The clues you already have seem to indicate that it may very well be the Elsmore model - age, interior and exterior designs, and 'provenance' confirmation from previous owner. Asking: $2,395,000 Sears Modern Homes Model: Wabash Year Built: 1913 Listing Agent: Hartman Cole Real Estate Listing Brokerage: Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Venice, In the non-conformist boomer paradise of Venice, California, we stumbled across this jaw dropping and lovingly renovated Wabash model Sears Catalog home. Sears recommended that wood molding be installed over the joints for superior results. catalog homes in Dutchess County, NY. On 2022-03-06 I'm in search of the floor plan that goes with this old house that we believe is an old Sears Kit house. - Keystone house plans (modern prefab construction) from Nelson Homes - https://nelson-homes.com/home-plans/keystone/ They were hoping to meet the needs and desires of the same folks who were buying from the lumber companies. The rest are not Sears houses although that house identified as a Glen Falls is close but not a match. Realtors love to include Sears in their listing of old houses but many of those are incorrectly identified including the others that are on your list. 1908 was a heady year for technology. Our client traced the sale and construction of the home to The following excerpt is from Rosemary Thornton's book cited on this page: In 1915, Sears offered Wood Fiber Wall Board, an early sheetrock-type alternative to lath and plaster. 239 W. Russell Street, Barrington, $949,000. For nearly 100 years the home has been meticulously cared for and features hardwood flooring, enclosed front porch, and renovated kitchen. The National Trust Library offers catalogs of Aladdin kit houses. Any ideas out there?? the dwindling "do it yourself" home market. Robinson Company, Providence, Rhode Island. Your planned basement project may very well give you added clues to your home's identification. Sears Houses: This article series provides detailed photographic and historic clues to assist in cit. Asking: $379,900 Sears Roebuck Model: Elmhurst Year Built: 1932 Listing Agent: Julie Armington Listing Brokerage: F.C. In some inspections you will find a few rafters or beams which show, Framing marks on other kit house brands and their framing lumber are discussed below at, Labels may be present on the back of millwork (baseboard, window, door trim, staircase) as Sears used a common supplier, "Sears, Roebuck and Company," or "925 Homan Ave. Chicago" may be present on shipping labels. The first mail order for a Sears house was filled that year. Minor andmajor changes - from adding a few more windows to changing from a hip roof to agabled roof - were suggested and encouraged. The best starting place is to read through the article above on this page. Sears, Roebuck and Co. sold about 100,000 kit houses from catalogs between 1908 and 1942. this house in near Novato California in Marin County. Sears estimated that a plasterer would charge you $200, which included nailing up all those thin strips of lath and applying three coats of plaster (1916). Price: $239,000 Converse Heights: Built in 1925, this three-bedroom, Arts and Craftsstyle home shines. We have encountered such a home in northern Dutchess County in New York State, one which looks just like a Sears model but You will not receive a notification when a response to your question has been posted. Many original featuresincluding built-in cabinets and hardwood floorshave been maintained and add heaps of character to the four-bedroom home. 2 Additions later and its still standing. A Sears catalog home fan website, searshomes.org discusses the plaster systems used in older homes, including Sears kit homes. Because the homes were so easy to tailor to their owners tastes, true Sears Modern Homes can be tricky to identify today. And give us the country and city of location of the home. . Later volumes offered up to 370 designs. I once owned a home in Houston Tx, which according to records was built in 1906 (Although the date could be a few years off either way) I am having difficulty confirming if this was a Sear kit home or a copy cat mfgr. Please refrain from any comments or jokes about anything else. also see our Aladdin kit homes and catalogs found at Illinois has the largest collection of Sears kit homes in the country after the state of Ohio. BOOKS ON SEARS AND OTHER KIT OR CATALOG HOUSES. 613.3K . They are classic. Rather than trying to include all the information from the above article, the best procedure would be to go through the Sears Kit House identification steps and details given above on this page. 1. They also sold an economy grade wallboard made of cardboard and asphalt, which sold for 42 cents per sheet. Since its original construction, especially viewed from the exterior, it would be tough to identify this as a kit home much less as an Aladdin kit home. A 1921 catalog of Sears kit homes offers the Magnolia for $6,488. Sears kit homes were shipped via boxcar and came with a 75-page instruction book. 415 Kenwood, LaPorte, IN. Corona is derived from the Latin word for crown. Also lovingly renovated with lots of lovely original details like picture frame mouldings and french doors, 5953 Jefferson in