User blog comment:JAlbor/Wikia at E3 2012/@comment-68.227.12.98-20120524000124/@comment-217.194.202.133-20120525062451

One big improvement in the houses in this game, was the way that they had more purposes and availability. In Whiterun, you could easily reach the near Blacksmith and use the home as a big storage device, in Solitude \ Windhelm you could use your home as a headquarter for storing your Imperial \ Stormcloack equipment (If you're like me, you probably like going on operations with armor and weapons that will match the rest of the soldiers). In some other places, like Winterhold, I regreat that there is no home. I thouht that Winterhold, like Riften and Whiterun, should have a home that is near the Guild's home base.

Now the houses were much easier to reach, and could be decorated more to your own personal taste. They are less humble, but they are much more effective for people like me.