I’ve always wanted a large scale modular victorian home. Not just a haunted house, but a beautiful Victorian style home with all the details and accents. They have the pieces, they could do it. But the houses are pretty disappointing for the last decade.

LEGO absolutely needs to bring these back! The solution (imo) is to make an Icons line. It would give them the parts budget they need and a target audience for the products, which the current ones seem to… lack? But yeah totally agree here! 😄

The old school houses really had a fantastic presence.

The first thing that happened is they massively increased the price of base plates. At that time the houses started appearing mounted on random elements. Then they got the terrible idea of "modular" houses. These things just fell apart. I think Lego today is besotted by tiny parts. They did start an interesting sub-theme with the Bike Store and Cafe, sort of a combination of the tiny details and smaller house. In short, Lego got greedy and the Lego fan base got mesmerised by "this year's new parts" and "this year's new colour" instead of "this year's great model'. You can see just how disastrous this trend is if you create a road with the Lego Modular Buildings. The fist ones are SOO great and the new ones don't even resemble the kinds of things you find in real life. You skipped past the Creator boat Cruising Adventures, which is one of the best Creator sets in the past 10 years.

LEGO adopted a more sustainable urban plan with higher density and mixed use developments in the modular building series. Since most collectors have limited room to display models, the lower density and higher land use of the prior houses makes fewer housing units available to LEGO City residents.

100% agree with this, I would pick a house that looks good from the outside over a tiny, tacky, open back house that has a full interior all day long

Honestly the Apple Tree House set is one of my all-time favorite creator sets. When I had it as a kid, I did the best I could do decorate the interior and even the exterior and used it as my house. I'm still sad I don't have it together anymore, but I do hope to get myself another. Wish LEGO would give us more house builds like these.

The thing is that the old ones have a lot bigger and blocky pieces and just the baseplate as floor which won't pass LEGO's standards today. Lots of sets now have tiny pieces making the piece count very high compared to volume. 7:37: 1000+ pieces 6:23: 1100+ pieces (20$ cheaper including inflation) Obviously the one from 2007 has less interior details and has alot more studs/blockyness but you get *SO* much more in actual volume making it actually feel worth the price.

Even when I was in my teens and was deep into LEGO, I never liked the open back builds. They made the sets feel empty rather than these full sets. I understand their reasoning from a play perspective, but it robs the depth and realism from these sets, especially when it’s hard to hide the empty back of those sets.

I got the beach house set as a child and loved it so much. I also really like that the houses didn't come with furniture and minifigures so you could actually give your other minifigures homes and you could freely decorate them with your own furniture builds. I can see why they changed that but I absolutely despise how all modern houses open up via hinges, it makes implementing them into cities a pain.

I completely agree that the older, mid-2000s era Lego houses were absolutely awesome. I was only able to get two myself, two copies of 31012 Family Home, one of which I rebuilt into a custom house MOC. And I would LOVE to see more houses like that from Lego, but I think the problem is that with all the new parts and tiny detail parts, there would be too much inclination to make them like the Modular buildings. You'd get cool, super detailed houses but they'd be 1200 parts, probably cost $150, and then most people wouldn't buy them because they're too expensive. Those older ones are great because they have fewer, bigger parts. They put detail in where they need to, but keep it simple where it can be. (Also the empty interior, I see as an invitation to furnish it yourself!) Personally for your city, I would love to see your residential area focused on that style of brick-built houses. As it is, I feel it's kind of a mish-mash of things. Some cool houses, mixed in with an extension of pop-culture street with the Home Alone, Harry Potter and Simpsons sets completely dominating the district. Lego can't do 'in between' sized things these days, because of the insatiable need to cram everything full of tiny parts. Normal sized houses become tiny in order to be affordable, and big houses have thousands of parts. But that's where I say, if Lego won't make them, it's time to make our own! Edit: just looking here at the difference between old and new.. On one hand I have 31012 Family Home, which is a nice big house, not the best interior but it has stuff. On the other hand I have 31105 Townhouse Toy Store, which is supposed to be a store with a home above it, and despite Family Home being like.. maybe 20% more parts, it's also like 3x as big as what's meant to be a whole store *and* a home.

I think if they brought them back now with full backs, they would include lots more detail and newer parts and building techniques and they did a detailed interior. And that would be quite expensive, I honestly think they shouldnt add any interior, I like the fact you can use your own parts to fill it out if you want a interior, also enjoy the simple design of the old ones, dont think lego would go that simple now days.

