If you plug the address of the Amityville house into your GPS today, you might actually end up in the wrong place. Or, more accurately, you might find the house but the numbers won't match the legends. It’s a weird bit of suburban history that most horror fans don't realize until they’re driving down the quiet, leafy streets of Long Island. The most famous haunted house in the world technically doesn't exist at its original coordinates anymore.
Well, the building is there. The land is there. But the identity? That was scrubbed away decades ago by neighbors who were tired of seeing "tourists" peeking through their hedges at 3:00 AM.
Honestly, the story of 112 Ocean Avenue is just as much about real estate and local frustration as it is about ghosts or the DeFeo murders. People expect a spooky, looming mansion with eye-shaped windows, but what they find is a very expensive, very beautiful piece of Dutch Colonial architecture in a high-end neighborhood. It’s a real place where real people try to live, eat breakfast, and mow their lawns while the rest of the world treats their front porch like a movie set.
Why the Address of the Amityville House Changed
Back in 1977, after the book became a massive hit and the movie was in development, the town of Amityville had a problem. The actual house was a magnet for every amateur ghost hunter in the tri-state area. Imagine trying to pull out of your driveway and seeing a busload of people taking selfies where a tragedy occurred. It was a nightmare for the residents.
So, they did the only thing they could think of to throw people off the scent. They changed the house number.
The original address of the Amityville house was 112 Ocean Avenue. Today, if you want to find that specific patch of dirt, you’re looking for 108 Ocean Avenue. It sounds like a small change, but in the pre-internet era, it actually worked for a little while. Of course, now we have Google Maps and satellite imagery, so the "secret" is pretty much out. But the change remains a symbol of the tension between the town’s quiet reality and its global infamy.
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It wasn't just the numbers that changed, either. The iconic "quarter-moon" windows—the ones that looked like glowing eyes in the movie posters—were replaced. Those windows are the single most recognizable feature of the "horror" version of the home. Current and past owners swapped them out for standard square windows to make the house look less like a face and more like, well, a house.
The Reality of 112 Ocean Avenue Today
Living at the most famous address of the Amityville house isn't cheap. Despite the "cursed" reputation, the property value has stayed remarkably high. Why? Because it’s a massive waterfront home with a boathouse in an upscale Long Island suburb. In the world of real estate, a gorgeous view of the Amityville River usually beats out a creepy story from the 70s.
The house has sold multiple times since the Lutz family fled in 1975. Interestingly, none of the subsequent owners have reported anything supernatural. James Cromarty, who bought the house directly after the Lutzes, lived there for a decade and famously said that nothing weird ever happened. He even sued the Lutzes and their publisher, claiming the "haunting" was a fabricated story that ruined his privacy.
When you look at the timeline, it’s pretty telling:
- 1974: The DeFeo family tragedy occurs.
- 1975: The Lutz family moves in and leaves after 28 days.
- 1977: The Cromartys buy it and stay for 10 years with zero "ghost" sightings.
- 1987 - Present: Multiple owners have lived in the house for long stretches.
One owner, David D'Antonio, bought the place for $950,000 back in 2010. He told local reporters that the only "haunting" he dealt with was the constant stream of people walking onto his lawn. People forget that this is a private residence. It’s not a museum. You can’t go inside. There are no tours. In fact, the local police are notorious for being very, very quick to ticket anyone idling too long in front of the gate.
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The Architecture vs. The Legend
People get confused because the house they see in the movies isn't the house at the address of the Amityville house. The 1979 film was actually shot in Toms River, New Jersey. The production team found a house that looked similar and—crucially—built those famous eye-shaped windows onto it.
The real house is a bit more compact than it looks on screen. It’s a 5,000-square-foot Dutch Colonial built in 1927. It’s got a gambrel roof, which is that classic "barn" shape, and it’s painted in soft, neutral tones these days. It looks welcoming. If you didn't know the history, you’d walk past it and think, "Wow, I wish I could afford that boat house."
The contrast is jarring. You have this history of a mass murder committed by Ronald DeFeo Jr. in 1974, followed by the Lutz family's claims of green slime and demonic pigs. Then you look at the actual physical structure, and it’s just a lovely home with high-end finishes. It’s a classic example of how a narrative can completely overshadow the physical reality of a location.
Navigating the Neighborhood
If you’re actually planning to drive by the address of the Amityville house, you need to be respectful. Amityville is a tight-knit community. They are fiercely protective of the current owners.
There are signs posted. There are cameras. If you stop your car in the middle of the road to take a picture, a neighbor will likely call it in. The town has tried for fifty years to distance itself from the "Horror" moniker. They even changed the official village seal at one point because people kept stealing things related to the movie.
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Basically, don't be that person.
The best way to "experience" the history isn't by trespassing at 108 Ocean Avenue. It’s by visiting the local library or the Amityville Historical Society. They have the actual records. They have the newspaper clippings from the DeFeo trial. That’s where the real story lives—not in the bushes of a private driveway.
Fact-Checking the "Curse"
It's worth noting that many of the most famous "facts" about the house were debunked during legal battles in the late 70s. William Weber, the defense attorney for Ronald DeFeo Jr., later admitted that he and the Lutzes "created this horror story over many bottles of wine." They were looking for a way to perhaps get a new trial for DeFeo or make some money.
Does that mean nothing happened? Who knows. The Lutzes went to their graves swearing it was all true. But every owner at that address for the last 40 years has said the same thing: The only scary thing about the house is the taxes.
Practical Steps for Interested Researchers
If you are looking into the address of the Amityville house for research, historical curiosity, or just because you’re a fan of the genre, here is how to do it without being a nuisance or getting misled by fake "paranormal" websites.
- Check the Property Records: Use the Suffolk County Clerk’s office online portal. You can see the actual deed history. It’s fascinating to see how the price has fluctuated based on the economy rather than the "ghosts."
- Use Historical Maps: Look for maps of Amityville from the early 1900s. You can see how the lot was originally laid out and how Ocean Avenue has developed over the last century.
- Differentiate the Houses: Remember that 112 Ocean Avenue is the real site, but the "movie house" from the 1979 original is in New Jersey, and the 2005 remake house is in Silver Lake, Wisconsin. Don't go to Long Island expecting to see the movie sets.
- Respect the Privacy: If you do visit the area, stay on public property. Do not cross fences. Do not block driveways. Treat the neighborhood with the same respect you’d want if you lived in a historic home.
The mystery of the Amityville house isn't about what’s inside the walls anymore. It’s about how a single month in 1975 managed to define a piece of real estate for half a century. Whether you believe in the supernatural or just like true crime history, the house remains a landmark of American folklore. Just remember: it's a home first, and a legend second.
To get the most accurate historical context, look for local archives rather than "ghost hunting" blogs. The Nassau and Suffolk County records provide the most objective look at the property's timeline and the legal proceedings that followed the events of the 1970s. Using these primary sources will give you a much clearer picture of why this specific address continues to fascinate the world.