I have over 300 hours logged into my Skyrim game and I just bought hearthfire. I decided I wanted to build a house in Falkreath but first I need to become Thane.

It seems as though I needed to completed the Miscelanious quest "Kill the Bandit Leader at Knifepoint Ridge" which I apparently had already aquired at some point earlier in my game.

I went there killed all of the bandits in the area of Knifepoint ridge and the quest marker is just sitting on the floor inside the mine, I tried shutting down and reloading... same problem. I tried loading an earlier save... same problem...

I tried loading the oldest save I have (which is still after I aquired the quest)... same problem.

Does anyone know how to clear this mission? I really don't want to have to start a whole new game just to complete this DLC

Unselect the quest and leave the area for at least 30 days and let it respawn?