'Amityville Horror' house up for sale

Have a love of haunted history and a cool $1.15 million to spare?  Then head out to Amityville in Long Island, NY, to buy the house where evil was a landlord (cue music)...

Built in 1927, the five-bedroom Dutch Colonial house, "set sideways" and located on a canal, is the site where Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered six family members in 1974. It is also the home where George Lutz and wife Kathleen lived.

After moving in in 1975, 28 days later (never a good number), the Lutzes moved out because of evil ghostly happenings in the building - which was also investigated by Ed and Lorraine Warren. The tale cemented the home's place as one of the most famous in modern paranormal pop culture, and was the basis for Jay Anson's 1977 book, The Amityville Horror: A True Story, along with the James Brolin and Margot Kidder movie in 1979 and the updated 2005 film starring Ryan Reynolds.

According to Newsday and Luxist, James Cromarty bought the house in 1977 after the bank foreclosed on it and lived there 10 years without incident. He and his wife sold the house in 1987 to Peter and Jeanne O'Neill and they sold the house in 1997 for $310,000 to the current owner.

The realtor's listing states the waterfront home is located on 108 Ocean Ave. - changed from the previous address of 112 Ocean Ave. to protect owners' privacy - has 3,600 square feet, 11 rooms, hardwood floors, a solarium and boathouse.

The realtor fails to mention the, shall we say, "colorful" history of the house and opts for a side view of the house. This front view, taken by me, is slightly more recognizable but still different from the forboding structure made famous in the movies. If you're considering purchasing this property, there's probably a huge "buyer beware" sticker attached, but there's been no word about supernatural activity in the home since the Lutzes left.

Finally, based on a personal visit, this is a gorgeous, quaint neighborhood that make bleeding walls almost worth it for this price.


Samantha S. said...

I would never!!!!!