So I own a 360, and I am frustrated that there are loads of houses out there that I cannot "legally" own. Like the house by anvil for the siren quest. Or I'll be taking a nighttime walk and I'll find a quaint little cottage or some place and Its owned . Can I kill the owner and take the house? What are some ways to do this? If not, what are some interesting wilderness places to reside?

you can't steal a house by killing it's owner, unfortunately.

BUT http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Houses#Free_.22Houses.22 shows free houses ^_^

There is a house available in each city for a certain fee, and you must buy your furniture seperately.


The only true 'Free' house you get, belongs to a fellow in Anvil, and you have to do a small bit to get it.


If you're looking for something basic, they sell a small shack on the waterfront in the Imperial City to you at the store "Office Of Imperial Commerce"

yay this is to much help for me to

Including buy it, so it's not really free It is, however, the cheapest house, because you don't have to pay for extras like furniture and storage, and you don't pay a realtor, but rather the house's owner.

If a bed is 'owned' there's nothing you can do about it on the 360. Killing the owner will not change that. Ditto for respawning containers. If an interior is marked 'trrespassing' you won't even be allowed to 'wait' inside. However there are some country houses out there that you can sleep in. I don't know of any with safe storage contaners, but there may be some. Just check 'em out.

White Horse Lodge, once you do the associated quests, probably comes closest to your requirements.

Mara

The only problem with White Stallion Lodge, is that if your fellow knight is still alive, she eats all the food there. I found out the hard way when I came home one day and discovered that she had started eating my stores of alchemical ingredients. Grrr.

I really like the captains luxury cabin on the Marie Elena.

Well, I am fond of Mazoga, but the OP does not seem to object to murder in pursuit of acquiring his real estate so he could do something about that.

Mara

Thanks hazmick, this helped

Not the cheapest, the Waterfront Shack, fully upgraded, is slightly cheaper. However, the Anvil house is ever so slightly nicer. In terms of value for money, it's the best house in the game.

If you want a house quick the one in imperial city only costs 2 grand my new character had to raid 3 marauder dungeons to get enough money for it was quick aside from moving all the loot to sell.

Might be a spoiler but if you just want a room with a storage chest when you start

After getting out of prison sell everything you don't need, find Aleswell. There is a quick quest that can be achieved with bribery there and the reward is a free room with a storage chest.

Wilderness place - try Shetcombe Farm, it is an empty farmhouse from the beginning of the game (the owner has disappeared as you find out in its relevant quest). It has a farm, pens/stables, and farmhouse containing a bed (free to sleep in) tables, barrels and crates (respawning) and loose chairs.

It's a very nice free house, the only downside is that its containers are not safe for long-term item storage.

What about Francais Mottiere (think that's his name) from Dark Brotherhood quest. Once you've completed the quest you could just move into his house couldn't you? If I remember the red hand icon doesn't appear over objects, the bed or doors so technically you could claim it.

Yep, you can use Motierre's place too. There are a few places you can use (Summitmist Manor in Skingrad is another) if you don't mind not being able to store stuff in chests.

Loved the Marie Elena (although I spent an hour picking a Very Hard lock and found a useless deck...aargh.)