Please redirect if this is the wrong forum..

I'm trying to do the quests for the Jarl of Markarth to purchase Vlindrel hall. However, neither him or the steward will offer me any jobs, and the bartender at the inn doesn't have any work either. I don't have any similar quests open in Markarth or any other hold.

I've tried completing all open markarth related quests and by using the setstage command to get these quests to activate as well, but none of them are responsive. For instance, no matter what value i use for setstage favor151 (the first quest he gives you), getstage favor151 still returns 0. This goes for any of his quests or if I try to go straight to setstage favor250 20.

The quests are activating correctly on other characters too or if I create a new character. Any suggestions?

Have you done the Forsworn/Cidna Mine yet?

I havent. I'll try them, though.

It just seems odd that I'd have to since I can walk a brand new lvl 1 character up to the jarl and get the first quest.

Try this Sir from http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Vlindrel_Hall, I had the same problem:

"This can also be fixed by doing another quest to help a citizen of Markarth if one is available"

Interestingly, with regard to the setStage command values that differ from yours:

• This can be fixed by entering setstage Favor250 10 in the console. The dialogue to become thane will reappear if you talk to Jarl Igmund, and once you are thane, the option to buy the house from Raerek will appear.
• If the above solution doesn't work, you can enter setstage Favor250 15, which will advance the quest to the "help x citizens" stage. Speak with the jarl to become thane and afterwards speak with Raerek. The option to buy the house should re-appear"

I first tried forsworn conspiracy quest/cidna mine quest. Neither of those being completeled let me progress further.
Same deal with trying to do a help citizen quest to get him to give me quests.

As for the quotes, I'm talking to him and the steward with about 26k. if I try the setstage commands, and then check to make sure they work, it looks like:

And I'm getting the same result with any other quest relevant to buying the home.

using setstage in general can seriously screw up a game's quests. that alone might be your problem.

True. Though I only ever use it if I get stuck in a situation that makes it impossible to finish a quest, and in this case haven't saved after using them since they haven't been working.