How to Find Your Vintage Barbie Dream House

Like many little girls, Barbies were my obsession when I was young. I would spend hours playing with mine, and building elaborate doll houses for them out of cardboard boxes and whatever I could find (I used lots of washcloths for furniture, which frustrated my mom!). Then came Christmas of 1980: The Most Beautiful Barbie Dream house was mine - it was pink, and it had furniture, and it was all I had ever wanted. My love affair grew. This love of the Barbie and her many accessories has not changed as I've become an adult; it has become something new - a collection!

As a novice Barbie doll collector, I am always on the lookout for great old Barbies and her accessories. Many Barbies - along with her great houses, cars, and clothes - can be costly for the vintage collector. With some basic knowledge, however, and a keen eye for bargains, you can find the vintage Barbie Dream House of your dreams!

The first Barbie Dream House was produced in 1960, and was the home for the classic Ponytail Barbie and her friend, the updated Bubble Cut Barbie. As time went on, Barbie's house evolved to reflect the fashion of the day. The homes of the 60's were made of vinyl and plastic, and could be conveniently folded up into a lunch-box like structure for ease of carrying. In the 1970s, the Dream House moved to a pure plastic structure with movable parts (like doors and stairs), and some distinctly "1970s" furniture.

The best place to find these vintage Barbie Dream Homes is, without a doubt, on Ebay. The 1960s home can be found anywhere from $30 for a "well-loved" version all the way up to over $1000 for a Mint-In-condition house. The 1970s Dream Homes vary from $20 to over $1000. If you keep a careful eye on the current bids and scour the new listings, you can find the house you want for a price you can afford.

Another fantastic option - and slightly less popular than Ebay- is www.craigslist.org. With listings from cities all over the world, you can search the boards far and wide for exactly the home you desire. I've had great success on the San Francisco and Boston boards, especially in finding vintage Barbie Dream Houses from the 1970s.

With a careful eye and attention to current auctions and listings, you can easily find the vintage Barbie Dream House of your dreams!