Do remember though that this does not include land, heavy building materials like bricks, or labor. It is cheaper than a house is now, but not by as much as it may originally seem.
Plumbing, electrical, insulation, foundation, HVAC, communications, will all perform far better.
And I'll take a good modern toilet over any one I've used from that period. Constantly getting clogged. Sure, it used a lot of water, but they didn't flow well.
These catalog homes are not really adaptable for local climates; for example, many of the Sears Craftsman homes in Seattle have issues with mold due to the constant rain.
I don’t mourn the old houses being torn down to make way for three town homes on the same plot.