06/19/2026
A century ago, Sears mailed people entire houses.
You browsed a catalog and picked a model. Prices ran from $360 to $2,890. A boxcar then arrived at your depot with 30,000 pre-cut pieces, 750 pounds of nails, 27 gallons of paint, and a 75-page manual.
Sears sold up to 75,000 of these homes over three decades. The premium Honor Bilt tier included wiring for electricity, plumbing, and central heating. An estimated 70 percent are still standing.
It later failed because it couldn't adapt to the internet.