How do you build and purchase your properties?

[Daelon DuLac]

Having recently begun playing Skyrim again, I am trying to be more prudent in purchasing properties and building homes across the Provence.

As I am trying to avoid the frantic running too and fro of my prior runthroughs and simply living a life in Skyrim rather than "playing the game" as I have before, I am wondering how, in what order and with what methodology y'all are purchasing properties in the holds.

Obviously, I love to own all the available properties and homes, but I am trying to avoid the whole: "Make as much cash as possible as quickly as possible, just so you can buy things" mindset.

So I've been going about raising the needed cash in the given hold to complete one home at a time (the purchaseable ones - example: making sure to have about 7,500 septims available when I work through Whiterun so that I can purchase Breezehome and furnish it, even if it means one room at a time) and simply purchasing the properties as the become available (Hearthfire) and only building the small home and then returning to them periodically when I have the raw materials available and/or the cash to purchase them.

Honestly it seems to be working and is much more of an RP thing now. The frantic running about for raw materials and building and creating absolutely everything immediately is over. I even make sure that I choose a steward from my available followers that would make sense (i.e. Faendal or Sven for Lakeview, since they know the area well as residents - there are no followers in Falkreath, unfortunately) and let them decorate the house (again only when I have the cash - even if it means only doing one room at a time).

I figure that I am an adventurer (or the Arch-Mage, Listener, Harbinger, Guild Master, Vampire King, etc...) and have other expenses and responsibilities to deal with (equipment, ingredients, upgrade materials, etc...) and will rarely have the time to be visiting all these properties anyhow, so why rush it.

While it's nice to have places to store my stuff, unless I'm selling it, I am finding this method more relaxing and much more in tune with my RP.

Any thoughts?

What about marriage and adoption? Somehow it just doesn't seem right, given the early lifestyle of the Dragonborn to partake in either. It hardly seems fair to them. I suppose marriage would be fine for a human as there are plenty of marriable "adventurer" humans, but, in the case of an Altmer - all the marriable Altmers (they are all female, aren't they? There are no marriable male Altmers?).

I know it sounds racist, but, why would you marry a totally different species? Let alone adopt children of a different species?

In other words, my new Altmer mage will have some kick a** homes and properties but she will be a very lonely High-Elf. I am going to make the effort to hire elves as my stewards though. I can't avoid the human house-carls, but, at least I can make the effort to hire mers in one way or another. Heck - even Orcs - they are mer, after all.

 

[ecozombie]

I'm going to just answer the original question here. On my main character, who is the only one at the moment who has enough coin to even consider purchasing properties, I only buy homes in places that I either want her to be Thane, places she visits often enough to justify the expense, or places where I can either add certain conveniences not otherwise available or that already have said conveniences. For example, I plan on purchasing Honeyside. For one, because it is conveniently located next to one of the Thieves Guild fences, and two, because it gives my character easier access to the Thieves Cache. I also plan on having her purchase a home in Markarth because it has more available book shelves than any other home. She will also purchase all three Hearthfire homes because they offer access to things she couldn't otherwise get, like a library, greenhouse and kitchen, just as an example. So that is my reasoning as far as that goes. As for adoption and marriage, unfortunately there were no Bosmers that were marriable, and with Mjoll the Lioness being marked essential and a great warrior besides, it only made sense for my character to marry her. Easier access to an essential follower in other words. In game, she has no other family left that will speak with her and so she wanted to make her own. After all, even the Dragonborn gets lonely. Not to mention when and if she does retire, it seemed like a fitting end to situate her with her family in Falkreath. So there's my reasoning for ya.


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[sticky runes]

Well, for example, if I'm just passing through Morthal on my way to Solitude and I happen to agree to investigating the burnt house and completing Laid to Rest, I won't accept the thane position that the jarl offers me right away, because I don't feel any real attachment to Morthal. But if I have become attached to morthal - maybe I've been frequently using Lami's alchemy facilities or learning magic from Falion - then I might decide Morthal seems a nice quiet place to have a home. If I've become attached to a large city like Solitude or Markarth, then I won't really want to have a place out in the sticks.

As for having families with different races, well, some NPCs in Skyrim are in interracial relationships. If you do take Faendal as a follower/steward, that means you've already supported his relationship with a human woman. Laila Lawgiver's Nord housecarl and Elven steward are romantically involved. The old Nord miner in Raven Rock is married to a dunmer priestess. Calcelmo, a high elf, is in love with a Redguard. Brand-Shei, a dark elf, was adopted by Argonians. So yeah. Stop being a small minded racist!

