Im not too bothered about starting or completing the quest, I just want to own the house. Ive finished all of the main dark brotherhood missions (up to redecorating the new hideout) so from what ive read it is now impossible for me to start the quest and in turn buy the hjerim house. I have entered the city about 10 times now (by fast travelling to the stables and walking in the gate and out again) at times between 12a.m and 3a.m just incase it would work (ive also read that there is a backup murder victim). Ive also tried travelling to every other major city before re-entering windhelm (again via the stables then gate) and did get a bit excited when I got a loading screen that I havnt seen before telling me about a series of murders while entering the city. But again, nothing there. Convinced that the quest is broken for me. But maybe thiswill work for those having trouble getting it started that havnt touched the DB yet :/.

Now I would rather not cheat and use a console command because Ive been running around for ages killing and looting so I would have enough money to buy the place and funrish it with all the nifty add-ons. But if there is a console command(s)/mod/cheat/anything to own the house, furnish it and clean the blood stains then Im all for it right now.

I can't start this quest either. I've been in and out of Windhelm 30 times according to the console command.

Checked the graveyard repeatedly. Susanna isnt dead she's walking around town just fine. Dunno what to do to trigger the murder. I just want the Windhelm house but its looks like I can't get it. Every time I talk to the steward he just says the house is "empty but unavailable" right now

I'm in the same spot. I'm really annoyed with this.

I can't find the murdered lady's mom, she's nowhere to be found. The quest arrow points to an empty chair in the inn. I also broke into her house and waited but she's never there either.

Radient story fail. Thanks bethesda. So I cant kill the blackbrairs despite doing their quests, but I killed an npc for a quest, when I needed them for another quest. Atleast have "blood on ice failed" pop up like fallout NV. You guys could learn a good bit from obsidian. (Like not putting scaling in) Allthough that was added with dlc (sadly), my point still stands.

I'm afraid you're stuck there, no amount of console commands will activate the quest needed. Who on earth decided to have an untested quest as a requirement for a house in one of the key cities. Our only hope is for someone to find a console command for house ownership or to wait for bethesda to release the much needed patch.

I've tried all the solutions presented here and everywhere else I've looked to no avail.

1. I've completed the Stormcloak questline.
2. I murdered the nanny from the orphanage, but didn't actually join The Dark Brotherhood yet.
3. Susanna is alive. She won't talk to me though. Just makes random statements.
4. I've never broken into Calixco's (or whatever his name is), which I've heard can cause a bug.

I can't think of what else could be causing this to happen. Everything seems to be in place, the quest won't start though. I've tried all the console commands and haven't had any luck at all. Completing the quest with the console works, but you still can't purchase the house in Windhelm. I'll be checking back for updates to see if anyone has some progress. This def svcks, I wanna buy all the houses. haha.

This quest is not starting for me either. I am chose the stormcloak side and have completed the skyrim questline. I did not know about the existance of the quest until I was unable to buy a house. I've tried the various suggestions in this thread to no avail. Any help would be appreciated.

I'm not having a problem trying to start this quest but I am having a problem trying to finish it. I'm at the part where I'm supposed to persue the real killer but the quest is completely broken at this point. The killer is in the house and the quest marker is direcly attached to him. The problem is, when I enter the house and try to kill the killer... he's apparently unkillable and he never leaves the house.

This quest annoys me way to much I mean before even starting I was doing my thing robbing the town blind and came upon this journal of some dude who is murdering people, so I think well someone probably should know about this.

So i head off towards the jarl and steward thinking well they can stop this mad man since I can't kill him but hey they don't want to know about it.

Finally Get the quest and I can't even accuse the right guy....

I think this quest is just buggy as hell. Everyone has tons of problems with it. I did the first section okay, but now I'm stuck on the second part trying to catch the real murderer (the wizard didn't actually do it). Found the real killer inside the house, he attacked me and I blasted him to 0 health, he falls down, then gets up (apparently invincible) but will never talk to me. But the quest arrow points to him like I need to interact with him somehow. But no interaction is possible, he just fights me, I beat him down, then he's peaceful for a bit but won't talk.

I think the problem is that I never sold the amulet to him in the first part, and now I'm stuck...anyone know the console ID's for ending the quest and for getting the real amulet?

