Hey everyone, So i'm trying to buy the house in riften and am having trouble becoming a thane of the hold. according to my game guide i had to 'befriend the jarl" by doing the deal with the skooma trade objectives. I completed that whole questline and she won't offer me the mission to help the members of her hold, and there's no topic to talk to her about a house or anything like that. what am i missing? any help would be greatly appreciated.

I helped a few of the merchants in town before ever talking with her, and after dealing with the skooma problem she offer the position of Thane. If I remember correctly, the position of Thane and the purchase of the house go hand in hand.

I had the same problem, but after doing a help-quest for a Riften citizen (I gave the blacksmith 10 fire salts), I got a quest to talk to her out of nowhere, and when I pvssyd her up I was abe ot buy a house from her assistant. So I guess you just need to help some people to even get the option?

The key is indeed helping people before you get the option. It doesn't seem to matter who and there are plenty of NPCs who give quests in Riften.

Also, if you are having problems after this, wait for a respawn at Cragslane cavern and kill all of them again.

I can become Thane, but she'd never give me the unique weapon, just a levelled ordinary one.

I also get bugged here a lot, so save before getting the house, than become jarl, then decorate, than make sure everything is there you just bought.

You need to do a few quests after the skooma one, the easiest ones are:

Jarl's son is outside in the practice yard, has you get his sword from the smith.
The old lady in the alchemy shop needs you to run to Shor's End (I think it is called) to get a ore sample.
Guy needs you to talk to Sapphire to clear his debt (he works in the stables if you missed him when you first entered the city)

I think that is all I needed to do to get the house, but speak with the people around the market area to get mostly collection quests (bring me X number of Y)

If you are a pickpocket, the lady in the bunkhouse also asks you to steal some items off people around Riften.

I became thane but never got the housecarl?

somehow this is bugged for me also. i bought the house and after i got back to her she
didnt make me thane? i fullfilled all other requirements

Anuriel the Jarl's steward had a dragon quest, North Summit I think it was.