 

[Harkin]

SPOILER EXPLOIT - Initiate property purchase dialoge, and accept, then back out of dialogue whilst dumb NPC still waffling on and placeth thine goldiums into nearby cupboardeth henceforth spending 0 Gold and getting free properties. WORKS WITH ALL HOUSES AND FURNISHINGS!!!!!!

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Well, for example, if I'm just passing through Morthal on my way to Solitude and I happen to agree to investigating the burnt house and completing Laid to Rest, I won't accept the thane position that the jarl offers me right away, because I don't feel any real attachment to Morthal. But if I have become attached to morthal - maybe I've been frequently using Lami's alchemy facilities or learning magic from Falion - then I might decide Morthal seems a nice quiet place to have a home. If I've become attached to a large city like Solitude or Markarth, then I won't really want to have a place out in the sticks.

As for having families with different races, well, some NPCs in Skyrim are in interracial relationships. If you do take Faendal as a follower/steward, that means you've already supported his relationship with a human woman. Laila Lawgiver's Nord housecarl and Elven steward are romantically involved. The old Nord miner in Raven Rock is married to a dunmer priestess. Calcelmo, a high elf, is in love with a Redguard. Brand-Shei, a dark elf, was adopted by Argonians. So yeah. Stop being a small minded racist!

It wasn't really meant as racist, but, as an ex-thalmor, my rp simply can't justify an interracial match. I always have the same issue when playing an altmer. While I might be able to see falling in love with another mer, I simply can't justify a human that she has been raised to disdain. The same would hold true of a beast race.

On the other hand any woman would fall for J'Zargo or Marcurio.

 

[shadowkitty]

I think I had one character at the beginning that had to own every available property they could get their hands/paws on. Now, depending on who my character is, I only purchase ONE house. It is usually one of the Hearthfire houses. Lakeview Manor is my favourite but I also like Winstad for my creepier, evil characters.

I absolutely HATE running back and forth building bits of my house and having to go gather more supplies when I run out. So, as in real life, I wait until I have gathers up a plops load of materials and then make my house all in one go. Some of the rooms wont be complete inside, but the structure is 100% finished in one go (most times). I might make one or two trips to dump stuff in the chest near the work bench but that's about all the running around I will do. It seems a little extreme, and it is SO boring standing there listening to the lumberjack say 40 times "Doing some building eh?" but meh, it's worth it in the end.

 

[sticky runes]

I won't build the whole house all in one go. I like to keep it as a little cabin first, and install all of the furnishings myself. Then later on I will gradually add on more rooms. I normally try to get a steward ASAP, so I can get them to hire a carriage driver and do all the furnishings (saves me gathering materials) but my newest character doesn't use carriages, he goes everywhere by foot or on horseback, so I haven't rushed for a steward this time.
And yes, I do make sure to buy wood every time I pass a lumber merchant!

 

[Rhew]

I think I had one character at the beginning that had to own every available property they could get their hands/paws on. Now, depending on who my character is, I only purchase ONE house. It is usually one of the Hearthfire houses. Lakeview Manor is my favourite but I also like Winstad for my creepier, evil characters.

I absolutely HATE running back and forth building bits of my house and having to go gather more supplies when I run out. So, as in real life, I wait until I have gathers up a pl*** load of materials and then make my house all in one go. Some of the rooms wont be complete inside, but the structure is 100% finished in one go (most times). I might make one or two trips to dump stuff in the chest near the work bench but that's about all the running around I will do. It seems a little extreme, and it is SO boring standing there listening to the lumberjack say 40 times "Doing some building eh?" but meh, it's worth it in the end.

I just always make Faendal my steward right away. That way he does all the tedious work for me!

Me: Dammit! I'm out of lumber, again!
Faendal: I'll go get some!
Me: Well, that was easy.

It's kind of funny to initiate the dialog when there's nothing built yet.

Faendal: You've built a fine steading!
Me: *looks at empty lot* uhhhhh, thanks? You wanna take care of it?
Faendal: I'd be honored to!

 

[sticky runes]

I do tend to be more picky about my stewards now.
I don't really like to make Faendal a steward because he's supposed to be loved up with Camilla.
It seems weird to make Uthgerd a steward because she's already got her own nice house in Whiterun.
And after helping Eric get away from his farm to pursue his career as an adventurer, I hardly think it's right to have him decorating my house and weeding my garden, unless I intend to have him accompanying me on a lot of my adventures as a kind of protege.

