Sears' Kit Homes: Pioneering Modern Prefab Housing in the Early 20th Century.

Sears was a pioneer in the mail-order home industry, offering "kit homes" through its Modern Homes catalog from 1908 to 1940. The retailer sold an estimated 70,000 to 75,000 houses, with many still standing today. Sears offered a variety of architectural styles and blueprints that buyers could construct themselves or hire builders to do it. The popularity of DIY, modest tiny homes today may have been inspired by Sears' early prefab homes.