Everything you've ever wanted to know about the Home Alone house
Home Alone is a classic Christmas movie loved for its heartwarming family story and everlasting comedic moments, but there’s no denying the house itself became the 1990 film's breakout star.
Home Alone fans are likely already aware that the Georgian-style property that portrays the McCallister family home is a real house in Illinois, in the Midwestern region of the United States. In fact, Macauley Culkin even considered buying his character Kevin McCallister’s fictional home when it recently went up for sale. 'I had half a mind to buy it—just for giggles,' the actor said this month while speaking at a screening of the movie at the Rosemont Theatre in Illinois, before revealing plans to turn it into a 'movie fun house'.
Here's every detail you need to know about the iconic residence.
Where is the Home Alone House located?
The property you see in the exterior shots is located at 671 Lincoln Ave in Winnetka, Illinois. The town is a northern suburb of Chicago, and according to Zillow, the property was built in 1921.
Where were the interior scenes filmed?
The interiors of the Home Alone house look authentic, but they're not from the Winnetka property that depicts the exterior. According to an episode from the 2019 Netflix series, The Movies That Made Us, the film's indoor scenes were shot at New Trier Township High School, an abandoned school building with enough space for an entire makeshift sound stage. The mansion was too small for the crew to fit inside, director Chris Columbus explained in the special, so they built an entire two-storey set in the high school gym. For the scene near the end of the film when Kevin goes into his neighbour's house, the production filmed it in the old school's pool, which made flooding the basement much easier.
How much is the house worth today?
The 10-bedroom, six-bathroom property hit the market in May 2024 for a whopping $5.25 million. It only lasted a week on the market before it sold.
'The house is well priced for its size and condition,' said real estate agent Cara Ameer. 'The celebrity factor of this home, being featured in such a popular and legendary movie, also adds to the overall value. It is one of those homes people will want to drive by to see if they know the movie and the area where it was filmed.'
What is the square footage of the house?
Today, the Home Alone house spans 9,126 square feet and sits on just over half an acre. Following a major renovation in 2018, the property now includes a basketball court, private cinema, and top-of-the-range security cameras. The interiors are also very white, bright, and modern, a stark contrast to the sets in the movie. You can see the inside of the home from its recent listing here.
Can you visit the house?
In 2021, Airbnb opened the home's doors for a one-night-only stay hosted by Kevin's older brother, Buzz. Apart from that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, there's currently no way to get inside unless you know the owners. However, many fans still (respectfully) walk or drive by the house each year and take pictures of the exterior.
Who lived in the Home Alone House in 1990?
At the time of filming, John and Cynthia Abendshien lived in the home. They had reportedly been living in the house for only two years before the movie aired in 1990.
Who lives in the Home Alone house now?
In May 2011, the Abendshiens put the home up for sale for $2.4 million before lowering the price in September to $1.995 million. The home ended up selling to Tim and Trisha Johnson for $1.585 million in 2012. The couple renovated the place in 2018, and then put it on the market for $5.25 million in 2024. It sold shortly after being placed on the market, and the buyer has not been revealed.
Were any other movies or TV shows filmed at the Home Alone house?
Home Alone's writer and producer, John Hughes, loved Chicago, and according to the Netflix special, the filmmaker also shot Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Uncle Buck at the abandoned high school where the Home Alone house interiors were built. When it comes to the house that portrays the exterior, there actually may be a connection to the beloved 90s sitcom Friends. Apparently, the series used stock footage from Home Alone to represent the house Monica and Chandler move into at the end of the series. If you look carefully, you can see the same neighbour's blue home with a wreath on the door from the inside windows. Of course, Chandler and Monica moved to a New York City suburb, not a Chicago one, but it's an interesting connection nonetheless.
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