Burlington, Kentucky looks like the perfect place to while away a summer afternoon with a mint julep and a great book. Thanks!! I believe we own one of the original sears homes. A review of some of our inspection photos came up Would like to build one. Gunnison pre-fab kit homes. I do have the original receipt, but it does not list the name of the company. We also edit Sears Kit House identification checklists and comment and books on Sears Homes by Rosemary Thornton. The Keystone name has come up before in searching for kit house history and plans, but searching is confounded by current companies using that name. we own a sears home..We are interested in saleing..it and land surrounding it its in the beautiful mountains of eastern Tennessee. That last house in Boulder, Colorado is a perfect example of the 1920s version of the Sears Oakdale, not the Clyde. 1935. The Close has a policy of fierce editorial independence. Price: $421,000 Waterfront wonder: Sitting just a few steps from the waters edge on Triangle Pond, this 898-square-foot cottage was delivered in 1954 and assembled on-site. Both sections span from 1886 to today. Researching Historic Kit and Plan Book Homes, 2) Unless you can recognize the many models offered in the Sears Modern Homes catalogs, houses built from kits are indistinguishable from those built through the standard process using a construction company. Stamps on millwork or labels from "Norwood Sash and Door" (maybe) indicate Sears suppliers. At least, we think this is a Wabash. 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. So it's probably true that most of these New York ranks fourth on the list with 1,679. Used within a coal room door handle. Other details can include finding specific stamps, lumber marks, or hardware in your particular house that confirm it as a Sears kit home and also paging through the Sears kit home catalogs we list to match that roof design and entry porch. Sears Modern Homes were catalog and kit houses sold primarily through mail order by Sears, Roebuck and Co., an American retailer.. From 1908 to 1942, Sears sold more than 70,000 of these houses in North America, by the company's count. Please take a look there as that's more thorough than if I'm asked to make up that advice de-novo here. COMMENT:Here's is a photo of the Sears ready-cut house that my grandfather build. Sold under the Sears Modern Homes brand, the kits soon became a huge hit; selling thousands of homes all across the country in the companys 33-year history. Price: $200,000 Happy home: This 880-square-foot, ranch-style home has two bedrooms. No matter where the depot was, to which the kit was delivered, homeowners found a way to haul the materials to their lot. By 1940 home designs, specifications (and building codes) 1910. We also fell in love with the stone facade, leafy front yard, and awesome built-ins inside. NTL Stacks TH4819.P7C22 1914, Wardway Homes, Montgomery Ward, Chicago, Illinois. We believe it might be a Sears Elsemore model, as it has the exact same floor plan, including the "reception room" in the front entrance, which was apparently unique to that model. Between 1908 and 1940, Sears provided house kits. Sears, Roebuck and Company, Chicago, Illinois. homes were sold and built before that year, but it is certainly the case that the sale of some models continued to 1940. The answer to this question can be found on this Sears House Seeker blog post. If you havent sold it yet, Id be happy to refer someone to you in your area. Starting in 1916 [? One of many Sears houses built in 1912 by a realty company. Your #1 Source For Actionable Real Estate Advice. We have affiliate partnerships with these companies and make money when we feature their products on the site. Wilton is thinking of designating houses from this era as worthy of preservation, so this is why I am trying to gather more information. Michael You will want to look for additional key details such as those given above on this page. Thornton also suggests that inspectors check for identifying marks at plumbing access panels where you may find marks on wall studs in the bath wall cavity. A local example of this is LaPorte, Indiana, where Sears sold 50 houses in one subdivision. it has a small enclosed front porch. Thanks for your interest! 2. Asking: $374,900 Sears Modern Homes Model: The Sunbeam Year Built: 1924 Listing Agent: Robin Donovan Listing Brokerage: Coldwell Banker West Shell Northern Kentucky. Required fields are marked *. . To fully appreciate the impact of the Sears kit homes, it's important to understand the reach of the company's famous catalog. Their best wall product was Goodwall Sheet Plaster, which was plaster encased in layers of heavy cardboard. In . Real Estate. If you can find other details such as finding specific stamps, lumber marks, or hardware in your particular house that confirm it as a particular company's kit home and also paging through the kit home catalogs we list to match that roof design and entry porch, for example. We recommend all three of these publications. Eric: I've looked through the Sears kit house archives (that I do not think are actually complete) and don't see that exact cape cod design with the center chimney and with that lower roof level and smaller window on the right. In Alabama, dozens of historic homes are rumored to be kit houses but only a small percentage have been certified as . In short, it's a house whose blueprints and building supplies were ordered from a specialty Sears catalog, and all of these supplies were shipped, by rail (primarily), to the homeowner (who either chose to build the house himself, or use a contractor to arrange the construction). In 1940 the last "official" Sears kit house was sold and shipped to its owner. NTL Stacks: NA8480.N61, Aladdin Homes. On 2022-01-23 The gorgeous 2-acre lot has plenty of room to expand. I would love an opinion. Price: $334,000. Ready Built House Company, Portland, Oregon. I havent found any other obvious stamps. 