Now having played excessively the new Hearthfire, I must say that I like it, much more than Dawnguard. But it gets some experience to avoid the problems people have reported.
After having gotten the letter by the Jarl of Falkenring (yeah, its all Germanised...), I found that he did not offer me any dialogue options pointing at the land to sell. I then was in Morthal and there solved one Jarl-quest and two population quests, earning me the land and a Huscarl. Not before having done that, the land in Falkenring was available via quests from the Jarl there.
I could run all my 30+ mods, none of them gave big troubles, only the AFT, Advanced Follwers Tweaks. Dogs as followers would not wait anymore when given the order, and could not be dismissed, also do not follow into cities (or was it like that before?) However when quick-travelling into cities, the dog was with me, but could not leave via the city gate into the wilderness: another quicktravel does the trick. But when Meeko finally got smashed by giants and arranged with smashed potatoes and vegetables on a plate, I was relieved. Human followers will wait and follow all AFT's orders, but initially will follow you after the command was given, you have to turn and face them to make them stop - and then they will stop indeed and not follow you anymore. Very easy-to solve minor niggle. All other mods work flawlessly: environment enhancement, gameplay balancing, places etc.
Hearthfire itself appeals to the collector and miniature railroad constructor. I like it, but I think they wasted potential cheap and easy there: it could have become better. What I do not like is that for the additional wings of the building, function and outside appearance are linked: the sleeping room for example has the balcony instead of a roof, you cannot have the armory with a roof as well. I would have preferred to have the ability to define the outside appearance of the wing and the inner function independently from each other. Next, three construction places is a bit lame, better would have been more, and also some in the more distant places that so far get widely ignored by house makers in Skyrim: the Reach, and in general the distant North-West. Cream on the cake would have been to chose construction place freely, as long as it is flat enough and big enough and has away finding route making it accessible.
Five bucks is okay. Compared to it, Dawnguard was overpriced.
I currently love the house in Morthal, the mood and visuals are great. I have a Huscarl patrolling around it, Ria as stewart, I'm married to Aela living there, I have two kids and a bard inside, and two followers, Mjoll and Jezara, as followers waiting inside or standing guard at the door. Horse, cow and chicken not counted. Originally, there even was Meeko waiting for me outside as well.
A home very much alive, and with a unique atmosphere in the swamps in heavy weathers.
Smithing Dawnguard armor is available via mod, I use these very much, plus chainmails and fur coats. These give a very nice and realistic looking of the actors. You do not need to buy Dawnguard for getting Dawnguard weapons and armor. And Jazera getting angry with two Dawnguard axes in both hands is really a sight you do not want to meet in battle!
For some reason I like to travel in a group. I usually leave it at the entrance of dungeons, and do the inside job all alone. It'S so good to see the smile on a familiar face when getting out and cleaning the blood from my hands. It looks so - well, what does it look like? It looks like victory, I would say.
