Does anybody know whether the actual term "ticky-tacky" was previously used, or did Malvina Reynolds come up with it?
   Very interesting comment about those houses being castles to those who finally afforded them. I grew up in one such identical Cape Cod style early 50's development house. Kids don't care at all. I didn't realize that the houses were all designed the same until my early teens. Your eye goes for the differences...this one has a fence and that one has a shed in back. My parents still live there and when I look at them now the similarities are much more pronounced.   
    The message written above by Martin was so very true. My GI Bill financed school teacher father would have had to raise us in an inner city apartment if it wasn't for these mass produced houses. Still... one only has to listen to several Malvina Reynolds songs to know she was no snob. It's just so overly obvious to an outsider that the variety is missing.
   Mike in suburban CT, USA