11 Vintage Houses That Came from a Catalog (2024)

In the early 20th century, a handful of companies, including Sears, Roebuck and Co., sold tens of thousands of mail-order homes. Available in a variety of styles and at a range of price points, these “kit houses” would arrive via railroad boxcar as precut and fitted materials, which the owner or a local contractor would assemble into a new house. Sears ceased production of their catalog homes in 1940, but many still stand today. Check out these 12 mail-order houses that have not only survived, but look very much like they did in the heyday of the kit home.

By Ayn Monique Klahre

Updated on Oct 7, 2020 3:31 PM EDT

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Sears “Lynnhaven”

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Originally listed in 1932 for about $2,300, the Sears Lynnhaven boasts shingle siding and a dramatic peaked entryway. The picturesque abode is notable for its convenient, well-thought-out floor plan.

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Sears “Lynnhaven” in York County, Virginia

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This exceptionally well-preserved Lynnhaven in York County, Virginia, retains that model’s interior layout, which includes a kitchen, breakfast nook, formal dining room, and large living room on the lower level. The second floor offers three bedrooms, a lavatory, and plenty of closet space.

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Sears “Vallonia”

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Offered for a mere $1,465 in 1921, the Sears Vallonia could be configured to include five or eight rooms, depending on whether the owner wanted a second floor. The exterior is characterized by its large porch and a broad dormer with a three-paned window.

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Sears “Vallonia” in Silver Spring, Maryland

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Though it has lost its front porch, this Vallonia inSilver Spring, Maryland, still has the look of a quaint bungalow. The front door opens onto a generous living room, which leads to the dining roomandkitchen; two first-floor bedrooms can be reached through a hallway off the dining room.

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Sears “Barrington”

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First listed in 1926 with a $2,329 price tag, the Tudor-style Barrington has an angular design, eye-catching windows, and an attractivechimney. A “medicine case,” flower box, telephone cabinet, and built-in ironing board were included in the purchase price.

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Sears “Barrington” in Croton-on-Hudson, New York

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The Barrington has a charming entryway that opens onto a generous living room, formal dining room, a kitchen with a breakfast nook, and a porch. Upstairs, three bedrooms (each with its own closet) share a single bathroom. This tidy model in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, now sports a bay window that brings even more sun into the living room and a muted red facade that really makes the home stand out.

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Sears “Honor”

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The Sears Honor went for $2,747 in its initial 1921 listing. The interior contains nine rooms, including four bedrooms, a sun porch, and a sleeping porch. The designers even left a space between the living room window seats for an upright piano!

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Sears “Honor” in Lebanon, Pennsylvania

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Although the roof no longer has the thatched effect of the original design, this Honor home in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, has stayed true to its Colonial-style roots, with shingle siding and imposing columns that amp up itscurb appeal. Inside, the homeowners preserved period-appropriate wall coverings and furnishings in a nod to the property’s history.

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Sears “Crescent”

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First listed for $1,351 in 1921, the Crescent had two floor plan options as well as an optional attic. Both had two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, and dining room, but in one configuration, the rooms were slightly larger and the kitchen opened onto a back porch.

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Sears “Crescent” in Jacksonville, Florida

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The Crescent has a breathtaking front porch and columns, as evidenced by this pristine specimen in Jacksonville, Florida. The owners dressed up the porch with a chandelier and a pair of rocking chairs, yet they retained homey touches like the flower boxes and sidelights.

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Sears "Woodland"

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First listed in 1916 for just $938, the Woodland remained a popular mail-order home into the 1930s. Distinctive exterior features include an odd arrangement ofwindowsalong the side of the house and a wide front porch anchored by sturdy columns.

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Sears “Woodland” in Silver Spring, Maryland

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The owners of this Woodland home in Silver Spring, Maryland, opted for a bright, cheery exterior paint color. As in the original floor plan, the front entrance leads into a large reception hall that splits off to the living room on the left and the kitchen down the hallway. Upstairs, several bedrooms are connected by a central hallway.