Golldir is usually my first choice for a steward, because he doesn't really have a home to go to, he just sits outside his family tomb after I help him so I might as well give him a useful role.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

I do tend to be more picky about my stewards now.
I don't really like to make Faendal a steward because he's supposed to be loved up with Camilla.
It seems weird to make Uthgerd a steward because she's already got her own nice house in Whiterun.
And after helping Eric get away from his farm to pursue his career as an adventurer, I hardly think it's right to have him decorating my house and weeding my garden, unless I intend to have him accompanying me on a lot of my adventures as a kind of protege.

Golldir is usually my first choice for a steward, because he doesn't really have a home to go to, he just sits outside his family tomb after I help him so I might as well give him a useful role.

I don't so much mind Faendal for Lakeview. He's close anyhow and I think he and the housecarl go together well. I agree on Uthgerd and Eric, though. It's tough finding truly good stewards (hey, at least Faendal helps out with the defense!). Since I rarely marry and have kids, the place is usually so deserted, I sometimes don't even bother.

 

[Rhew]

I do tend to be more picky about my stewards now.
I don't really like to make Faendal a steward because he's supposed to be loved up with Camilla.
It seems weird to make Uthgerd a steward because she's already got her own nice house in Whiterun.
And after helping Eric get away from his farm to pursue his career as an adventurer, I hardly think it's right to have him decorating my house and weeding my garden, unless I intend to have him accompanying me on a lot of my adventures as a kind of protege.

Golldir is usually my first choice for a steward, because he doesn't really have a home to go to, he just sits outside his family tomb after I help him so I might as well give him a useful role.

I don't know. From what I've seen Faendal is in love with Camilla but she's not in love with him. So I feel like I'm doing him a favor by taking him away from a relationship that'll never work out. I kind of feel bad for the two boys because she just lets them fight over her to the point that they're ready to kill each other when in reality sh doesn't want either one of them.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

I do tend to be more picky about my stewards now.
I don't really like to make Faendal a steward because he's supposed to be loved up with Camilla.
It seems weird to make Uthgerd a steward because she's already got her own nice house in Whiterun.
And after helping Eric get away from his farm to pursue his career as an adventurer, I hardly think it's right to have him decorating my house and weeding my garden, unless I intend to have him accompanying me on a lot of my adventures as a kind of protege.

Golldir is usually my first choice for a steward, because he doesn't really have a home to go to, he just sits outside his family tomb after I help him so I might as well give him a useful role.

I don't know. From what I've seen Faendal is in love with Camilla but she's not in love with him. So I feel like I'm doing him a favor by taking him away from a relationship that'll never work out. I kind of feel bad for the two boys because she just lets them fight over her to the point that they're ready to kill each other when in reality sh doesn't want either one of them.

And don't forget that you can always just marry her right out from under them. It also give you a really, really good excuse to kill Sven (I hate that guy ) since they'll continue to moon.

 

[Rhew]

I do tend to be more picky about my stewards now.
I don't really like to make Faendal a steward because he's supposed to be loved up with Camilla.
It seems weird to make Uthgerd a steward because she's already got her own nice house in Whiterun.
And after helping Eric get away from his farm to pursue his career as an adventurer, I hardly think it's right to have him decorating my house and weeding my garden, unless I intend to have him accompanying me on a lot of my adventures as a kind of protege.

Golldir is usually my first choice for a steward, because he doesn't really have a home to go to, he just sits outside his family tomb after I help him so I might as well give him a useful role.

I don't know. From what I've seen Faendal is in love with Camilla but she's not in love with him. So I feel like I'm doing him a favor by taking him away from a relationship that'll never work out. I kind of feel bad for the two boys because she just lets them fight over her to the point that they're ready to kill each other when in reality sh doesn't want either one of them.

And don't forget that you can always just marry her right out from under them. It also give you a really, really good excuse to kill Sven (I hate that guy ) since they'll continue to moon.

That actually made me really angry the first time I played a male character. The way she talked to me after i got the claw back for them I was like "WTF! You're hitting on me!? When there are two guys killing each other over you?"

Also the fact that in my last play through I attacked Faendal just to see if my follower mod really did make followers ignore your attacks. I got a letter from Camilla saying she knows what I did to him but didn't care. She wanted my help to get someone to leave her alone. When I wen to see her she wanted me to beat up Sven. which I did. Happily.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

I don't know. From what I've seen Faendal is in love with Camilla but she's not in love with him. So I feel like I'm doing him a favor by taking him away from a relationship that'll never work out. I kind of feel bad for the two boys because she just lets them fight over her to the point that they're ready to kill each other when in reality sh doesn't want either one of them.

