When she started her search for a house, Amy Balicki didn’t set out to buy a Sears kit home in Downers Grove, Illinois – but she probably should have. That’s because Downers Grove was a prime location ...

Over the decades, the kit homes ranged in price from $3,000 to $10,000 depending on the size, design and scope. The companies also sold garages, boilers, chicken coops, bathtubs and built-in shelving.