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Sears “Americus”

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The Sears Americus offered just what Americans wanted: “a “dignified, substantial house that will stand out among its neighbors and never go out of style,” in the words of its listing. The home was introduced in 1921 with a price of $1,924.

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“Sears “Americus” in Croton-on-Hudson, New York

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This authentic 1920s Americus, with a front porch that looks barely changed from the original, enjoys views of the Hudson River. Inside, you’ll find original molding and trim work, as well as hardwood floors, oversize windows, and a formal dining room.

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Sears “Marion”

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The Marion, first listed in 1933 with a starting price of $1,330, was a relative latecomer for catalog homes. The charming bungalow-style dwelling offers “a floor and a half” with five rooms and a bath.

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Sears “Marion” in Beacon, New York

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This Marion in Beacon, New York, hasn’t veered far from the original floor plan: living, dining, and cooking areas are located downstairs, while the two large bedrooms and a shared bathroom split the top level. The owners updated the appliances and bathroom, added hardwood floors, and put in a fireplace.

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Sears “Milford”

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The Sears Milford is a classic Cape Cod-style Colonial with a wide, symmetrical facade. In the words of the original listing, “this home expresses good taste on account of its thoughtfully planned architectural details.” Another relative latecomer, it was introduced in 1933 for $1,359 and was available in two configurations, one of which was slightly larger and included a dining alcove.

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Sears “Milford” in Dekalb, Illinois

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This Milford in Dekalb, Illinois, bursts with charm and character. Downstairs, an entry hall opens to the living and dining areas. Upstairs, a central hallway is flanked by two spaciousbedroomsthat share a bathroom.

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Sears “Cornell”

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First listed in 1926 for $1,360, the American Foursquare-style Cornell was a suburban favorite for its economical design and its relative simplicity to build. Bonuses include “plenty of light” and “good wall space” in the living room that allowed it to accommodate various furniture configurations.

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Sears “Cornell” in Saline, Michigan

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This Cornell lies on 2.14 acres of private land in Saline, Michigan. The boxy exterior translates into a spacious, comfortable interior, including three good-size upstairs bedrooms and a roomy bathroom.

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Gordon-Van Tine “Home No. 507”

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Sears wasn’t the only supplier of home kits in the early 19th century. Originally founded as a lumber distributor, Gordon- Van Tine marketed its own line of “ready-cut” homes until the company closed in 1947. In 1920, Home No. 507 was listed for $2,702.

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Gordon-Van Tine “Home No. 507” in Richmond, Virginia

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According to the original floor plan, in addition to the broad front porch, House No. 507 offers two downstairs chambers that could be used as bedrooms, two upstairs bedrooms, and even a sewing room.

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11 Vintage Houses That Came from a Catalog (2024)

FAQs

11 Vintage Houses That Came from a Catalog? ›

From 1908 to 1940, the Sears Modern Homes Program offered complete mail-order houses to the would-be homeowner — what would come to be called “kit homes.” Customers could select from dozens of different models in Sears Modern Homes Catalog, order blueprints, send in a check, and a few weeks later everything they needed ...

What year could you buy a house from the Sears catalog? ›

From 1908 to 1940, the Sears Modern Homes Program offered complete mail-order houses to the would-be homeowner — what would come to be called “kit homes.” Customers could select from dozens of different models in Sears Modern Homes Catalog, order blueprints, send in a check, and a few weeks later everything they needed ...

How many Sears catalog homes were sold? ›

Sears Modern Homes were houses sold primarily through mail order catalog by Sears, Roebuck and Co., an American retailer. From 1908 to 1942, Sears sold more than 70,000 of these houses in North America, by the company's count.

Are sears homes valuable? ›

“Since mail-order homes were rare, and the USA is the only country that produced them on a national basis, they are historically important,” she explains. According to Hunter and other historians, if you have a Sears kit or mail-order home, it is nearly always worth saving.

