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Sears Roebuck houses. Payments as low as $20 per month.

The Sears Roebuck catalogs would say that payments were as low as $20 per month. The "Puritan" 7 rooms and bath monthly payments as low as $40. The "Newark" 6 rooms and bath monthly payments as low as $55.

Notice those ads said and "bath." That means one, folks. Families considered a bath a luxury. Now we feel we need one each. These ads were also before "Truth in Advertising" because they didn't say for how many years and at what interest rate!

The houses were ordered from the catalog and erected, I assume, on site. Even I'm too young to remember ordering houses from Sears.

Here's a suspected Sears house in Searcy Arkansas. The reproduction catalog had one just like it. Sears Roebuck house

Here's one that is definite. It may be on the Historical Register. It's hard to believe these large homes came in from a mail order catalog.

Sears home

I confess that I enjoy driving down the streets of Searcy AR and seeing these homes that are great reminders of the past.

Barbara S Duncan

Hopefully, your chosen agent in

Searcy Arkansas!

www.barbarasduncan.com

Posted by Barbara S. Duncan, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR on 03/12/2009 07:44 AM

Comments (30)

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30 Comments on Sears Roebuck houses. Payments as low as $20 per month.

MAR

2009

Great post. A lot of this information gets lost, thank you for taking the time to share this with all.

Barbara,

I believe I inspected one once. I think it was Sears. Funny to think they were selling them that way.

Barbara, you "jumped the gun" on me, just yesterday I found the Daily Citizen article and picture of the Mail Order House it is called. I'll scan it and send it to you - add to this blog or create another one. Is the first house on Race Street, across from what WAS Hoffman Florist?

Anita Fuller

Wonder who the builder might have been for the Searcy Sear's house. Here's a good article.

My 1900 Sears Roebuck repro catalog doesn't have any homes since the first were in about 1908. What a jewel of a blog! Looking forward to seeing Anita's contribution. Here's the Puritan model from the link.

Sear's Home

The Puritan (Model No. 3190); ($1,947 to $2,475)

Barbara we have a few of them around Lake Erie here but they were the small 2 bedroom cottages...my friends mom built theirs in the 1950's ...they are very nice homes...peace zane

Jim, thanks for stopping by.

Steve, how'd it look inside? The two that I was in were very plain inside. I was surprised because the outsides were so fancy.

Anita, hurry your picture on along and we'll put it up.

Don, you need to be my personal assistant. Actually, you need to be the boss because you have so many avenues of information. The Puritan is now on-line!! Thanks.

Zane, by the 50's the houses had to get smaller possibly because of the increase in building costs? Have you got a picture to contribute to this blog?

I called my buddy and he has all the paper work for it still when I get it I will scan it for you and I will swing by some time and snap some pics....

Chuckle. I can just see Searcy's old time mail carrier, Arthur Smith, lugging a Sears mailorder house up to someone's front steps. Mr. Smith worked at the post office from 1926 to 1956.

Barbara - Wow! I've never heard of buying a house from a mail order catalog. So interesting..! :)

I had an Uncle and Aunt who lived in Plummerville AR, they lived in a Sears mail-order house. It looked just like the second one you showed, with the wrap-around porch, but was a single story. The thing I remember about it was it had uneven floors that creaked when walked on. I don't remember if they ordered it or bought it already assembled on the lot.

I wonder how many houses around AR are Sears houses.

And, many of these houses are in better shape than the "current day" Sears organization!

Barbara,

Great post, I can't imagine ordering a home by mail. Couldn't do that now, there are too many things to choose from!

Bob! I just got that visual image of a mail carrier delivering catalogs!! I'll bet they all hated Sears Roebuck!! The people loved getting them though!

Debi, you are just SO young. Ask your mom and pop! : )

Harold Gene, I doubt that there were that many mail order houses because people probably couldn't afford them. What do you think? Perhaps Anita and Don can express their opinions.

Tom Boos, that's a very appropriate observation!

Mary, having a husband who is a builder, you know for sure that it wouldn't work!

Maul order house

Mail Order? You are kidding me! I have never heard of such a thing.

Barbara - Yours Truly ....here in Poughkeepsie NY. I listed and sold a Sears catalog home a few years ago.

MAR

2009

James, research this. It is fascinating. Old catalogs are a wealth of knowledge about how things used to be.

Carol, great shot! Was it interesting to go through? Thanks for sharing it with us. I'll bet lots of these were sold.

Here's the Google Map view of the home,

607 W. Arch Avenue

Also, here's a more readable version of the newspaper article.

Newspaper Article

Thanks, Don. Now put up the better newspaper article.

Don, thanks for the better article. Did yu notice the giant tree has been removed? And the article says it was planted in 1937.

AUG

2009

Hello Barbara,

I happen upon your blog and hope you can help me. I am specifically interested in finding out about Sear's mail-order Churches, altars and accessaries. I take care of an old (1867) rose garden in the old Sacred Heart Convent & Orphanage started by the Sisters of Mercy in Grass Valley, California. The Sisters private Chapel was added to the Convent in 1895. It is said to be a Sear's & Roebuck, along with the Altar and many statues and pedestals. Do you have links to good research? The Altar was removed and put under the Chapel 30 years ago (in the dirt!) The Board has given me the OK to reinstall the Altar so I would like to gather a good history while I'm at it.

Joy, I'm sorry but I don't have any information. Your best source might be the old catalogs. Thanks for finding my blog and commenting.

AUG

2009

Here is the catalog picture of my house if you are interested in it. I live at 607 W. Arch. http://books.google.com/books?id=aCYvGBcLB04C&pg=PA172&lpg=PA172&dq=264p202&source=bl&ots=l1y6BzQX3v&sig=4qAOXk8kTH5Jstuugvuu5ILSFXA&hl=en

Jody, thank you so much!! Yours is the house featured, I believe. I love the house!

The link from Jody as a hyperlink.

JAN

2010

What is the value of a sears-robuck Puritan model 3190 in good condition today?

JAN

2011

I showed a house my buyer called a 'Victorian" yesterday in Dumfries, VA, built in 1921. I was sure it was something else so I spent time in a styles catalog online and discovered it is a Sears and Roebuck model 52 (or at least the floor plan and elevations are identical) which is an instance of the style known as American Foursquare. The web sites explaining Foursquare home details discussed plain molding, five-panel doors, built-ins and other details.

On revisiting the house today I found all these things. Very interesting!

Gold Team, I'll bet you were thrilled to find the old Sears house. It still amazes me to think they could deliver a house! Thanks for adding this comment.

JAN

2011

Barbara, these homes are awesome, quality materials, great flow. If you happen to know where to get a full reproduction cataloge pls e-mail me. I just wrote an AR post on these homes here it is.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/2092263/sears-roebuck-homes-1908-to-1940-

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Barbara S. Duncan, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR

Searcy, AR

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RE/MAX Advantage

Address: 1507 E Race, Searcy, AR, 72143

Office Phone: (501) 268-1115

Cell Phone: (501) 278-6817

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