Hey Jordan , I totally agree with your thoughts about Lego houses. Some of my best childhood Lego memories include building great residential houses similar to the early ones you showed in the video, okay, they may be more basic than recent modulars but there's something so appealing about how solid they are by using traditional bricks and slopes. I definitely think Lego should have a 'Residential Modular' theme and I'm sure it would be very successful, especially with all the new parts they could now make use of.

I completely agree with you, the creator line has definitely gone downhill these couple of years, LEGO should really bring them back!

This would definitely be an AFOL thing, because I remember very well back in the day (in 2006 I was 13/14 years old) how hard it was to convice my mom to buy me the second house. I loved these older houses, but I didn't get more than the first two, just because my mom wouldn't let me. For that same reason I also only have one regular 9V train (the blue high speed one) and one train consisting of models from the My Own Train series. But arround the time the LEGO City remote controlled trains were introduced I wasn't allowed to get them anymore, because my parents said two trains are enough, they're expensive and as for the space used in the attic: you don't own this place.

LEGO has changed and evolved, from a construction model toys business to various toy sets that happen to be made of LEGO bricks. The houses we all like are nice houses to build then display, or break down into other things. Now the sets are designed to be toys that are played with by younger children. Open backs so kids can get their hands in there. Tall, narrow buildings so parents' think they're buying a nice big set. Then the cost per piece went up. Notice the majority of new sets are usually a license of one sort or another. If you want to build something nice, it's an 18+ set with an 18+ price. This is the new LEGO - charge as much as possible for as little as possible, and sell out to license-holders, and charge adults as much as possible, and pay lip-service to train fans. Then get new fans with the LEGO masters TV shows around the world. This is why we've stopped buying new LEGO, apart from bulk brick sets like 10697 when they come up on sale at CostCo. At the end of the day, if you don't like the new designs, buy sets for brick value only and make your own.

Totally agree. Especially if they had the same sidewalk, lamp posts and pin holes as modular buildings. I mean the modular buildongs are called buildings, not shops, so why can't it include full houses? I mean we got an apartment in the pet shop one and the book shop, but why not a whole house?

Im 23 years old. In 2006 i was 7. that first house you showed was an instant throwback. being my first proper lego set. (Before i just had the big tubs with random legos) i think i still have it somewhere in the attic if i someone didn't drop it in the past ten years or so. I did modify it because i wanted a driveway, a light at the door and more plants. I also remember building in a upper floor, a staircase, a living room and a kitchen.

I have most of the old skool house you mentioned from 2008 to 2014 its was apple tree house that got me back in lego as afol I still have some of those house on my shelves. The new ones are just no way as good too basic, the full modular building are too expensive for me to keep up with but old creator house were perfect in-between from lego city set and modular building.

It seems like they are on a downward trend when it comes to these things. Downgrading sets, a perceived increase in sticker elements where they should really be printed... I mean, that lego store you reviewed the other day... $50 bucks... for that?! I honestly think they need to fire some people at Lego because it is going in the wrong direction.

i kinda like the scale of some of them like the downtown noodle shop because my city isn't that big so there isn't much space for big modularsand also not a lot of money. I do get what you're saying though. If you have a big city like you i get that these are too small. I think they should make bigger houses, houses in the noodle shop scale and modulars. Some of these are just ridiculously small and will barely fit a minifigure!

They could do 3-in-1 sets that are 3 different models of houses like modern, ranch, and townhouse all in one. I'd buy one.

It's not just houses that are missing. When I look at the LEGO City range, I don't see buildings. I see facades. There's no interior to speak of, just a front wall.

I guess the open backs are to increase playability, and simplifying the builds make them more accessible for children.

I'd love a yearly modular house for my city, but another thing i'd like to see is if they re released the Modular Bookshops' Townhouse without the Bookshop in different colours (I know I could bricklink the parts, but official recolours with new house numbers would be awesome).

I like both types of houses. I haven't thought about this since I got a Lego friends house with the open back, but I used to constantly wish that Lego would make a house that is hinged and opens out so that you could get inside and mess around with it.

I agree, completely. The reality is it that they are not thinking about us AFOLs, they are marketing to kids which I am sure are the larger demographic. They have those open backs almost always now, which is like the Friends and City sets, to increase “playability.” My guess is that the bigger houses, like the tan one with detached garage, which I have and know there is no interior and almost zero playability, just don’t sell at huge volumes. I certainly think a happy medium would work. Leave the playability to City, give us the models with aesthetic and piece volume with Creator line.

