I have a few questions,

I recently purchased the SkyRim Legendary after not playing for a year or 2.

1.) How do you start HEarthfire and which of the houses is best?

2.) I haven't really gotten far in the Main Quest, I just finished "A Cornered Rat," when can I start the expansions?

3.) is there a good order to start the expansions?

Some common questions:

1. Hearthfire should trigger at 9th level with a letter from one of the Jarls offering land for sale. Price for the land is 5,000 septims. After buying follow the prompt and arrows to find your property and set up your basic house. Adding to the house will require more materials than you get for the basic house.

People are divided over which is best, I prefer Heljerchen Hall since it's on the border with the Pale and near Whiterun and I love the view, most prefer Lakeview because of its proximity to Falkreath, Riverwood and Whiterun. It all depends on your point of view. The initial letter normally comes fron the Jarl of Falkreath. Lakeview however is next door to Pinewatch, a Necromancer and numerous dangerous dungeons so it gives you a lot of fires to put out, especially if you get a family started and want to 'Tame' the surrounding area.

2. Dawwnguard activates when you hit 10th level and it is advisable to drop what you are doing, pick a faction and hit the MQ for that DLC hard. Vampire attacks in the cities kill valuable NPC's, so do Dawnguard attacks if you pick the vampire faction. It is advised to stay out of cities and settlements while the MQ for that DLC is active as much as possible.

If you fast travel- FT to an area away from the city/settlement you wish to enter and only enter during daylight and do not move about the city at night as attacks can trigger in numerous places, usually near the city gates if in a major metropolitan area.

Dragonborn triggers after doing "Dragon Rising" but can be done at any time since you have to travel to Solstheim and random cultist attacks take place in the wild.

It is advised to do Dawnguard first for obvious reasons AND be warned... Solstheim for Dragonborn is a deadly place and I would advise AT LEAST 20+ levels before even going there. People have gone at much lower levels and gotten shredded then fled back to the mainland. Be sure when you DO go that you are well prepared.

^THIS^ Damn good advice. I would just add, don't fast travel until Dawnguard MQ iss done, to be safer.

1. In order to purchase the properties for the houses, you'll have to complete quests for the jarls in the holds where they're for sale. The Lakeview Manor one (Falkreath) requires you to kill a bandit leader in a Radiant location; Winstaad manor (Hjallmarch) requires you to complete Laid to Rest; Heljarchen Hall (The Pale) requires you to complete Waking Nightmare plus a giant-killing quest you can't get until you're Level 22.

As far as which house is "best", that's a matter of opinion. The basic house layouts are the same - the only differences are the locations plus some of the exterior features you can add. My favorite one, for the view, is Lakeview manor.

2. Dawnguard can be started at any time by discovering Fort Dawnguard. However, a messenger will approach you with an offer to join when you reach level 10. You can travel to Solstheim at any time by going to Windhelm and paying the captain to take you there, but you won't be able to do the main quest for Dragonborn until you've completed The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller in the Skyrim main quest line. You'll be attacked by cultists once you've gotten that far in the main quest.

3. I don't think there's much difference as far as order goes. typically I do Dawnguard before Dragonborn, though.

Ahh I see.

I have just started DG, seeing as I ahve already lost half of whiterun to the attacks.

Which faction is better, for mages?

Campires or Dawnguard, and if I do side with the vampires, do I have to become one permanently or no?

I play as an altmer mage with a lot of sneak/pickpocket. I just made level 30, with all mahgic skills, except destruction(77) at between 43-50, including enchant/alchemy.

If you play on PC, pick up When Vampires Attack and you won't have to worry about vampire attacks on towns and cities. The mod makes NPCs flee from the danger rather than charge into battle. I don't have any issues with vampire attacks on towns and cities at all, they don't seem all that common for me. Unfortunately, vampires don't seem to be that common in the wilds during the dead of night either - how else am I supposed to vampire hunt?!

Heh, I read that last post as: 'Campfires or Dawnguard.'

I believe you are required to become a vampire at some point during the Volikhar side of Dawnguard. Not sure about after completing the quests or if it will affect you revisiting Castle Volikhar.

i finished dragonborn at lvl 13 and it was very easy

Yeah, 'easy' is an extremely subjective term. Difficulty settings along with how you have built your character up and also exploits/glitches affect how 'easy' something is.