Is there any township housing options in Skyrim? I mean, housing in a mill or a farm, township, etc. Smaller-scale. Something that doesn't involve having to get permission from a Jarl.

Specifically, what I'm looking for is a deal where you can show up at a township or a mill, and some family living there will give you lodging-- nothing fancy-- just a room with a bed, chest, dresser, etc. in exchange for services rendered (i.e. chopping x amount of wood, or farming x amount of produce, or whatever). I'm trying to roleplay a commoner.

There are two families in riverwood that let you use their houses depending on who you sided with in the tutorial, but they do it for free.

But they don't give me a housekey, and they lock their doors at night.

Pretty sure they gave me a house key O_o

Which family? Alvar/Sigrid or Gerdur/Hod?

There should be a house in every town IMO. mods mods mods mods mods

It seems if people "rush" and don't let the npc's dictate the pace (like staying for an entire conversation between other npc's and not yourself) they miss out on things like this. It should be scripted automatically, however, I had to stay with the stormcloak and his sister while he sat on a tree stump and talked about what happened. After he talked, his sister talked and her husband talked she turned to me told me something like her husband was to show me to the house and received the key automatically. My friend did ALMOST the same method but left a bit earlier then me, I told him to go back for the key which he did, but all she did was tell her husband to show him the house say it was okay to stay but did not give him the key like they did for me. Everything we did was identical up to that point except, I let the dialogue and game flow its natural course and followed the npc's lead in everything until they gave me the key.

Hope that makes a bit of sense. I have had a bug free wonderful 2nd playthrough by taking my time a bit more and letting events flow completely natural (ie: not hitting tab over the last few words of dialogue, picking all convo options etc).

Fortunately im on pc and will wait for some nice small housing mods (would love to have the shack similar to the one in oblivion outside the imperial city, great little thieves/alchemists hut). Im sure Bethesda will have some DLC involving player houses at somepoint, but those player made houses are great since they know what TES players want in their homes and want as a home.

I do let the conversation play out. But I've only followed Hadvar out of Helgen, not the Stormcloak guy. Hadvar's family has never given me a key.

I've done both starts... and only got the key on the stormcloak start.

Yes, they gave me a key, but it disappears after a while without trace so I pickpocket a new one every time it happens. They don't mind me being inside.

EDIT: I helped Argonians in the port of Windhelm get better wages and they let me sleep in their shack although I had to pickpocket a key to it in the first place.

Please specify who "they" are. Which family? Does Hadvar's family issue you a key or not?

Both. I tried both ways. Both families give you the key, a place to sleep and free use of any and all containers in the house. They don't let you take certain expensive items out though.

There are several empty shacks around Skyrim, which contain a bed and a few non respawning containers.

Alchemist's Shack, has two barrels and an endtable for containers. Also has the benefit of an alchemy lab.
Meeko's Shack, has a barrel and an endtable for containers. However, the barrel respawns and so do the shelves, regularly filling the house with junk.
Riverside Shack, has one safe wardrobe and a bed. See this page for more details on safe containers.
Abandoned Shack, this is where you take part in the initiation of the dark brotherhood
Traitor's Post, has two wardrobes and a cupboard that you can store items in. The chest there resets along with the bandits.
Lund's Hut, NNW of Rorikstead. Farm house with non-functioning bed. Only the chest and end table are safe containers.

Better yet, I wish I could make a FORT into my own personal base of operations after clearing the bandits from it.

If "Claim that Interior" mod is ported to Skyrim, you'll be able to do it. It transfers the ownership of everything in the cell to you, and prevents NPC's and creatures from respawning, effectively making any interior your own.

True, but I'm not looking to be "shack-living hermit guy." I'm basically wanting to be a part of a smaller township community.

I've already got the absolute PERFECT spot for my player-made house once the Creation Kit is made available. Can't wait! Beautiful autumn trees, streams, waterfalls, a great view... it's going to kick ass.

Sounds lovely! I hope you'll share that mod with us, maybe we can create a small player community there! Oh wait, it's not an MMO LOL

As for housing, yea I wish I could take over a mill or a fort etc. I sure hope some modder will adjust the "claim the interior" mod for Skyrim!

Why bother with a house...there are plenty of camps around Skyrim...just find an empty bed and sleep there. If the locals give you any trouble give them a haircut 6" below the scalp.

I'm another one that has never gotten a key if I follow the imperial guy to Riverwood. I sit and let the blacksmith guy talk and I even take items from him when he offers. But he or his wife has never given me a key. Only the Stormcloak family did.

you can marry someone who lives in a small town or kill them. Only two options really I would love to have a mill sadly the only two that are decent has a redguard for a wife or a house you cannot kill over due to it being part of a quest line.

marry camilla at the riverwood trader and choose to live with her or any marriable npc for that matter