1918. Lake Worth, Florida. If My House Is Not A Kit, Where Did It Come From? Considering Sears, Roebuck & Co. was founded in Chicago back in 1893, it's no surprise Illinois boasts many of the company's ready-to-assemble kit homes (second only to Ohio). Historic house: Built in 1911, this Sears home sits on a large, corner lot in a historic district, surrounded by antebellum homes. then left the rest to the construction company. Can you tell me if I am right ? North American Construction Company, Bay City, Michigan. Customers were given everything needed for basic assemblyincluding the nailsdelivered by rail, and most folks with adequate carpentry expertise could put up their new house in just a few days. I wonder what else is in those archives! If My House Is Not A Kit, Then Where Did It Come From?? NTL Stacks: NA8480.N61, Aladdin Homes. The milestones, introductions and stories fill volumes. Some early experiments by Sears included selling a kit to build We just bought a 1929 Vallonia and now Im obsessed! We also had help - the home 61 proven lead gen ideas from coaches & top-producing agents. ). contain additional specific details which you will find instrumental in identifying Sears Catalog Homes. Other details can include finding specific stamps, lumber marks, or hardware in your particular house that confirm it as a particular company's kit home and also paging through the kit home catalogs we list to match that roof design and entry porch, for example. Scroll down to the section with that title, to learn more about plans-only companies. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright's Brief but Doomed Foray Into Kit Homes. I know New Hamburg well, having spent a lifetime nearby in Poughkeepsie. My home was built in 1915 , an addition was built on in the 1980s , but I believe the original home was from a kit. Here are two examples of plans-only books, available through lumber yards and construction companies: Nonetheless, We're Always Looking For More Sears Modern Homes Kit Houses! One of the surviving Sears kit homes stands along Oak Springs Road in Chartiers Township. Item #1 is a great reference catalog of home designs, Unless you have developed a really good eye for recognizing the several-hundred models offered by Sears, for example, youd never know what house on a block with a kit house mixed in with other 1920s or 30s houses, was from a kit from Sears. NTL FOLIO TH4819.P7S435 1920, A Plan Book of Harris Homes. Outdoors, a large deck in the backyard offers an ideal spot for warm-weather entertaining. In 1952, my grandfather put up a Cape Cod style kit house in Wilton, CTModel # NM2137-4. $165,900 USD: First time on the market in 57 years. Fully renovated in 2011, the home won the Moore Country Home Builders Associations Excellence Award for the Best Historic Renovation. In the 19-teens, 1920s, and 1930s, American suburban neighborhoods were growing. ALADDIN KIT HOUSES https://inspectapedia.com/Design/Aladdin_Kit_Houses.php She explains that often a specific I have been pouring over house plans and scouring the internet looking at catalogues and am coming up short. Aladdin Homes. Added to our resources on Sears Kit homes is a now-available archive from Sears itself: http://www.searsarchives.com/homes/byimage.htm 1920. Sears prefabricated almost all of these homes in giant mills situated across the country. The sheets were made of pressed wood pulp and cost 46 cents per sheet. Any help is appreciated! I should have known. My neighbors grandfather helped build my home. The construction company ordered standard-length lumber through the lumber yards, measured, cut, and constructed the house. You might want to try a copy of Rosemary Thornton's more-exhaustive book of photos of Sears Kit homes (cited and linked above in this article). For the first time, Sears has opened the doors to its vast archival collection and invited the public to peek inside. Maybe evidence that our Sears model spotting skills are improving, or maybe because of the distinctive peaked entryway and side porch, we immediately pegged 319 Sycamore as a Glen Falls. A Sears house is: every Craftsman, bungalow, or Dutch Colonial style house you come across (though Sears did offer many Craftsman, bungalow, English cottage, Dutch Colonial, and Colonial style houses as did every other house company), a house built after 1942 (or before 1908), the only brand of kit house that existed (other companies include Gordon-Van Tine, Aladdin Homes, Bennett Homes, Wardway homes, and others), The answer to this question can be found on.