When were kit houses popular? ›

Prefabricated homes were produced during the Gold Rush in the United States during the 19th century to enable California prospectors to quickly construct homes. Also known as kit houses, pre-cut houses, ready-cut houses, mail order homes, or catalog homes, they remained popular into the first half of the 20th century.

What would a Sears house cost today? ›

From 1908 to 1940, Sears sold tens of thousands of its kit houses, many of which are still in high demand today. When a $1.1 million Craftsman house in Boulder, Colorado, was first built in 1923, the materials came from a Sears catalog kit that cost $1,797, or the equivalent of around $32,000 today.

Were sears homes well built? ›

The short answer is: no one knows for sure, but there are a few guesses. The most popular reason is that the houses were built to last so they were constructed with better materials and better quality craftsmanship than most new homes.

What was the most popular sear's home? ›

The Sears Crafton was possibly Sears best-selling kit home. It was offered for more than two decades in the Sears Modern Homes catalogs, and remained popular even during the Great Depression. It was a very modest 600-800 square foot frame home, offered in four different floor plans (A, C, D or X).

What year was the last Sears catalog? ›

But as the 20th century faded, so did Sears—its brick-and-mortar businesses were replaced, ironically, by companies like Amazon, a convenient mail-order enterprise. On January 25, 1993, Sears ceased production of its famous Big Book catalog.

What did Sears Homes look like? ›

Inspect Parts of the House

Popular home styles of Sears houses include craftsman bungalows, Tudors, and colonial revivals. These styles usually featured low-sloped roofs, elaborate chimneys, and spacious front porches, mostly constructed with pre-cut pieces, pre-cut lumber, and asphalt shingles.

How to identify a kit house? ›

But below is a list of signs that can help identify a kit house.
  1. Look for stamped lumber:
  2. Look at Plumbing Fixtures:
  3. Check the house's floor plan:
  4. Look for Shipping Labels:
  5. Investigate shipping records:
  6. Conduct a record (deed and building permit) search:
  7. Consult your neighbors:
Jun 20, 2023

Are Craftsman houses expensive? ›

Craftsman-style homes are more expensive to build because of the amount of detail and the quality of materials used in their construction,” Yeley says. “The cost to build a Craftsman home would be at a minimum 15% higher due to this level of craftsmanship.”

What years could you buy a house from Sears? ›

From 1908 to 1940, you could choose from over 400 styles of homes to purchase through Sears, Roebuck and Co. mail-order catalog.

What is the oldest prefab house? ›

History of prefab homes

Inspired by building techniques dating as far back as the Mesopotamian civilization, the first known prefab house was a panelized wood home shipped from England to Massachusetts, as housing for a fishing fleet.

Is a 1920 house old? ›

As a general rule of thumb, homes built after 1990 are considered newer, and homes built before 1920 are considered “old” or “antique.” But housing age is a subjective condition that turns on numerous factors. The most important include: Construction Style and Quality.

Can you still buy Sears house plans? ›

Even though Sears no longer sells home kits, many of these houses still stand and become available in the market. You might even stumble upon some of them on property listing sites! While there's no fixed price for a Sears home today, listings typically range from $300,000 to over a million.

What was the most popular Sears home? ›

The Sears Crafton was possibly Sears best-selling kit home. It was offered for more than two decades in the Sears Modern Homes catalogs, and remained popular even during the Great Depression. It was a very modest 600-800 square foot frame home, offered in four different floor plans (A, C, D or X).

What was the last year the Sears catalog was printed? ›

In 1993, Sears discontinued publishing their big-book catalogs in the United States and the Wish Book noticeably started to diminish in size.

When did Sears start selling house plans? ›

VICTOR — Sears started selling mail-order houses from their specialty catalog — the Book of Modern Homes and Building Plans — in 1908. It is reported that over 100,000 houses were sold between 1908 and 1939. Why was it so popular?

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