What years did Sears Roebuck sell houses?

Sears, Roebuck and Company’s Modern Homes program began in 1908 and ended in 1940. During those years, about 75,000 well-designed, well-constructed and economical houses were sold to American families.

How many Sears houses are left?

How Many Sears Houses Are Still Out There? Sears is estimated to have sold about 70,000 of their home building kits from 1908-1940 and it’s currently estimated that about 70% of the original Sears homes built from kits are still standing today.

What year could you buy a house from Sears?

Are You Living in One? From 1908 to 1940, you could choose from over 400 styles of homes to purchase through Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Are there any Sears kit homes still standing?

Sears sold more than 70,000 mail-order homes between 1908 and 1940. Some enthusiasts estimate that about 70 percent of Sears houses are still standing today. Now that its parent company has filed for bankruptcy, owners of some of those homes are lamenting the end of the Sears era.

Are there any Sears catalog homes still standing?

Nobody knows exactly how many Sears Catalog Homes are still standing in the United States. Those records have long-since been destroyed.

Can you still buy houses from Sears?

Sold under the Sears Modern Homes brand, the kits soon became a huge hit; selling thousands of homes all across the country in the company’s 33-year history. …

Did Montgomery Ward sell houses?

Montgomery Wards, a Chicago company, sold catalog homes or “kit houses” under the name Wardway Homes from 1910 to 1931, with sales of pre-cut home kits beginning in 1921 and ending in 1931. (The company made surfboards 1929-1940), possibly selling kit homes for at least some years between 1919 and 1925.

How do I know if my house needs a kit?

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:

Are there any Sears houses still standing?

Are kit homes really cheaper?

Cost: Kit homes are typically cheaper than general contractor traditional home builds, for a number of reasons. Quick delivery: Kit home manufacturers can typically get the entire kit organized and delivered to you within weeks.

When did sears stop distributing the catalog?

Sears discontinued distribution of the general merchandise catalog in 1993. The company continued to distribute the extremely popular Craftsman Power and Hand Tools as well as licensed specialty catalogs. In 2007, Sears slowly went back into the proprietary catalog business by bringing…

What is a Sears Catalog Home?

Sears Catalog Home. Sears Catalog Homes (sold under the Sears Modern Homes name) were catalog and kit houses sold primarily through mail order by Sears, Roebuck and Company, an American retailer.

What is a Sears Modern home?

Sears Modern Homes were catalog and kit houses sold primarily through mail order by Sears, Roebuck and Co., an American retailer. Sold primarily to customers in East Coast and Midwest states, Sears homes have been located as far south as Florida and as far west as California. Examples have also been found in Alaska and Canada. Sears reported that more than 70,000 of these homes were sold in North America between 1908 and 1940. More than 370 different home designs in a wide range of architectural