For millions of fortunate people around the world, Christmas-time is often spent in a family home together. Together, we generously share gifts, eat fabulous food and make many memories. Usually, we also sit around the T.V together and watch an iconic Christmas movie.
There are many reasons a Christmas movie can become iconic, but one thing they all have in common is a central hub (often a home) where a lot of the action takes place. It’s often these homes which remain imprinted in our memory and instantly recognisable, despite not having seen the movie for years.
But what would some of these houses be worth in today’s market and what sort of mortgage deal could you get?
#1 – Home Alone (1990) How Much Is It Worth?
Where else would we begin, other than the McCallister’s monstrous family home? Situated in a quaint and suburban setting, the property itself is anything but ordinary. Its value is clearly reflected in the devastating size of the house. Therefore, it was no surprise that young Kevin McCallister went to extreme lengths to thwart off the threat from local looters Marv and Harry!
Value in 1990: £1,500,000
Today’s Value: £1,585,000
Location: 671 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka, Illinois, Chicago
Typical Mortgage Example
Deposit: £317,000 (20%)
Mortgage Length: 25 years
Interest Rate: 4.0%
Mortgage Type: Repayment
Monthly Repayment: £6,693
Total Interest Payable: £739,891
#2 Elf (2003) Buddy’s Dad’s Apartment
The loveable elf, Buddy, makes the most of living in his father’s extravagant apartment, despite being unfamiliar in his surroundings. Although the character may be out of place, the Manhattan apartment is perfectly situated in the city, and the sort of establishment many of us fantasise about ( just as much as Buddy fantasises about Christmas itself).
Value in 2003: £530,000
Today’s Value: £1,050,000
Location: 55 Central Park West, Manhattan, New York
Typical Mortgage Example
Deposit: £315,000 (30%)
Mortgage Length: 30 years
Interest Rate: 3.8 %
Mortgage Type: Repayment
Monthly Repayment: £3,425
Total Interest Payable: £497,923
#3 Love Actually (2003) Martine McCutcheon’s House
Loveable gent, Hugh Grant, plays David (the recently elected Prime Minister) who falls for Natalie (a new member of staff at 10 Downing Street). Now, we’re not going to begin to estimate the cost of the Prime Minister’s home, instead, it’s the ‘girl next doors’ simple terraced house we’re interested in.
Value in 2003: £255,000
Today’s Value: £1,800,000
Location: Wandsworth, Herne Hill, London
Typical Mortgage Example
Deposit: (25%) £450,000
Mortgage Length: 28 years
Interest Rate: 3%
Mortgage Type: Repayment
Monthly Repayment: £5,944
Total Interest Payable: £647,053
#4 The Holiday (2006) The Idyllic House
You know the one. The charming, and typically English, cottage in an idyllic setting where Kate Winslet lives. She then allows Cameron Diaz to inhabit it for a short time. Furthermore, not only was Jude Law a neighbour but a frequent visitor to the cottage; we’re not sure if this has anything to do with the overall value though.
Value in 2006: £475,000
Today’s Value: £725,000
Location: Godalming, Surrey
Typical Mortgage Example
Deposit: (20%) £145,000
Mortgage Length: 20 years
Interest Rate: 3.2%
Mortgage Type: Repayment
Monthly Repayment: £3,275
Total Interest Payable: £206,011
#5 Bridget Jones’ Diary (2001) Bachelorette pad
The one-bed flat, come solo drinking saloon, may well be all too identifiable for a lot of lonely Londoners. However, it’s location overlooking the bustling Borough Market made many of us green with envy throughout the first installment of Bridget’s world of mishaps, madness and misfortunes. Yet, we suspect, many of us wouldn’t mind a lifestyle and a little pad just like Bridget’s.
Value in 2001: £190,000
Today’s Value: £650,000
Location: Borough Market, London
Typical Mortgage Example
Deposit: (50%) £325,000
Mortgage Length: 10 years
Interest Rate: 4%
Mortgage Type: Repayment
Monthly Repayment: £3,290
Total Interest Payable: £69,856
#6 About A Boy (2002) Bachelor Pad
A film familiar to many because of the Badly Drawn Boy theme tune ‘Something to Talk About’, the little lads outlandish haircut, Will Freeman’s (Hugh Grant) lonely, lothario lifestyle and a duck murdered by a loaf of bread. In amongst that though was Will’s luxurious bachelor pad, earnt through the royalties of his father’s famous Christmas song ‘Santa’s Super Sleigh’.
Value in 2002: £345,000
Today’s Value: £1,500,000
Location: Eastern Central (EC1), London
Typical Mortgage Example
Deposit: (50%) £325,000
Mortgage Length: 10 years
Interest Rate: 4%
Mortgage Type: Repayment
Monthly Repayment: £3,290
Total Interest Payable: £69,856
#7 Miracle on 34th Street (1994) The Dream Suburban Home
This is the Christmas movie which makes us realise that believing in Santa is just as fictitious as believing in God. Because if “In God We Trust” like the back of the American $1 bill suggests, then in Santa we should trust too. Even more so, if he helps deliver the wishes of little Susan Walker’s who dreams of a picturesque house, the perfect bedroom and baby brother. Lone and behold they all come true. Thanks, to Santa!
Value in 2002: £1,380,000
Today’s Value: £2,750,000
Location: Forest Lake, Illinois
Typical Mortgage Example
Deposit: (35%) £962,500
Mortgage Length: 25 years
Interest Rate: 2.8%
Mortgage Type: Repayment
Monthly Mortgage Repayment: £8,292
Total Interest Payable: £700,027
#8 Bad Santa (2003) Christmas In The Sun
Billie Bob Thornton plays dishevelled, disgruntled and disgraced shopping mall Santa (Willie Stokes). He has an elf side-kick with whom he masterminds criminal activities. However, it isn’t until the naive Thurman Merman, sees the real Santa in Willie and invites him into his grandmother’s home, that we see the full splendour of the property.
Value in 2003: £699,000
Today’s Value: £1,130,000
Location: Whitehall Lane, West Hills, CA
Typical Mortgage Example
Deposit: £226,000 (20%)
Mortgage Length: 30 years
Interest Rate: 3.5%
Mortgage Type: Repayment
Monthly Mortgage Repayment: £4,049
Total Interest Payable: £557,371
