H1 How to Buy a House in Riften: A Comprehensive Guide for Aspiring Homeowners in Skyrim
Riften, the golden city nestled beside Lake Honrich in the Rift, is a desirable location for many Skyrim adventurers looking to settle down. With its rich history, bustling marketplace, and proximity to stunning natural landscapes, Riften offers a unique charm that’s hard to resist. If you’ve set your sights on owning property in this captivating city, this comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps required to purchase Honeyside, Riften’s only purchasable house, and become a homeowner in Riften.
**Why Choose Riften?**
Before diving into the how-to, let’s briefly explore why Riften might be the perfect place for your Skyrim home:
* **Strategic Location:** Riften is centrally located in the Rift, providing easy access to various locations, including the warmer southern regions of Skyrim and the mountainous terrain to the north.
* **Thriving Marketplace:** The Riften marketplace is always bustling with activity, offering a wide array of goods and services. You’ll find everything from essential supplies to rare and exotic items.
* **Fishing and Alchemy:** Lake Honrich is a prime location for fishing, allowing you to gather ingredients for cooking and alchemy. The surrounding forests are also rich in alchemical ingredients.
* **Thieves Guild Headquarters:** While not necessarily a positive for every character, Riften is home to the Thieves Guild. Joining the guild can provide unique opportunities and quests.
* **Unique Atmosphere:** Riften has a distinct and somewhat shady atmosphere, adding to its allure. Its architecture, music, and inhabitants contribute to its overall charm.
**Honeyside: Your Riften Home**
Honeyside is the only player-purchasable house within Riften’s city walls. It’s a cozy, two-story house located near the canal in the southern part of the city. While not the largest house in Skyrim, Honeyside offers ample space and convenience. It’s close to the market, the docks, and other essential locations within Riften.
**Prerequisites: Preparing to Purchase Honeyside**
Before you can purchase Honeyside, you’ll need to meet certain requirements. Unlike some other properties in Skyrim, simply having the gold isn’t enough. You must first earn the Jarl’s favor. Here’s a breakdown of the prerequisites:
1. **Complete the “Stabilize the Rift” Quest:** This is the primary quest that unlocks the ability to buy property in Riften. To initiate this quest, you need to speak with the Jarl of Riften, Laila Law-Giver (or Anuriel if the Stormcloaks control Riften after the Civil War questline).
* **Finding Laila Law-Giver/Anuriel:** You can usually find Laila Law-Giver in Mistveil Keep, the Jarl’s residence in Riften. Anuriel, if she’s Jarl, will also be in Mistveil Keep.
* **Speaking with the Jarl:** Initiate a conversation with the Jarl. She will explain the problems plaguing the Rift, specifically the Skooma trade and the Black-Briar family’s influence.
2. **Assist the Citizens of Riften (Help five people):** You must perform five favors for the citizens of Riften to earn their trust and improve your standing in the city. Completing five “Help the People of Riften” quests will satisfy this requirement.
* **Identifying Suitable Quests:** Look for quests marked as miscellaneous tasks. These are generally small favors that residents need assistance with.
* **Examples of Quests:**
* **Selling Items:** Some residents might ask you to sell them specific items, such as firewood or ore.
* **Delivering Items:** Others may need you to deliver items to someone else in Riften or a nearby location.
* **Chopping Wood:** Offer to chop wood for certain residents who need assistance.
* **Winning Brawls:** Challenge and defeat certain individuals in a brawl.
* **Paying Debts:** Pay off debts for specific residents.
* **Returning Items:** Retrieve stolen or lost items and return them to their owners.
* **Tracking Progress:** Keep track of how many favors you’ve completed. The game doesn’t always explicitly tell you how many you’ve done, so it’s best to make a mental note or write it down.
**Step-by-Step Guide to Buying Honeyside**
Once you’ve met the prerequisites, you can proceed with purchasing Honeyside:
1. **Complete “Stabilize the Rift” Quest:**
* **Investigate the Skooma Trade:** The Jarl will ask you to investigate the Skooma trade operating in Riften. Follow these steps:
* **Speak to Wujeeta:** Find Wujeeta, an Argonian dockworker, near the Riften docks. She’s addicted to Skooma. She will provide information about the Skooma trade, but only if you give her a healing potion (a simple healing potion will suffice).
* **Follow the Lead:** Wujeeta will direct you to a warehouse outside of Riften where the Skooma is being distributed.
* **Clear the Warehouse:** Head to the warehouse (it will be marked on your map). You’ll encounter some enemies (usually bandits or thugs) guarding the warehouse. Defeat them.
* **Return to the Jarl:** After clearing the warehouse, return to Laila Law-Giver (or Anuriel). Report your findings.
* **Help Deal with the Black-Briar Family’s Influence (Optional, but Recommended):**
* The Jarl will express concerns about the Black-Briar family’s influence in Riften. While not strictly required to purchase Honeyside, helping to weaken their influence can improve your standing in the city and unlock further quests.
* **Several quests can weaken the Black-Briars. These often involve:**
* **Investigating Maven Black-Briar’s dealings.**
* **Sabotaging their business ventures.**
* **Exposing their criminal activities.**
2. **Speak to the Jarl (or her Steward):** After completing “Stabilize the Rift” and helping five citizens, return to the Jarl of Riften (Laila Law-Giver or Anuriel). If the Jarl is unavailable, speak to her steward.