I have that big set from 2007 but it’s not built and there’s a lot of pieces missing, but watching this video makes me want to rummage through my lego box, find the missing pieces and rebuild it

Those old houses were awesome. I still have 4956, family house and the yellow beach house, and they’re all so cool. I wish I had bought more when they were out

I have four of the big houses except for the one you opened the video with, and I have a bunch of the smaller ones. I just came across them in my storage room last night. I was tempted to grab them and build them again, but I’ll need to make room.

The modular homes combines to make a huge home. Each modular was sold at a different price point. They were cool but fell apart pretty easily.

I think where Lego has gone wrong with these is by getting rid of the removable roof and making them open with hinges and be like a playset instead of an actual realistic house that you can put in your Lego city, which just means you can't even open them up if they are part of your city. Sure the newer houses have great interior detail but if that means it's going to be tiny I'd much rather have a bigger house without interior. I remember looking at these houses on the catalogues and they just looked so cool to me and sparked some creativity in me.

I agree, we need higher quality creator builds. Putting multiple together to get a building is cool but having a complete house or foldable building is awesome

I just got in my 3-in-1 Creator Changing Seasons (31038) house for my Christmas Village....obviously I will be building the winter house!

I have always thought the same that lego should make more houses. There should be new houses for $75-100 so more on a budget, that are better versions of the old houses. I have the small cottage which is a decent house, as well as the corner deli which closes up.

I agree, the modular buildings are fine, but there is nothing like a single family house with at least a 32x32 base plate. My home-made houses back in the day covered anywhere between two to six 32x32 baseplates for the house lots, with in-ground pool (old castle pieces for walls), Japanese pond (hospital kidney-shaped bowl) as well as basketball court and gardens & solariums. Just don’t have the room to reassemble them.

As a kid who loved nature I always loved getting the 3 in one creator houses! They captured that outdoorsy feeling and I still appreciate it today as a grown up

I think this could be due to their product profile strategy. It could be that nice/large house sets would compete with modular buildings and some ideas sets as they would hit a common segment at similar price points… but it’d be cool if they tested the market

The 3 in 1 small cottage set was my first 3 in 1 creator set I got and I still enjoy it. In my current city what I did with it was take that the changing seasons house in main build and Emmits dream house in house form and made a gated community in my city. I always wanted that 2013 family house set. If lego prices were not going up I would be looking to add it but I plan to get the DeLorean early next year and also I am out of space for that creator set anyway in my current city.

I remember having a Lego house! It opened up like one of those doll houses and it had a cool little elevator that you had to twist a lever for it to move. And I remember putting the sticker for washer and dryers pieces

Me: Sees the house design in the beginning Also me: Vietnam flashbacks to the Lego Town level in Lego Star Wars

I have the Apple Tree House and the yellow Beach House. I got them when I was like 11 when they first came out. I'll have to get them out of storage. Those were so fun to build! It is a shame that Lego doesn't make full houses anymore, just the front wall now.

I was just thinking about this a couple of weeks ago. I was thinking about buying and building a Lego house set. I was remembering the old days when you could build a nice house with windows and doors and all the trimmings. When I looked them up though I was very disappointed with what I found available these days. They don't even resemble a real home anymore, with the exception of certain expensive sets like Home Alone. Anyhow, I decided to get a couple of animal sets (cat and rat with a pumpkin, and a large white rabbit) and built those. I also got a mini silly head storage thing, which I think is just adorable and I love it, and got me a yellow and red Lego tin sign with my points. Wasn't a bad deal, overall I really liked my purchases, and the animal sets were good builds, but I had my heart set on a house. Hopefully they bring them back one day.

You know what Lego should do, create a Historic Houses line, so bascily each set incorproates important house things of different eras, or they could do it like a Sears House catalog.

I love the designs and size of those older house models. The garage model of the modern house set, inspired my own converted garage moc. This model sits on the standard 32x32 base plate, and takes lots of inspiration from the modular buildings. The interior is a completely furnished apartment and even includes a bathroom with a walk-in shower (large enough for a minifigure). Next to the garage is a side yard, with a pool and barbecue. The model looks likes it could be it's own lego set. I might post it on lego ideas, when I think it's ready (since I'm not completely satisfied with it yet).

8:11 The corner deli did close up to a box, I have this set. You just need to remove the front square plate in the corner, and it closes up nicely. But Lego definitely needs to bring back houses and make them in a modular style with cool interior details.

