Am I correct in understanding that this is impossible to purchase after the Battle of Solitude quest is finished? I haven't gone looking for Jarl Elsif or the Steward much after the battle, but did notice the Blue Palace was locked.

I'm hoping it's destroyed so I can collect the insurance.

Not sure try googling it. About to go do that battle but there are 5 other houses anyway.

Because of bugs/frustration with the house or just for fun?

I wanted it because it had the most bookcases after Hjerim, which I have pretty much given up on buying due to the fact that Blood On The Ice doesn't trigger for me.

I did. The UESP Wiki says it's permanently locked. Someone else on Yahoo Answers said you just have to do the two requisite quests - but who knows if they were paying attention to the fact that the OP was asking how to purchase after Battle of Solitude.

I did not buy it until after the Civil War

You don't need to do it to get house. I joined the storm cloaks and afte a couple liberations he offered me house.

Who did? The steward in Windhelm? Last time I checked he just said it was unavailable due to the messiness or whatever. I haven't checked in a while, and have since completed the liberations and Battle of Solitude.

Which house - Proudspire Manor or Hjerim? If you mean Proudspire Manor, do you still get it from Jarl Elsif's steward?

This would be sweet if I am able to buy it after completing the liberate Hjaalmarch stuff. Thanks for that. I am, after all, a totally racist-against-elves Nord Stormcloak, so I gotta make crappy ol' Windhelm my home.

You can still buy it after the battle of solitude.

I did the civil war. Elisif was unhappy with me. Then I did Wolf Queen and I'm her most favorite person ever and a property-owning thane.

You can buy any of the houses after the civil war is resolved in whichever city your house is in. Only the steward and Jarl change. You can use Hjerim once you get the key from Tova, but it's a crummier version of a crummy house.

A note or two on Proudspire:

1. You can buy it for free, assuming you have at least 25K on your person at the time;
2. You don't actually have to buy it to use it. The key to the Fletcher's shop fits Proudspire's patio door. Of course, you won't be able to move your spouse there, and you won't have Jordis, but hey, it's free.

I bought it the same way I "bought" Breezehome - tell the steward I want it, stash the money in a cupboard. Wasn't ever going to pay 25K for a house that I knew probably wasn't even going to work right. Sure enough, no weapon racks or weapon plaques can be used in mine.

Also went back and talked to the steward in Windhelm - still no dice there on buying Hjerim. I think I've screwed up the timing on that one somehow. Back when I was really trying to get the house, I had killed one or more of the Shatter-Shields, I think (?) and pickpocketed the key to it. When I go inside, I get the "Investigate InvestigationTarget" on all the blood spots and stuff inside the house. Don't know if finishing the DB or entering the house prematurely or missing the graveyard stuff or what caused it, but I think it's a lost hope.

I hear the Markarth house is somewhat less buggy than these two?

Ah, investigate everything that says so, then be sure to take one of the handbills warning of "the butcher." That completes that stage of the quest. Next, find the woman named in the handbill and talk to her (oh, be sure to pick up both butcher journals, one in the chest the other in the hidden room on the altar) and she will direct you back to Jorlief. Talk to him and he'll go off to arrest the court mage.

Vlindrel Hall in Markarth seems quite nice, except for the usual disappearing books problem. Maybe it's more reliable because... it's set in stone!

The quest isn't in my journal - so I can't complete it because it isn't really started. I picked up 23 of those butcher handbills and investigated all of the targets. I'm sure they say something different when the quest is actually active. "InvestigationTarget" seems like a generic label in code that a developer would use, not an in-game item to examine, you know what I mean? I don't think I'm supposed to be in there yet.

The Markarth House has the most bookcase space, in my opinion. I just use Solitude as a money sink. I prefer Honeyside (Lake Side House FTW) or yea Hjerim, because it has so much space

I did this battle for the Stormcloaks and I have no problem getting into Blue Palace. All the former Jarls and stewards that got replaced after the war are hanging out in a room in the basemant together. Solitude is the only city where the Jarl stayed the same after the war. If you can't get in there then something must be wrong.

Scroll up.



Do your weapons plaques and racks work in that house?

Which is hilarious since I've encountered a bug that bars me from using/activating the bookcases in Vlindrel Hall (Markarth House).

No. I hate all the stairs. Those split level houses went out in the 70s. I just purchased Hjerim anyway just because I had the money because Ulfric was happy about getting Falkreath. He says, here's a gift, and you can buy a house here. He gave me a real awesome "Imperial" sword for taking Whiterun. I thought "Pffft. an Imperial sword. It figures. Well there was this labeled Imperial Sword in my inventory that was an "Imperial Daedric Sword of Burning" w/ 30 pts of flame damage. Damn Ulfric, now THAT'S a sword.

I love Vlindrel and haven't had any bugs. I have all the racks and bookcases full, so far no issues. The only slightly peculiar thing is that staves go on the racks upside down.