Adozen years after it was last on the market, the famous “Home Alone” house is up for sale.
Listed at $5.25 million, the 16-room stunner served as the setting for the 1990 classic holiday movie in which Macaulay Culkin portrayed Kevin McCallister, a clever kid who’s accidentally left behind by his vacationing family and forced to outwit a pair of bumbling burglars.
Though it might be far from the Hollywood Hills, the 9,126-square-foot Winnetka, IL, home has received a starlet-worthy makeover. And while the stately brick facade probably looks familiar, the interior—renovated and expanded in 2018—would leave the whole McCallister family gobsmacked by its transformation.
In addition to its updated interior, the house boasts an ideal location in an upscale suburb along Chicago’s North Shore, along Lake Michigan.
“The community is known for great schools, wonderful beaches, parks, and a cute town with shops and restaurants,” says real estate agent Cara Ameer, who got married in this vicinity and knows the area well. “It’s really an idyllic place to raise a family and for kids to grow up in. Winnekta is easily accessible by commuter train to get to downtown Chicago, so that is also a huge plus, in addition to a short drive from Northwestern and Loyola Universities.”
So will this ideally situated piece of pop culture fetch its asking price?
“The house is well priced for its size and condition,” Ameer says of the current price tag. “The celebrity factor of this home, being featured in a 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.”
Real estate agent Jason Gelios believes there’s a good chance the home might even sell for over list price.
“Any time you have a famous name or movie associated with a property, it affects the value in a positive way,” he says. “The only way a property associated with someone famous would not sell for asking price would be if the property is distressed or in horrible shape. This often causes the property to sell for less than desired, no matter who is associated with the property.”
Luckily, that’s not a problem with the “Home Alone” house, which has received a remarkable transformation.
Sam Fitz-Simon, a real estate agent in San Francisco, predicts, “I would expect to see the home sell for a premium to an investor that views it more like an art piece, than a home.”
Inside the ‘Home Alone’ house makeover
Let’s take a look at how this Georgian residence, built in 1921, has evolved since it graced the silver screen in the beloved John Hughes film.
While you might remember the famous staircase where wily Kevin foils the men who’ve broken into his home, you probably won’t recognize it now.
The entryway has changed significantly, too, from elaborate wallpaper to a cleaner white-on-white look.
The home’s new owners also decided to ditch the wallpaper in the bedrooms and give these sleep spaces a modern, luxury-hotel aesthetic.
The McCallisters’ cozy kitchen now features double islands, bespoke white cabinetry, and a hidden pantry, as well as an eight-burner Wolf range and an integrated Sub-Zero fridge. It’s fair to say Kevin could make a lot more than macaroni and cheese here.
The dining room looks a lot bigger and brighter without those burgundy walls and that behemoth china cabinet.
The renovated home also boasts several new features the McCallister kiddos would have loved. The lower level now includes a state-of-the-art, indoor sports court with a true three-point line.
It’s only fitting that the home includes a theater, too.
Who wouldn’t mind being left “home alone” here? Perhaps it’s time for the updated property to star in the next installment.