Agree with what you have said about the quality of the houses. The only thing I would say is the scale of the houses compared to other Modular Buildings do kind of make a city look out/wrong. You have the Home Alone house bigger than the latest Modular Hotel. Bigger than the alt build of a University that you have built. Personally I don't think the two go together that well. IF.... However you have then on separate tables like you have in your awesome city it doesn't show up that much. It is a little like Castle's.... I am loving what you are doing with the Medieval section, however that Blacksmith is almost as big as the castle... so you would be (IMO) better off moving it back to the Camp ground area.

The modern family home was one of my first sets with a light brick, it’s details were amazing.

I remember one year they had the yellow one when I was younger and my whole family we all got one and all chose which variant to make and stuff, and we also got one for our realtor when we bought our house it was very fun! I miss them as well

I couldn’t agree more. I have the family home creator set and nothing compares- I’m currently building it again at the moment! The other two homes you can create from the set are equally as good as the image on the box. They certainly don’t make houses like that anymore. I’ve never minded about the lack of interior in these houses too as it’s so easy to add your own stuff and make it your own. I think that’s the most fun part of finishing the build!

They must think if it's not a house from a TV show or movie, then it's just a basic house that anyone can get parts for and build the house they want. That or they are just putting all their resources to sets that have a movie/cartoon/tv series theme so they can prices those way higher to make more money than a basic house would cost.

Totally agree Jordan, I did have this set years ago but donated it. Am slowly trying to buy the Creator houses again to match my modular scale town, I have many of the old city houses but they are small like the later creator houses

I remember watching a Australian lego fan video of these lego houses and always wanted to own these 3 houses, the family home, hillside home and the appletree house set aswell. I ended up getting that family home and its probably the proudest thing I own and it costed around the same as these newer sets so it may have been a good build even if there's no furniture its just a cool design to have displayed

i wonder if it has to do with international marketability, because its a very distinct western look. some of the new creator houses look kinda square and doesn't really represent any particular construction style and i think that's on purpose.

The last awesome house set was the one from 2013. After that everything went back hill.

You mention switching to mils plates. What do you do for sets that have angles or curves in them. Think "Batcave Break-in 70909" or "Hall of Armor 76125". We started building Mils plates for a super-hero city and have come across several sets that have these curves or angles that won't press down on a plate. Thanks.

Oh rad going thru the list of the house set.s 😊👍 dident think of looking them up online. Thank for showing them all.most thos old house sets from 90 s to. But look so so good 3 in 1 pleas bring them back. I have the creator light house.set.

I bought the town house this week and I am looking into getting more. Love these houses and I wish LEGO would make more.

@bricksie The Modular sets 31067, 31068, and 31069 combine into a full 32x32 baseplate 3 story home - Dollhouse mind you, but pretty cool grouping.

hey, do you know anyone ever thought about the innes house on (carol avenue - strret with iconic style period buildings) as a lego build - it was the house used for charmed series i love some of the older house build sets that you spoke about - the scale difference is mad

I got the park street townhouse. I really think it’s looking really nice and detailed and it’s a perfect size and price. You can even fold it into one big house

I had the same thoughts- LEGO houses felt bigger and overall just better. I never did mind the lack of an interior- you can always add your own and it keeps the price down. Plus what I really wanted from a house was the mass and exterior look to build up my CITY!

I remember the old houses were great. The creator town house in particular was incredible. Then the log cabin came out, they got rid of the base plates, and slowly, the houses began to get smaller and smaller. Now I'm not sure what the market looks like. I haven't played with legos in a long time but I still have fond memories of those old sets.

Yeah I noticed this for a while - my last 3in1 was the Apple Tree House. I missed out on the ones before the Family Home (which imo was the most beautiful one). For whatever reason, Lego seems to prefer smaller sizes. My theory is: Cost. It probably costs more to make and package larger bricks, so it means they’ll have to charge more which means they might get less sales. They keep the same prices (if not jack up the prices a bit) reduce the cost of designing/packing the sets and boom

my brother once owned a 6372 (year 1982 model). Open back is very old tradition. The problem of Lego is rather struggle to find a middle point to sell product to kid and adult. Nowadays adult are offered the modular buildings, while kids are offered the city series which way too simplified for adult (e.g. 60291). 4956 from your video is from creator line so that every models from that line is one-off

Would be fun to transform the upside of the stranger things set into a Nice house for your city, its a really Nice build. Could even use the down side house and hang it under the table.

Seeing all these old Creator sets (particularly the 3 in 1 sets) reminded me of an online game where you would build up your city by buying and developing these sets through their various versions, all while defending them against storms and I think a dinosaur: fun times.

I think lego studied their market for houses like this and it's probably kids who value play features (open back buildings) over realism. Adults who actually build entire city must be a very small market i guess. And they can always use Mocs if they want to make a great city.

