More than a century ago, Americans could open a Sears catalog, flip to the “Modern Homes” section, and order an entire house for less than the price of a new refrigerator today. These mail-order homes were shipped by rail, assembled like giant furniture kits, and built to last, so much so that many of them are still standing across the United States.
Sears sold mail-order house kits from 1908 to 1940. Some early models cost under $800, including the well-documented Model No. 115, priced at around $725 in the 1910s.
Buyers received lumber, hardware, windows, doors, flooring, and instructions; they supplied the land and hired labor themselves. Thousands were built, and many remain cherished homes today.
The Mail-Order House Boom
When Sears introduced its Modern Homes catalog in 1908, the idea was revolutionary. Instead of hiring an architect or buying from a local builder, customers could order a complete house through the mail. Sears would ship all the materials by rail, often 10,000 to 30,000 pounds of lumber, nails, roofing, doors, windows, and trim, directly to the buyer’s nearest train depot.
At the time, America was expanding rapidly. Towns needed housing, rail networks connected major cities, and industrial sawmills made mass-produced lumber affordable. Sears stepped into the moment with a catalog that made homeownership feel both modern and attainable.
The Under-$800 Models
While some Sears homes eventually became large and luxurious, the earliest catalog years featured modest designs at surprisingly low prices. Several authentic catalog listings in the 1908–1914 range show complete homes priced well under $800.
Model No. 115, Around $725
One of the best documented examples is Sears Modern Home No. 115. Catalogs from the 1910s list its price at approximately $725, depending on the year and material variations. For that amount, buyers received:
- Pre-cut (or later, fully pre-cut) framing lumber
- Windows, interior doors, and exterior doors
- Flooring and interior trim
- Roofing shingles
- Nails, hardware, and fasteners
- Detailed construction instructions
The design was simple, typically a one-story cottage with a small porch, but sturdy and functional. It included multiple rooms, proper framing, and the same architectural charm that still makes these houses desirable today.
Other Budget Models
Early Sears catalogs also featured a handful of other low-priced models, many in the $600–$900 range. Prices varied with inflation, lumber markets, and optional upgrades. While these were considered entry-level homes, they were built with the same materials and joinery techniques as Sears’s more expensive models.
What the Price Did and Didn’t Include
The under-$800 price tag is accurate but also needs context. Sears provided nearly everything needed to build the structure, but the buyer was responsible for:
- Land
- Foundation
- Plumbing, electrical, and heating systems
- Labor (unless they built it themselves)
Even so, the total cost was dramatically lower than hiring a traditional builder at the time. Many families saved thousands by assembling the home with friends, neighbors, or local carpenters.
Why So Many Still Stand Today
Sears used high-quality, kiln-dried lumber, which often proved stronger and less prone to warping than typical lumber of the era. The company also provided detailed blueprints that made proper construction easier for amateurs. Some towns have entire neighborhoods made up of Sears homes, and preservationists frequently search for original models based on catalog designs.
Because Sears shipped so many homes, estimates range from 60,000 to 70,000, thousands remain occupied today. Real estate listings occasionally note them as selling points, and local historians often take pride in catalog home neighborhoods.
When the Program Ended
Sears closed the Modern Homes division in 1940. The Great Depression, rising construction costs, and changing building practices made the catalog-house model less profitable. But the legacy of these homes lives on, especially the early low-cost models that showed how affordable homeownership could be.
A $725 House That Became a Classic
The idea that Sears once sold an entire home for under $800 sounds unbelievable today, but it’s well supported by surviving catalogs, historical documentation, and the thousands of families who grew up in these houses.
Model No. 115 and its under-$800 siblings were small, sturdy, and simple, but they were also a promise that anyone with determination, land, and a rail depot nearby could build a home of their own.