I'm looking for the best house location, for two different types of characters.
Craftsman:
The house must be very near to, or include:
- Alchemy Lab
- Arcane Enchanter
- Forge and/or Anvil
- Grindstone
- Workbench
- Smelter
- Tanning Rack
For the Craftsman, the house in Whiterun is great except it lacks close access to an Arcane Enchanter. The same applies for Riften, but it's missing a Smelter instead. So far, these are the only two houses I have. Are there any that cover them all, either purchasable or inheritable through marriage?
Merchant:
The house must be very near to, or include:
- Apothecary
- Blacksmith
- Inn
- Jeweler
- Spells Shop
- Fence (optional)
- General Store (optional)
Most of the places I've considered have fairly good coverage for all of the above, except for the Spells Shop and/or Fence. Also, some places have the marketplace (complete as it may or may not be) positioned relatively far away from the general residential area.
A few clarifications:
By "include", I mean to presume that the house has been fully upgraded. So, the house in Riften can be considered to "include" an Alchemy Lab, Arcane Enchanter, and Tanning Rack.
Houses which can be bought directly by the player are preferable, though I'd also be interested in high-value locations which can be acquired through marriage.
I do expect to get two separate listings, as outlined above, since I really doubt there is one property that has ideal access to all of these resources. Still, if there is such a house (or one that comes very close), I'd like to hear of it too.
Best Answer
Windhelm probably offers the highest convenience factor. The market neighborhood, directly to the South, offers access to a full set of outdoor smithing equipment, as well as an Arcane Enchanter, at least three 'high-value' merchants (two general goods, including Niranye who is a Fence, and a Blacksmith), all without a loading screen. The house itself offers both Alchemy and Enchanting facilities, as well as the highest number of display racks for equipment of any home, and Windhelm offers an additional battery of merchants over in the Grey Quarter on the eastern edge of town.
Downsides include the somewhat high price, long distance from Windhelms fast-travel point, the prolonged string of quests required to buy the house (you basically must resolve the civil war), and the potential for significant bugs related to the Blood on the Ice quest, in which the house is involved.
Riften deserves an honorable mention for Thieves Guild members. While it lacks smelting services, the upgraded Ratway, with it's 4 additional merchants, puts somewhere in the neighborhood of 12,000 Merchant Gold in close proximity - easily the most of any city. Those who choose to take the moral high-ground may find the mercantile climate of Whiterun to be more hospitable however.