According to the Sears advertisement, "Here's a masterpiece in a five-room 'HONOR BILT' bungalow. The covered porch, size 6 feet by 12 feet, with its massive stucco columns, the stucco gable, the soft-toned shingle sides, and wood gable siding, produce a perfect, harmonious effect." It’s a reminder of a time when homeownership was not only within reach but could be delivered—piece by piece—right to your town.
In the 1920s, Americans ordered homes through the mail for just $1,794, some still stand
In 1925, Sears offered five-room kits for $1,794, delivering all the materials needed by rail.
These days, you can get almost anything delivered to your doorstep—groceries, furniture, even cars. But in the 1920s, you could go a step further and order an entire house. That’s exactly what Sears, Roebuck & Co. offered: a complete house kit shipped by rail for just $1,794. A Reddit user, u/Thund3rbolt, shared a vintage 1925 Honor-Bilt Modern Homes catalog, offering a glimpse into how accessible homeownership once was. The catalog featured The Wellington, a five-room bungalow designed to be both affordable and stylish.
These kits provided pre-cut materials and detailed instructions that allowed people to construct their homes. The floor plan included a living room, dining room, two bedrooms, a bath, and a kitchen, all compactly designed to fit on a narrow 30-foot-wide lot. According to the advertisement, The Wellington was built with 12-foot wood framing, with floor joists raised nearly two feet above the concrete foundation. The living room featured French windows, a brick mantel, and decorative ceiling trim, while the kitchen included built-in cupboards, a pantry, and space for a coal or wood-burning stove.
The basement, an option for those who wanted additional storage or workspace, was advertised as a sturdy addition to the home’s structure. Sears promised that each bedroom was designed for "light and cross-ventilation," ensuring it remained comfortable year-round. The ceilings stood at 8 feet, 6 inches, giving the house a spacious feel. Buyers could also upgrade certain features, like replacing wood lathe and plaster walls with sheet plaster for an extra $126 or opting for ornamental asphalt shingles for an additional $37.
For the price, buyers received all the materials necessary for construction, including wood siding, flooring, doors, windows, built-in cabinets, and trim. Along with the post, the user also included an archive of all the homes Sears once offered, complete with their original prices. It included various house kits suited for all families, big or small. The post quickly gained traction, with Redditors fascinated by the affordability and convenience of the past. u/Aggravating-Pipe6353 shared, "I live in one." u/Heyolshan praised these houses, saying, "Our company remodeled one a while back. The amazing thing is that these are top-quality houses. Not what you would expect from a catalog order."
u/Lumpy_Ad7002 explained why they were so cheap compared to modern homes: "The house kit included no kitchen appliances, no wiring, no plumbing, single-glazed windows, wasn’t built to modern standards, and probably most importantly, it didn’t include the land to put it on." u/hellraiserl33t wrote, "I really wish smaller houses were still a thing. My parents are in a 1947, 900-something sqft house, and it was just fine for all four of us. I do not want a 3000 sqft monstrosity that costs an arm and a leg to maintain, lol." u/Aberdogg compared the price to today, "Like $33k today. That’s like the cost of a backyard office smaller than one of the bedrooms." u/Mrussell23 shared, "I refurbished a 1917 Sears home in Bend, OR. It’s on the national register."
Writing for Teaching American History, Jennifer Keene noted, "In 1908, Sears began selling prefabricated homes through the mail—standard models that customers could modify to meet individual tastes and budgets. Sears claimed that the easy assembly process and availability of generous financing packages put homeownership within reach for apartment dwellers eager to leave city life behind." She added, "Sears discontinued its mail-order Modern Homes program in 1940 after selling nearly 75,000 Modern Home kits."
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