Okay, I finally built Lakeview Manor on my main character. I want Marcurio as my steward, but I also want to keep him as my follower until he tops out at 40th level. So my plan was to make him steward when he asked, use his steward options to get a cow and chickens, then re-hire him as a follower until 40th. Rayya would just have to manage things on her own for a couple weeks.

However, Marcurio hit me up with the steward offer yesterday when I was busy with like a thousand other things, so I though "Eh, I'll turn him down for now. I'll just ask later when I get the rest of this stuff settled." Well, the other stuff got settled, and I went to ask him to be steward ... only to find he has no dialog options allowing me to do that. I exited/entered the house and fast traveled a couple times to try getting him to ask again, but no dice.

Now I understand that Marcurio and the other hirelings can be buggy as stewards. UESP says he "exhibits the mercenary followers bug as a steward", but doesn't actually explain what that means or if there is a way around it. So, here are my questions:

• Does anyone know of anything I can do to get Marcurio to ask to become steward again? I'm willing to dismiss/rehire him if that will work. I have to go to Riften anyway to see http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Promises_to_Keep (and http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Consider_Adoption, too).
  
• Considering that he may be bugged as steward even if I can get him to take the job, is it worth it? Keep in mind that I'd be looking to have him switch from follower to steward and back again at least a couple times between now and when he permanently "retires" to steward life at 40th. I like the guy and he's definitely my first choice, but I'd be willing to have someone else if Marcurio is just going to be one bug after another.

I'm playing on PC if that matters. I'd appreciate any advice you guys might have on this. I've learned my way around Hearthfire pretty well these last couple weeks, but this steward glitch is a new one on me.

I have him as a steward at Windstad, and he's done fine for me. Didn't even know there was a 'hireling' bug.