In 1916, a Craftsman Bungalow from Sears cost only $1,537. Adjusted for inflation that is only $31,942 (in 2012 dollars) for a two story 1,900 square foot home.
Those are some really beautiful houses Sears sold.. I lived in a neighborhood years ago that had one and it was the first I ever knew Sears sold the kits.. the owners were really proud of it...
Funny... Today, in those adjusted dollars, that's the average price of a car... Just saw that on TV last night... Bet a car won't last near as long as those old houses..
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Never let your fear decide your fate!
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Used Car prices are insane . We have been used car shopping for 6 months now . Can you belive a 1999 chevy caviler with 190,000 miles sells for 4 k . 1991 ford focus $ 3800 ect. Were they even worth that much when they were brand new ???
LOL.. yep.. used isn't so cheap any more either... The days of the $500 used car are LONG gone... I saw last night on the news the average price of a new car is a little over $31K... I bought a whole farm this past year for just under twice that... It's crazy any more...
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Never let your fear decide your fate!
Kein Mitleid für die Mehrheit
Having been the owner of a 1924 bungalow, I can tell you that the house did not include much in the line of wiring, plumbing or insulation or heating systems.
I redid the wiring on that house, which was original to the house. It was cloth wrapped ceramic insulator to the fixure in the ceiling and one outlet per room. No wiring for a stove or fridge or washer and dryer, etc. No insulation at all. Heating was a floor furnace n the hall- no ductwork or vents. Single pane windows. No shower fxture - just a tub. No vents at all.
Did have great wood work. But I also had to scrape the ice off the inside of the windows each morning lest it melt during the day and mold the window sills. And that was in California........
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For we used to ask when we were little, thinking that the old men knew all things which are on earth: yet forsooth they did not know; but we do not contradict them, for neither do we know.
If they were insulated it was just crumpled news paper around the window sills , nothing more . The up stairs they would have a "floor grate " so the main floor heat could rise .I seen the sleeping porch also and immediately called dibs http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...ectedIndex=123
Sears used to sell some pretty neat stuff. You could order a metal septic tank from them several decades ago and some of them are still in use today around here. Pretty good metal to last that long. Old lady up the road lives in what used to be her parent's house and she remembers them putting the Sears septic tank in.
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Dear Math, it is time you grew up and solved your own problems.
Interesting comparison between the prices of cars and houses. Similar cause and effect.
I remember my grandfather's pickup with painted steel dash, no radio, bare floorboards, power nothing. I'd drive that truck today, if I could buy it. Now we need carpet, cd player, AC, padded dash, tinted windows, the list goes on. Then there is all the mandated safety stuff. Adjusting for inflation is meaningless, you aren't comparing apples to apples.
Same with houses. The basic lumber and materials in the sears bungalow were likely superior to what we have today, but all the bells and whistles (plus important improvements like better insulation and safer electrical) mean that house would sell for well over $31K today. Consider that a new double wide sells for $60 to $70K and you have an idea of what I mean. Good thread though. I love those old craftsman style houses. We have several in town, and they still have character.
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For about 3 yrs. I had been going to tons of farm auctions buying 2x4s ect. , to build this little 600'ish sq ft. house .I got pretty close to having all I needed when a ton of med. bills came a calling so I sold it all off and am about to start the collection process all over again ( yeah it stinks but at least Im alive to complane about it ) The Mrs. wants a basment so its plan # 2 .I will make the back covered porch into a green house . I don't want the fire place either .
My SIL lives down the hill from us in a house that was ordered through Sears by her great Grandparents back when Grandad was a small boy. Their original homestead burned down so they ordered a kit home from Sears. Before Grandad passed he used to talk about the home being brought by train to nearest depot, then they made several trips with a mule team to get it to the homesite. Never had to cut a board. It was all precut and labeled. It is a drafty old house and the wiring did have to be redone. Also she only has window AC and dearborn heaters - but it is pretty cool to live surrounded by the family history. We live in a modern home, but we do use the well from the original homestead.:-) And we love to go out with the metal detector and find all kinds of stuff where the house burned down.
In 1916, a Craftsman Bungalow from Sears cost only $1,537. Adjusted for inflation that is only $31,942 (in 2012 dollars) for a two story 1,900 square foot home.
I'd buy it for the porch, but did you see that 2nd story sleeping porch! Oh my, heaven. An Angie approved house. Very nice.
This thread has got me thinking. Wouldn't it be cool to find the ad (pic and floor plan) of SIL's house and frame it with the story and approx date that hers was brought out to the place and give it to her...must add this to my project list.
Having been the owner of a 1924 bungalow, I can tell you that the house did not include much in the line of wiring, plumbing or insulation or heating systems.
I redid the wiring on that house, which was original to the house. It was cloth wrapped ceramic insulator to the fixure in the ceiling and one outlet per room. No wiring for a stove or fridge or washer and dryer, etc. No insulation at all. Heating was a floor furnace n the hall- no ductwork or vents. Single pane windows. No shower fxture - just a tub. No vents at all.
Did have great wood work. But I also had to scrape the ice off the inside of the windows each morning lest it melt during the day and mold the window sills. And that was in California........
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so I sold it all off and am about to start the collection process all over again ( yeah it stinks but at least Im alive to complane about it ) The Mrs. wants a basment so its plan # 2 .I will make the back covered porch into a green house . I don't want the fire place either .
