Unlock Michael in GTA Online: Start Home Sweet Home in Minutes

Michael De Santa finally rolled into GTA Online with the A Safehouse in the Hills update, and yes, there is a proper story hook for him. If you just want to kick off his mission and not get lost in the noise, here is the clean, no-nonsense path to 'Home Sweet Home.'

Step 1: Buy a mansion

Open Prix Luxury and purchase one of the new high-end mansions. You need one of these to even be eligible for Michael's mission chain. Pick any of the three locations and kit it out however you want. It is not just a reskinned safehouse either — the interiors and exteriors come loaded with things to actually use and show off.

Step 2: Do Avi Schwartzman's contact missions

Once you hop into a session, you will get a text from an unknown sender pointing you to the Xero Gas Station on Calais Avenue. Look for the big A on your map. Answer the payphone there to connect with Avi Schwartzman and start his 'KnoWay Out' arc. There are four setup jobs and a finale, all scattered around Los Santos, and they bounce you between hijacking data, smashing cars, and other clean-up work. Expect roughly 15–20 minutes to get through the set.

• Negative Press
• Inside Job
• Tunnel Vision
• Trash Talking
• A Clean Break (finale)

Finish all five and you pocket 525,000 dollars. If you host as Leader and knock out the Weekly Challenge while you are at it, Rockstar throws in an extra 400,000 dollars on top.

Step 3: Trigger Michael's mission

After the finale, go back to free roam and wait for Avi to ring you. Pro tip: do not loiter right next to your mansion when you are waiting for the call — step away a bit. Shortly after, you will get an invite for 'Home Sweet Home.' That is the Michael mission. Accept it, and off you go.

Why this update is worth your time

Beyond Michael returning to the GTA universe, A Safehouse in the Hills quietly fixes a decade-long request: actual luxury mansions you can buy and customize from top to bottom. They are built to hang out in — not just to sleep and save. The update also drops the usual toys: new cars, fresh missions, weapons, and plenty of chaos to stir up.

Short version: grab a mansion, run Avi's jobs, take the call, launch 'Home Sweet Home.' If you have already done it, tell me how your run went — and whether you also got weirdly sentimental hearing Michael again.