If you broke into Calixco's house. (Picked the lock) Then you can't finish the quest. He bugs and never leaves the house, and is invincible when in his house. This quest really needs a fix ASAP. I love this game, but after doing 110 quests, almost finishing main story, and owning all other houses, it is very disappointing to not be able to buy this house. I said to myself, Ill leave it and come back later. Its about time to head back to it and haven't found any solutions yet. At least the mods are keeping me busy for the time being.

I can't get this quest to initiate either. I can find both Susanna and Viola in the tavern, and I've completed both the Dark Brotherhood and Stormcloak questlines. I'm trying to buy the house in Windhelm for the sole purpose of seeing what the housecarl named Calder looks like (since he's marriageable). I've tracked down every marriageable man in Skyrim (bought every other house) trying to find the one I want to wed, and Calder is the only one I haven't seen. It looks like the Blood on the Ice quest is just bugged for some people (I'm sad to say I've spent the better part of 4 hours today trying to trigger this quest). I'm hoping this quest will be fixed in a patch along with numerous other bugs and issues. *sigh*

Btw, can anyone post a screenshot of Calder, or tell me if he's ugly or not because it seems most of the marriageable men aren't very attractive and/or old & bald. lol

This quest is really buggy including nothing to investigate at the crime scene and not being able to talk to viola however:

The only thing to investigate a the crime scene is a very hard to see trail of blood that will lead you to the house the killer used. If you don't use a light spell or torch it is very hard to see. I got the amulet/journals from the house and then talked to the wizard instead of anyone else. He told me when the next murder would be. I went there found Calixto and killed him just as he was approaching the lady he was going to kill. Saved her and solved the crime!

I'm beginning to wonder about it on my second character.


It initiated on my first one, but on my second one, who has been to Windhelm a couple of times, it hasn't initiated.

Don't know if the time of day matters (since the murders happen at night), but I stumbled upon this quest by accident by walking past the crime scene at approximately 4:15AM gametime.

Quest worked fine for me, at least up to

Don't know if there's more after this.

Yes I am having the same problem and noting this quest all over as a VERY buggy quest. I have tried walking in and out of the city. fast traveling to the castle, fast traveling to the stable and walking up to the city. I was thinking it was because I joined the brotherhood. But I am reading that even people who have not started the Dark Brotherhood quest line having the problem. The quest does not start. No body in the graveyard..Nothing.

the quest not starting is basically an unfixable bug that apparently people at bethesda can't notice i encountered it and found no way of fixing it the best option is to start a new game, i did that and it worked fine, for now if you depend on owning the house then when starting a new game head to windhelm as soon as possible go in four times and just see if the quests starts then go off and do whatever it is you want to do early on in the game, i know this probably isn't what you want to hear but hopefully bethesda will fix this game breaking bug

I am having the same problem, please get this bloody thing fixed.

Can I just punch you in the face over the internet? If you want to know, use the search function, there are so many threads on this issue already. Also, multi-bumping your own thread? Big no-no.

About the guy who said you can't start quest because of Dark Brotherhood, i have completed the entire Dark Brotherhood questline and did not have to kill that person you are referring to. This Quest is horrible oversight, i'm not sure if there's a stone of berenziah in that house, but if there is, and there is not a fix by next week. i will nerd rage hardcoe, i'm softcoe nerd raging now. I know there's a lot of freakin quests in this game, and the size of it is really hard to keep a bridle on, but something such as this, a player owned house that is connected to at least 2 main plots? i mean, a misc objective i can understand, but this house is supposedly the best in the game, in the strategy guide it says it has an armory, i'm not sure if that means i can smith there, but if so, that's the best house in the game.

rage rage rage.

According to UESP the quest can also be triggered by purchasing the house, perhaps find the ID for the real house purchase topic and add it using "AddTopic". Anyone good with TesSnip? I tried finding it through console but I can't scroll up in the console to find it.

i cannot purchase the house
i keep being told that there is a problem with it and he cannot sell it to me

sigh.. well i have finished nearly everything.. so i will be putting this game away until the dlc comes out
not a game i will replay.. too many quests etc and too many issues with them.. but i still will play oblivion

my play style does not suit this game

The quest worked fine for me (PS3 version).
You are aware you need to catch the murderder in the act? e.g. right before he stabs someone?
You were told to patrol the quarter at night, not the houses.

Edit: typo