Sears homes

SEARS HOMES
How to identify one
Identifying a Sears home can be tricky. Although architectural historians can sometimes spot details that were characteristic of Sears houses, it's hard for average folks to tell just by looking at one. What's more, many of the houses have been enlarged or remodeled, masking evidence of their origins. Could your house be a Sears house? Here are some ways to find out:
Look at bathroom fixtures, door hinges and other hardware. They may be marked with the Sears insignia.
Do some sleuthing in the attic. Look for numbers or labels on rafters and joists.
Look up your home's records at the county courthouse to find out who granted the original mortgage. Home buyers often financed their houses through Sears agents. If a name shows up again and again in home records, it's an indication that person worked for a big company, and that company might have been Sears, said Steve Gordon of the Ohio Historic Preservation Office.
Pick up the book "Houses By Mail" by Katherine Cole Stevenson and H. Ward Jandl. The book contains most of the advertisements that originally appeared in the Sears Modern Homes catalog, along with floor plans and other identifying information. It's a great resource if you suspect your house might have come from Sears.
Source: Knight Ridder Newspapers