And don't forget that you can always just marry her right out from under them. It also give you a really, really good excuse to kill Sven (I hate that guy ) since they'll continue to moon.

That actually made me really angry the first time I played a male character. The way she talked to me after i got the claw back for them I was like "WTF! You're hitting on me!? When there are two guys killing each other over you?"

Also the fact that in my last play through I attacked Faendal just to see if my follower mod really did make followers ignore your attacks. I got a letter from Camilla saying she knows what I did to him but didn't care. She wanted my help to get someone to leave her alone. When I wen to see her she wanted me to beat up Sven. which I did. Happily.

I remember reading your post about the Faendal thing. I think Camilla's just a slut and likes playing guys. One time I married her just to strand her at the house outside of Morthal and took the housecarl with me and had no steward and never visited, ever (not my favorite hearthfire house). I don't know what ever happened to her since I deleted the save, but I hope she got eaten by a troll or killed by draugers. I'll stick with my dealer, Ms. Ysolda (that's her name, right? the one in Whiterun?). She's got the best Sap.

BTW - any good warrior Orc Women to woe for my Orc Beserker this run through? He'd like a partner to decimate Skyrim with.

 

[sticky runes]

Well I don't marry girls, and even if I did I would never marry a shopkeeper or non-combatant, I only ever marry characters who can follow me on quests, so in my role-plays, Camilla always does hook up with the guy.

Besides, if I was Camilla, it would be a choice between an exotic hunter from a foreign land who works hard for a living and owns his own house, and a lazy minstrel who still lives with his mother. Hmm decisions decisions.

 

[Rhew]

Well I don't marry girls, and even if I did I would never marry a shopkeeper or non-combatant, I only ever marry characters who can follow me on quests, so in my role-plays, Camilla always does hook up with the guy.

Besides, if I was Camilla, it would be a choice between an exotic hunter from a foreign land who works hard for a living and owns his own house, and a lazy minstrel who still lives with his mother. Hmm decisions decisions.

Yeah, I just always steal the exotic hunter from her. I've got a mod for that. It even makes his house mine

 

[sticky runes]

BTW - any good warrior Orc Women to woe for my Orc Beserker this run through? He'd like a partner to decimate Skyrim with.

I think you want Borgakh the Steel Heart from Mor Khazgur.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

BTW - any good warrior Orc Women to woe for my Orc Beserker this run through? He'd like a partner to decimate Skyrim with.

I think you want Borgakh the Steel Heart from Mor Khazgur.

I'll have to make it a point to go meet her then. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Rhew]

And don't forget that you can always just marry her right out from under them. It also give you a really, really good excuse to kill Sven (I hate that guy ) since they'll continue to moon.

That actually made me really angry the first time I played a male character. The way she talked to me after i got the claw back for them I was like "WTF! You're hitting on me!? When there are two guys killing each other over you?"

Also the fact that in my last play through I attacked Faendal just to see if my follower mod really did make followers ignore your attacks. I got a letter from Camilla saying she knows what I did to him but didn't care. She wanted my help to get someone to leave her alone. When I wen to see her she wanted me to beat up Sven. which I did. Happily.

I remember reading your post about the Faendal thing. I think Camilla's just a slut and likes playing guys. One time I married her just to strand her at the house outside of Morthal and took the housecarl with me and had no steward and never visited, ever (not my favorite hearthfire house). I don't know what ever happened to her since I deleted the save, but I hope she got eaten by a troll or killed by draugers. I'll stick with my dealer, Ms. Ysolda (that's her name, right? the one in Whiterun?). She's got the best Sap.

BTW - any good warrior Orc Women to woe for my Orc Beserker this run through? He'd like a partner to decimate Skyrim with.

Borgakh the steel heart is the best female marriage option to me. My male wood elf married her. She's a good warrior and a loving wife.

 

[Harkin]

She also has a face like a trolls backside, lol.. Nah not really, but my Orc was going to marry Jenassa or Aranea until I inducted Aranea into the Blades.

He's the sort of Orc that doesn't have the brains to understand or comprehend relationships, he just loves those home cooked meals!

I've never really got my character to marry just for rolesake, the Orc females true are the same race - but do they hold a candle battlewise when compared to Eola or Aranea? Maybe that Borgakh Steel Heart is good battlewise.