Would You Visit the House from 'Home Alone'?
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It's the most wonderful time of the year! Grab your hot chocolate, start planning that holiday party, set up your festive decorations, and soak up as much of the holiday spirit as you possibly can. There's nothing like settling down on the couch and being surrounded by twinkling lights and Christmas wreaths, and the absolute best way to fully get into that merry mood is by cozying up and watching your favorite holiday movies. From feel-good Hallmark flicks to older classics like A Christmas Story and beloved comedies like Elf, you could probably spend an entire year just watching festive films back-to-back. However, there's one that always sticks out as a fan favorite, and that's Home Alone. The 1990 flick follows Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), a Chicago kid who's accidentally been left behind by his family, as he fights off the two burglars who break into their gorgeous home on Christmas Eve. Many of us are familiar with the story, but how familiar are you with the Midwestern mansion itself?
In 2019, Netflix came out with a series called The Movies That Made Us that takes a deep dive into the behind-the-scenes action from famous films, including Home Alone. In that episode, some of the film's production crew share interesting details about filming, but they didn't share everything we wanted to know. How much is the house worth? Can you visit the Home Alone house? Well, we did some research and found all the answers to your burning questions. Keep reading to find out some fun facts about the John Hughes movie, and impress your guests with this trivia the next time you sit down to watch it together.
Where Is the Home Alone House Located?
The property you see in exterior shots of the home is located at 671 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka, Illinois. The town is a northern suburb of Chicago, and according to Zillow, the Colonial was built in 1920.
Where Were the Indoor Scenes Filmed?
The gorgeous, warm interiors of the Home Alone house may look authentic, but they don't belong to that Winnetka mansion. Instead, according to the Netflix special, 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 itself was too small for all of the crew to fit, explained director Chris Columbus, so the team built an entire two-story set in the high school gym. In fact, the scene near the end of the film when Kevin goes into his neighbor's house was filmed in the old school pool, which made flooding its "basement" much easier.
How Much Is the House Worth?
Though the home is off the market, Zillow estimates that the 10-bedroom, six-bath property is currently worth $2,317,200. Hey, when there are five kids, six cousins, and multiple adults all staying in one place, you need a lot of room!
Can You Visit the House?
A few years ago in 2021, AirBnB opened the mansion doors for a one-night-only stay hosted by none other than Kevin's older brother, Buzz. Besides that, there's no way to get inside unless you know the current owners. However, many fans still walk or drive by the house each year and take pictures of the exterior. If you really want to spend a night in Kevin's shoes, you can rent out a Home Alone–themed AirBnB in Dallas, Texas, for $247 a night.
Who Lived in the Home Alone House in 1990?
At the time of filming, John and Cynthia Abendshien lived in the inviting home. They had reportedly been living in the house for only two years before the movie aired in 1990. John Abendshien said of writer Hughes, "John Hughes had a real interest in filming in community settings. He, I understand, grew up in the North Shore, and really wanted his sets and backgrounds to have a real world, a true neighborhood and a true-home-type ambience."
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 Colonial didn't sell until 2012 for $1,585,000, and the current owners have stayed out of the public eye.
What Is the Square Footage of the House?
As empty-nesters, it makes sense that the Abendshiens didn't want or need a home as large as the one on Lincoln Avenue. The Home Alone house, according to Zillow, is 5,398 square feet and sits on just over half an acre of land.
Were Any Other Movies or TV Shows Filmed at the Home Alone House?
John Hughes loved Chicago, and according to the same Netflix special, he also filmed Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Uncle Buck at the abandoned high school. When it comes to the Colonial mansion, 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 (played by the late Matthew Perry) move into at the end of the series. If you look carefully, you can see the same neighbor's blue home with a wreath on the door from the inside windows. So, in a sense, you could say that the Bings bought the McCallisters' place! Of course, Chandler and Monica moved to a New York City suburb, not a Chicago one, but it's a fun connection nonetheless.
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