Fair criticism, this tendency applies to so many other type of builds/themes from Lego in the past couple years.

Yes! Great topic - 100% agree. Recently went out of my way to source a new copy of Hillside House as nothing they’ve done recently felt sufficiently substantial (i.e. not house-y enough!).

Completely agree with you Bricksie! Keep up the good work!

Lego used to make whole houses in their Creator series (the newer are possible to get as four walls too but like you say much smaller) and Lego City had houses with 3 full walls and the 4th wall open for play. I really miss that, as I don't really like the facades they give us now. I want real houses in my Lego city to work along side the modular buildings.

Tottally agree... miss those old big houses with backs.

You can always moc your own. Also the yellow beachside house I built in 2014 from common parts easily found.

Did you build onto 4 Privet Drive? It was built backwards in the set from the movie. And it’s not the whole house. Nice idea to add to it. I’ve thought of redoing it to flip the stairs.

I remember that among the first lego sets I've got was a large 3-in-1 creator log cabin

i was thinking about this the other day, as someone who is very new to lego and very broke, if i want a house i either have to moc it myself(not creative enough) or pay way too much money for an old discontinued set

One issue related to this is the way LEGO handles basic introductory sets. They used to create these sets for minifig scale builds. Back in the 80s I had a starter set with two figs and parts to build a basic MOC house. Starter sets today all emphasize micro builds. And it’s rare to get one with the right parts for any minifig scale construction. My kids just want to build houses and vehicles for their guys. Micro builds are just a waste of parts to them.

I totally agree! I want to build a lego town..I grew up in a little town in Wisconsin. Now those were some big old farmhouses. Come on Lego, we want the nostalgia of times gone by with all the new parts and pieces. By the way Jordan, love your channel!!! ❤❤❤❤

6:52 I remember getting this as a kid. Loved the set

the blue roof and red roof, and the yellow/black houses are CLASSICS. i miss these

I really miss these houses. I was a little kid back then so I couldn't really offered them, but I'm an adult now, and the sets we get today just aren't the same.

If LEGO made more houses similar to the Model Town House, Family Home, Family House and Hillside House I would buy them no question. Those sets were all great builds and great sources of parts. The general lack of an interior in these sets is a good thing since it means more of the budget can be allocated to making the build larger and to adding more details to the exterior.

There are some really nice houses in the Winter Village line, but of course, those are covered in snow, so they don't really fit other city sets.

I still remember my first big lego set was the 3-1 creator Family House with the dark red roof and blue garage. My mom took me to Toys R Us to get it. Good times.

I used to think all of LEGOs house's used to small and simple, but now seeing that Brickset list, they were soooo much bigger, and they look really nice! Especially the Town house and beach house!

I've been saying the SAME thing Jordan. I personally founded my collection on houses..they are my 'thing' but these days you have to buy 2 to 3 of the half baked sets to build something decent. Personally..I think Lego got greedy. They release stuff that's only barely facade knowing full well most of us want full or even mod style houses. They KNOW we will by duplicates. 😢im sooo happy I've been into lego for long enough that I was lucky enough to be in the time when we got awesome sets. Thank you for doing this topic!!!

100% agree, they could do so many different designs if they were bigger like the old days. Mansions, Family houses modern houses. Garages on the side maybe even a condo. But we just get these little houses now..

I like both, personally I think it's nice to have classic Town scaled sets, but keeping things in scale IS annoying...

I missed these! I lost interest in the Creator House line after the Family House set. The Apple Tree House was my first ever Lego set and one of my favorite house sets

I've just recently started buying Lego sets, and I am shocked that there isn't a big, detailed house or apartment block. I don't have the skill to create my own.

100% agree! This type of house would make awesome modifyable neighbourhoods or be a great part pack for MOC's...

It was my childhood dream to get the top left house from the thumbnail

I remember buying 4996 Beach House at Target back in the day, such a cool build to have

The apple tree house was one of my very first sets! So nostalgic. LEGO just doesn't make 'em like they used to...

Totally agree, I love the apple tree and the townhouse. With the current focus in the adult market, could this be the time for a revival? 🤔 Great video btw.

on the other hands we get more than one modular each year now considering other themes have modular compatible sets.

since 2017 with the 31067-31069 creator 3-1, that can be combine all 3 in 1 big house, dont remenber a big house looking good. feel like houses are in the top off old forgotten cabinet

I missed out on most of these before I started collecting again. They’re great and massable to create a quick neighbourhood

those houses just hit different it captivates the beauty of lego