How do I hire stewards? Do they have to be stewards already or just potential followers?

Any follower you have, can become a steward although I had Aela, and it bugged.

I asked her to be my steward, and she said yes. I then remember that she had all my iron, so I asked her to follow me. After that, I can't ask her to be my steward anymore.

I'm not sure if this bug is for every follower, and it may have only happened to me, I'm not sure. Just be careful.

Kharjo didn't work for me. =(

It's a conversation option something like hey I need a steward for my house.

I tried Jenassa but the option didn't appear, but she had already been recruited to the blades. So it may be worth trying her when she's still a sword for hire.

I got Annekke Crag-Jumper to be my steward, after the initial quest of course. Suprisingly she didn't get eaten by the Revered Dragon on the way back in.

I was just fiddling around with it but she made me realize that there is not a single follower who I think I could stand to live with in this game. They just have more mindless dialogue it's not just a short howdy do sentence. She wouldn't shut up about scouting, and verner.

By the sounds of things, most mercenaries won't be your Steward.

I got Illia to do it. She volunteered actually when she walked in the house. Yea I would say try asking them in the house.

Lydia then?

That's awesome! I had posted in another thread wondering if Illia would work as a steward. Nice!

Can Cicero be your steward?