3. **Receive the Offer:** The Jarl (or steward) will acknowledge your efforts and offer you the opportunity to purchase property in Riften.
4. **Purchase Honeyside:** The Jarl or Steward will inform you that Honeyside is available for purchase. The base price of Honeyside is 5,000 gold. Pay the required amount to acquire the deed to the house.
5. **Obtain the Key:** After purchasing Honeyside, you will receive the key to your new home. The key will be added to your inventory.
**Finding Honeyside**
Once you have the key, finding Honeyside is relatively easy. From Mistveil Keep, head south towards the canals. Honeyside is located on the eastern side of the canal, near the center of the city. Look for a two-story house with a small garden in front. The door will be unlocked with the key you received.
**Upgrading Honeyside: Furnishing Your New Home**
Once you’ve purchased Honeyside, it will be largely unfurnished. To make it a comfortable and functional home, you’ll need to purchase furnishings. You can buy furnishings from the Steward of Riften. The steward will offer various furnishing options for each room in the house.
* **Speaking to the Steward:** Return to Mistveil Keep and speak to the Jarl’s steward. They will have a dialogue option for furnishing Honeyside.
* **Furnishing Options:** The available furnishings are divided into several categories, each affecting a different room or area of the house.
* **Entryway:** Includes items like a rug, coat rack, and a small table.
* **Living Room:** Includes furniture such as chairs, tables, and decorations.
* **Kitchen:** Includes a cooking pot, oven, shelves, and food storage.
* **Bedroom:** Includes a bed, wardrobe, chest, and bedside tables.
* **Alchemy Laboratory:** A must-have for alchemists, this adds an alchemy table and related equipment.
* **Enchanter’s Tower:** Adds an enchanting table and related equipment for enchanting items.
* **Storage Room:** Adds chests and shelves for storing your belongings.
* **Garden:** Adds plants, flowers, and decorative elements to the outdoor garden.
* **Cost of Furnishings:** The cost of each furnishing option varies. Be prepared to spend several thousand gold to fully furnish Honeyside. Consider prioritizing the essential furnishings first, such as a bed and storage chests, and then gradually add other items as you acquire more gold.
* **Purchasing Furnishings:** Simply select the furnishing options you want to purchase from the steward’s menu. The gold will be deducted from your inventory, and the furnishings will be added to your house automatically.
**Benefits of Owning Honeyside**
Owning Honeyside in Riften offers several benefits:
* **Safe Storage:** Honeyside provides a secure location to store your items, protecting them from theft and accidental loss. You can store weapons, armor, potions, ingredients, and other valuable items in the chests and containers within the house.
* **Rest and Recuperation:** A comfortable bed allows you to rest and recover from your adventures. Sleeping in your own bed provides a well-rested bonus, increasing the rate at which you learn new skills.
* **Crafting Stations:** With the addition of an alchemy laboratory and an enchanter’s tower, Honeyside becomes a valuable crafting hub. You can create potions, enchant items, and improve your crafting skills.
* **Roleplaying Opportunities:** Owning a house adds depth to your character’s roleplaying experience. It allows you to immerse yourself in the world of Skyrim and create a more personal connection to the game.
* **Display Your Loot:** Display your hard-earned weapons, armor, and other treasures in your house to showcase your accomplishments.
* **Close Proximity to Services:** The location of Honeyside within Riften provides easy access to shops, trainers, and other essential services.
**Tips and Tricks for Homeownership in Riften**
* **Save Regularly:** Always save your game before purchasing furnishings or making significant changes to your house. This allows you to revert to an earlier state if you’re not satisfied with the results.
* **Prioritize Furnishings:** Focus on purchasing the essential furnishings first, such as a bed, storage chests, and crafting stations. You can gradually add other items as you acquire more gold.
* **Consider a Housecarl:** Appoint a follower as your housecarl to provide protection and assistance around your house. Some followers will appreciate being assigned to a house in a major city like Riften.
* **Decorate to Your Liking:** Customize Honeyside to reflect your personal taste and style. Arrange furniture, display items, and add decorative elements to create a unique and inviting home.
* **Use Mods (PC Players):** If you’re playing on PC, consider using mods to enhance your homeownership experience. There are many mods available that add new furnishings, features, and customization options to player homes.
**Troubleshooting Common Issues**
* **Unable to Purchase Honeyside:** Ensure that you have completed the “Stabilize the Rift” quest and assisted five citizens of Riften.
* **Steward Not Offering Furnishings:** Make sure you have officially purchased Honeyside before speaking to the steward about furnishings.
* **Furnishings Not Appearing:** If furnishings are not appearing after you purchase them, try leaving the house and re-entering. If the problem persists, try restarting the game.
* **House Key Not Working:** If the house key is not working, double-check that you have the correct key in your inventory. You may have accidentally dropped it or stored it in a container.
**Conclusion**
Buying Honeyside in Riften is a rewarding experience that adds a new dimension to your Skyrim adventure. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can become a homeowner in Riften and enjoy the many benefits of owning property in this captivating city. From safe storage and comfortable rest to crafting stations and roleplaying opportunities, Honeyside provides a valuable asset for any aspiring adventurer. So, pack your bags, gather your gold, and prepare to make Riften your new home!
Happy adventuring, and welcome to your new home in Riften!