'Home Alone' house hits market: Do movie houses command premium?

Much of the house has been preserved to resemble famed 1990 movie

Cover Image for 'Home Alone' house hits market: Do movie houses command premium?
Asking price for the house, in Winnetka, Illinois, is $5.25 million. (Credit: Coldwell Banker)

If you ever wanted to own the house Kevin McAllister defended from burglars when his parents left him for their Paris vacation, now's your chance.

The owners of the "Home Alone" house, in Winnetka, Illinois, put their house up for sale Friday.

If you think you're going to get a steal ... buckle up.

The asking price is $5.25 million.

"It's not like there's a big 'Home Alone' bump to the price," Coldwell Banker agent Kathryn Moor told cllct. "It's a 9,000 square foot home, and it has been extensively renovated. But there definitely might be some people interested that might value it being such a big part of the movie because it really is so special."

Last year, CNBC named Winnetka the most expensive city to buy a home in Illinois, with a median list price of $4.18 million.

It would only be the third time the home has sold since the movie debuted in 1990. The original owners sold it for $1.58 million in 2012 to the current owners, who said at the time that they loved the house more than movie.

The home theater pays homage to the movie on its walls. (Credit: Coldwell Banker Realty)
The home theater pays homage to the movie on its walls. (Credit: Coldwell Banker Realty)

Originally built in 1921, the house has five full bedrooms and six full bathrooms. It features a home theater (with a framed "Home Alone" movie poster) and a basketball court.

Some renovations have been made, Moor said, including a kitchen makeover — if you are looking for the doggie door, it's not there — and the circular driveway used by Harry and Marv of Oh-Kay Plumbing & Heating.

"They were really careful not to change what people might want if the movie plays a role in buying it," Moor said. "The front of the house, the foyer, the living room are all virtually the same spaces."

The home is so iconic that in February 2022, Lego came out with a "Home Alone" house set with nearly 4,000 pieces at a cost of $300. The brand still sells the set.

Movie homes don't always command the premium their owners hope they will get. The original listing for the "Home Alone" house in 2012 was $2.4 million, and it sold for almost $900,000 less. In 2014, the famous glass house where Cameron Frye's dad's car was stored (in Highland Park, Illinois) in "Ferris Bueller" sold for $1.06 million. They sellers had hoped to get $2.35 million. The iconic walk-up in San Francisco from "Mrs. Doubtfire" also sold for less than asking price when it was purchased for $4.15 million in 2016. The sellers had hoped to sell for $300,000 more.

Despite turning 34 years old this November, "Home Alone" is still very relevant. From Nov. 10, 2023 to Dec. 10, 2023, it was the third most watched holiday movie (behind "Elf" and "Christmas Vacation"), according to Samba TV, which analyzes viewing habits of people with smart TVs.

Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct.com and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectible market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.