There were two things that stuck with me long after watching the first Twilight movie (and no, I’m not talking sparkling diamond skin): the car that Edward Cullen was driving — a sporty Volvo C30 that’s still at the top of my list — and the house the Cullens lived in, a gorgeous modern home tucked away in the midst of lush trees.
And since it’s such a memorable screen presence, we thought we’d answer the question for other movie fans who might come looking: is the Cullen house real or was it just a movie set? Well, I guess that depends on which Twilight movie you’re asking about, as the correct answer is both.
Apparently, the property that served as the Cullen house in the first Twilight movie is as real as it gets, and you can see it yourself if you ever visit Portland, Oregon.
For New Moon and Eclipse, a separate home in Vancouver, BC was used, with neighboring Squamish, BC serving as a final setting for Breaking Dawn 1 and 2.
But before we delve into all the Twilight house locations — and explore all the magnificent properties that made their way on-screen, including the now-infamous Bella Swan house in St. Helens, Oregon — let’s take a look at the original Cullen house in Forks that captivated us all (despite it not being anywhere near Forks, WA).
The Hoke House served as the first Cullen Residence
While said to be in Forks, Washington (at the fictional address of 420 Woodcroft Ave, Forks Wa) the home we’re first introduced to as the Cullen residence in the first Twilight movie is a modern, sleek structure in Portland, Oregon, that goes by the name Hoke House.
The house was named after its owner at the time, John Hoke, a NIKE executive that had it built for his family (in fact, the production team dubbed his house The Nike House, after Hoke’s profession).
To bring his dream house to life, Hoke commissioned architect Jeff Kovel of Skylab Architecture and Metcalf Construction, with Lucy Metcalf as the interior designer and landscaper. The end result: the spectacular contemporary home that plays the role of the Twilight house in the first installment of the massively popular movie franchise.
Public records show that the house has a generous 4,903 square feet of living space, and sits on a 6,800-square-foot lot. Built in 2006, the Twilight house also has a finished basement that didn’t make its way on to our screens, and an attached garage.
Forever etched in the memory of Twilight fans, the Hoke House makes its first appearance in the movie when Edward takes Bella home to meet his family.
Interestingly enough, it’s the house that opens up Edward as a character, his quiet and mysterious nature broken by its spell. Edward Cullen gives context for this, saying that the house, for him and the rest of his family, is “the one place we don’t have to hide”.
And true as that may have been, the Cullen residence is, in itself, secluded enough.
Both in the movie and in real life the house is surrounded by trees, with the real one being set right on the edge of Portland’s Forest Park. Located amidst the woods, the home is as private as can be, with sound-recording security cameras adding to its safety and privacy.
Hoke was reportedly very happy with the idea of having his home serve as the residence of a sophisticated family of vampires like the Cullens, and was more than willing to allow shots from both inside and outside his home. However, this was the only movie in the saga his house appeared in.
The NIKE executive also seems to have quietly parted ways with his movie-famous, Portland home. Public records show that the house changed owners in 2022 — though we couldn’t find any mention in the press saying that the Twilight house was for sale.
The sale does shed light on a lingering questions fans had over the years, namely How much is the Cullen house worth?
The original Twilight house sold in March, 2022 for a whopping $2,500,000 — which amounts to $510/square foot.
The second Cullen house was in Vancouver, BC
In Stephenie Meyer’s trilogy, the Cullen coven lives in the most coveted house in town. What filled in when it came time to film New Moon? A West Vancouver estate that was listed for sale shortly after the movie came out, asking $3,298,000 (I wonder whether a die-hard fan ended up buying the property…)
Designed by Arthur Erickson, and renovated in 2001, the 5-bedroom West Vancouver at 118 Stevens Drive sits on a heavily wooded half-acre lot — yet if you want to catch a glimpse of it in real life, Twilight wiki says it’s possible to get a better view of the corner property from Deep Dene Road.
The building layout is similar to the original Cullen house in Twilight, with noticeable differences such as the main driveway.
The home served as home to the Cullen’s for New Moon and Eclipse and was sold shortly after filming was done, with the producers opting for a shiny, new home in close by Squamish, BC for the two-part Breaking Dawn.
The third Twilight house: a Squamish, BC home built specifically for the Cullens
Once planning started on the new movie, a new location was set for the Cullen home. Only this time around, they’d be getting a house built specifically for them.
Taking inspiration from the original Cullen house in Portland, the real-life Hoke House, a full-scale Cullen residence was constructed near Squamish on a private 50-acre property, complete with a river.
You can spot this house in some pretty crucial scenes throughout the two Breaking Dawn movies, including the outdoor wedding and the farewell scene.
However, it’s worth noting that only the exterior of this home made an appearance on the screen. All the indoor scenes for Breaking Dawn were filmed at another Cullen house built inside a sound stage in Baton Rouge, Louisiana against a green screen. The forest was later digitally added.
Breaking Dawn also gave away where the Cullen house is located, with the wedding invitations for Bella and Edward’s wedding giving away the fictional address: 420 Woodcraft Ave, Forks, WA.
Bella Swan’s house is also real — and you can even book a stay here on AirBnb
While you won’t find the Cullen house on AirBnb, there’s one other property that was heavily showcased throughout the movies that does welcome guests and Twilight fans: Bella Swan’s house.
Located in St. Helens, Oregon, the 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home was built in 1935 and offers 2,506 of living space. It last changed owners in 2018, selling for $363,000, per public records, with its newest residents deciding to make fans happy by putting the place up on AirBnb.
Now, fans of the movies can rent Bella Swan’s home — which now goes by the name Twilight Swan House — for both short and extended stays.
But some proper planning might be in order: if you’d like to stay at the Swan house, you’d need to book your stay ONE YEAR in advance, as the AirBnb rental is currently only accepting bookings 12 months in advance — likely due to high demand.
The wait might be worth it for die-hard fans of the Twilight saga:
“Take photos recreating all of your favorite Twilight scenes!”, the AirBnb listing says. “Dine at Charlie’s actual dining table that was used in filming. Sleep in Bella’s bedroom! Team Edward?–Sleep in the “lookout” room, overlooking the front yard, which is where Bella looks out the window to see Edward parked. Team Jacob?–Sleep in the “Jacob Black guest room”, located off the main entry downstairs.“
Prices range from $380-450/night for one-night stays to $400/night (Mon-Thurs/Sun) or $450/night (Fri-Sat/Peak), and most bookings require a 2-night minimum stay, unless you get lucky and find a vacancy in an off-day.
And the best part: it’s only a 40-minute drive away from the original Cullen house in Portland, Oregon, which means you can easily strike both locations off of your bucket list.
More homes from movies
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The House in the Notebook — Allie’s Dream or a Real Home?
Are They Real? The Opulent Homes in ‘Bridgerton’
All the Luxury Houses in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ — and Where to Find Them in Real Life
