The necromancers are up pretty high. Did you make them fall to their deaths?

The most obvious answer is that it doesn't matter a bit if your kill stats go up because a Follower kills something. Even the most non-combat Merchants will hire bodyguards to protect themselves and their caravans. It's only practical business sense.

Second, buying any house in Skyrim requires you to do special tasks for the local Jarls. Those tasks all involve killing something at some time. Therefore, there would be no way for you to buy a house for you and your wife.

Now, I'm not trying to destroy your whole character build idea, I think a pure Merchant character is a great idea to play through until "retirement". But like any merchant, you are going to need to protect your business, your goods, and yourself. A Follower seems to me to be the best option, even if it does happen to sacrifice the "0" in combat stats part of the build.

For the life of me, I just can't think of any other way to get it done.

There is a way of getting the house in Solitude and keeping all stats on Combat/Magic/Crime at '0'

And yes, I completed the Wolf quest for the Jarl's assistant (forget his name) where you go and kill all the necromancers. I didn't push them off from up on high.

I'll post the answer up in 30 mins, after I eat my mince pies!

Would sneak poisoning count towards the count?

I have no idea! Never tried that. I imagine it would affect stats though. Good guess though!

I thought the Wabbajack cause you don't have to fight anything to get it

But if you use the wabbajack, how would it clear out the place? I didn't use the wabbajack. Good guess though.

Did you drop a ruby, causing them to fight over it, thus killing one another?

I never used Barbas, but I assume his kills are added to your stats if he is your follower.

Do you actually have to kill any necromancers or can you just interrupt their ritual?

No, but very good guess! I like your thinking.

You have to kill them all and clear the place out.

i dont know i dont feel like guessing

just tell me

Does it involve some type of staff or obscure game mechanic we're going to hate you for?

I don't know the answer and it's annoying me... please can you tell us now?

reverse pickpocket hood of drain health.

Do you have the power from the stone that raises all nearby dead to fight for you, I don't think they would count as followers or magic

You gave them the same riddle, then went invisible, causing them to attack one another and ragequit life. I win!

You can get animals to fight for you as well.

Did you use the Ebony Mail poison special thing (my techincal ES knowledge being used there )? Actually surely not... that must count towards the combat stat?

i know it!

you ran around until you encountered a dragon/giant to kill all of your foes

Ok here's the answer:

shadowphoenix84 was closest but not exactly right. You do use a Follower and hide, but you make sure that they are not Following you at the time!!!

This is what I did. I got Vorstag from the Silver Blood Inn in Markarth to follow me to the cave. Two skeletons were outside the entrance. No red dots on my compass yet. So I turned to Vorstag and said "I think its time we went our separate ways", and he started to walk off. I ran up to the skeletons (didn't attack them), red dots appeared on compass, and they chased after me. I ran to catch up with Vorstag (not my Follower anymore) and he got into a battle with the skeletons. He killed them both, BUT WAS NOT CURRENTLY MY FOLLOWER, thus my stats all remained '0's!!!!! Then, as he started to walk off, I said 'Follow me' and he did. He was my Follower again, and was happy to do it for free (0 gold) to make sure I got my moneys worth from him (you only pay 500 gold the first time)

And that's it! I did this working my way through the cave. Walk a little bit, see baddies up ahead, tell Vorstag 'I think its time we went our separate ways', quickly run up to baddies, get them to chase after you. Catch up with Vorstag (not my follower), he kills them. When he's finished have him become my Follower again (for 0 gold) and so on.

You can help Vorstag fight by punching with your bare hands (don't deliver killer blow), and if he's finding it difficult I suppose you could lower difficulty level. Also, save often. If he is your follower, and sees baddies (red dots) then he will go and attack before you can unfollow him, thus his kills will go on your stats.

Good guesses. I love being so intelligent and creative! (joking)

Bethesda really make it hard for a player to be a non-combatant trader!!!

related
http://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/12/hes-level-35-in-skyrim-he-makes-villagers-kill-his-dragons/

Wow.... Why didn't I think of that I bet that was a pain and I bet you messed up a few times

<.< Refer to my previous comment regarding obscure game mechanic and us hating you. <3