Made to Order : Many American Dreams Came Out of the Sears Catalogue, Including Do-It-Yourself Houses

"In this environment, Sears, Roebuck and Co. sold prefabricated houses by mail-order. Its catalogue featured 80 models, from the Glen Falls house at a pricey $4,904 to the Selby at $629. Although the kit-home program had been available as early as 1909, it was in the years after the war that it was most successful. By 1926, 34,000 houses had been sold nationally; by 1934 there would be more than 100,000."

"In 1919, the population of Huntington Beach was 1,600. Because of the discovery of oil, the population grew to around 7,000 permanent residents with 5,000 'wandering' by 1923. These were young families who had to have shelter. The Sears homes were perfect for them."

"To purchase a catalogue house in 1925 was easy. You sent a check to Sears with a filled-out form detailing which house you wanted, with up to 100% financing available. For your money you got: lumber, lath, millwork, sash weights, hardware, nails, paint, tarred felt, roofing material and building plans."

Following World War I, Orange County experienced rapid growth and optimism, attracting people seeking new opportunities. Sears, Roebuck and Co. capitalized on this expansion by selling prefabricated kit homes through mail-order catalogues featuring 80 models ranging from $629 to $4,904. The program, launched in 1909, peaked after the war, with 34,000 homes sold nationally by 1926 and over 100,000 by 1934. Sears provided financing options alongside the homes, though the Depression ended the program by 1934. These sturdy, unpretentious houses remain visible throughout older Orange County cities. Huntington Beach exemplifies this trend, where population surged from 1,600 in 1919 to approximately 12,000 by 1923 due to oil discovery, creating urgent housing demand that Sears homes efficiently addressed.

Read at Los Angeles Times