friendly Training: Mahogany Homes

This is my go-to for irons or broke mains. Talk to Amy in Falador, join the contractor’s guild. You repair houses in Varrock, Ardougne, etc., using planks. It’s slow but cheap, around 2-3 gp per XP.

I spent weeks on this back in the day, listening to podcasts while clicking away. Got me to 50 without breaking the bank.

Fast but Expensive: Mythical Capes and More

For speed, build and remove oak larders or mahogany tables. But that’s millions in planks.

• Levels 1-33: Crude chairs with planks.
• 33-52: Oak larders.
• 52-99: Mahogany tables (fastest, 140k XP/hr).

Use butler to fetch planks. Costs about 500m gp for 99, but worth it for endgame POH.

Is it worth rushing to 83/84? YES, for max teleports and pools.

One time, I miscalculated my plank stack and ran out mid-session. Had to teleport to GE, buy more, felt like a rookie mistake even after years of playing.

Plugins and Tips for Smoother Training

Use Runelite. The Construction plugin shows hotspots, calculates costs. Also, screen markers for click zones.

Short para: Don’t forget demon butler at 50 Con. He banks for you.

Longer one: When I hit 84 Con on my main, I built the Portal Nexus with every teleport. It was like unlocking fast travel in a new game. No more runes cluttering inventory. But remember, each portal costs 100 times the runes, so stock up. For example, Varrock portal: 100 law, 100 air, 300 fire runes. Multiply that by 30 spots, it’s a grind, but oh so satisfying.

Best POH Layouts for Efficiency

Layout matters for load times and navigation. Used to be 3×3 was king, but updates made bigger houses load fast too.

Beginner 3×3 Layout

Keep it simple: Central garden with pool, nexus room, achievement gallery with jewelry box.

Why 3×3? Less rooms mean quicker entry.

But now, go bigger if you want.

Max Efficiency Layout

For endgame:

• 4×4 grid.
• Superior Gardens x3 (pools, fairy ring, spirit tree).
• Portal Nexus in center.
• Achievement Gallery for occult altar, jewelry box.
• Costume Room for storage.
• Chapel for prayer.

I run a 4×4 on my account. Load in, dip pool, teleport out in seconds. Perfect for raids or bossing.

Ever tried hosting a house party? Build a games room, invite clanmates. I once had 20 people in my throne room, dropping gold for fun. Chaos, but memorable.

Customizing Furniture and Hotspots

Each room has hotspots. Click them in building mode to add stuff.

For example, in Superior Garden:

• Restoration pool: Heals HP, cures poison.
• Upgrade to ornate at 90 for full restore.

Materials: Marble blocks, gold leaves, potions.

Costs add up, so plan your budget.

Utility Features That Make POH God-Tier

Beyond basics, POH has hidden gems.

• Teleport Hub: Portal Chamber or Nexus for instant travels.
• Altar: Gilded in Chapel, switches prayer books.
• Storage: Costume Room holds capes, armors.
• Menagerie: Store pets, feed them.
• Oubliette: Trap players for fun (or traps).

On my alt, I use the study for lecterns to make tabs. Saves buying from GE.

Question: What’s the most OP feature? The ornate jewelry box at 91 Con. Unlimited teleports to GE, duel arena, more.

Small answer: Build it in Achievement Gallery.

Common Mistakes and Pro Tips from an OSRS Vet

Don’t build rooms you won’t use. Wasted gold.

Tip: Use flatpacks from Workshop to train without house space.

Another: Hire servants. Butler at 40 Con fetches items.

I once forgot to pay my servant and he left mid-training. Lost hours.

Also, theme your house. Mine’s all demonic with red rugs, feels epic.

Avoiding Costly Errors

Calculate materials first. Use calculators online.

Don’t relocate too often; fees add up.

Wrapping Up: Your POH Journey Starts Now

So, there you have it. From buying that first plot to maxing out a beast of a house. As an OSRS player who’s been through the grind, I can say it’s one of the best investments. It turns tedious tasks into smooth sails.

What’s stopping you? Grab that 1k gp and talk to an agent. Build something awesome.

If you’re like me, you’ll tweak it forever. But that’s the fun. Happy building!