Nyack is a weirdly beautiful place. If you've ever walked down Broadway or grabbed a coffee on Main Street, you know the vibe—Victorian architecture, views of the Hudson River, and that specific brand of Rockland County charm that feels like a movie set. But for anyone obsessed with the paranormal or real estate law, there is one specific building that defines the town. It isn't a seasonal attraction with strobe lights and teenagers in masks. No, the haunted house in Nyack NY is a private residence at 1 Laveta Place that actually forced the New York Supreme Court to decide whether ghosts exist in the eyes of the law.
People call it the "Ghostbusters" house.
Seriously.
It's a gorgeous, Queen Anne-style Victorian. It has that classic "creepy" silhouette—gables, a wrap-around porch, and an imposing presence overlooking the water. But the story isn't about jump scares. It is a story about a woman named Helen Ackley, a skeptical buyer named Jeffrey Stambovsky, and a legal ruling that sounds like it was written by a screenwriter on a fever dream.
The Ghostly History of 1 Laveta Place
Helen Ackley lived in that house for roughly twenty years, starting in the 1960s. Here is the thing: she didn't just think the house was haunted; she was proud of it. She told everyone. She told Reader's Digest. She told the local newspapers. According to Ackley, the house was home to at least three spirits from the Revolutionary War era. She described them as "poltergeists" but insisted they were mostly peaceful, even if they had a habit of waking her children up by shaking their beds.
One ghost was reportedly a man in a pointed hat who would sit on the edge of the bed and watch her daughter sleep. Another was an old woman. Ackley claimed she used to talk to them. She’d even leave out gifts or ask them for favors. It sounds charmingly eccentric until you try to sell the place to someone who doesn't want roommates from the 18th century.
In 1989, Jeffrey Stambovsky, a guy from New York City, put down a $32,500 deposit on the house. He wasn't from Nyack. He hadn't read the Reader's Digest articles. He didn't know the house had a "reputation." When he eventually found out about the local legend, he freaked out. He sued to get his deposit back and rescind the contract, arguing that the house was "spiritually infested."
Why the Courts Actually Listened
Normally, New York follows a rule called caveat emptor. Basically: Buyer Beware. The seller doesn't have to tell you if the roof leaks or if the basement floods unless you ask. But the haunted house in Nyack NY case, known legally as Stambovsky v. Ackley, changed that for one very specific reason.
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Because Helen Ackley had spent decades telling the public the house was haunted, the court ruled she had "estopped" herself from denying it. You can't spend 20 years bragging about ghosts to the media and then suddenly tell a buyer, "Ghosts? What ghosts? I never said that."
The appellate court’s 1991 decision is legendary. Justice Edward Wallach wrote the opinion, and he clearly had a blast doing it. He used phrases like "as a matter of law, the house is haunted." He even made a pun about the buyer being "delivered from the jaws of a dilemma."
The court didn't actually rule that ghosts are real. They aren't ghost hunters. What they ruled was that since the reputation of the house being haunted was so widespread, it affected the value of the property and the ability to resell it. Therefore, the seller had a duty to disclose it. To this day, it is a staple case in every first-year law school property class in America.
Living With the Legacy of the Nyack Ghost House
If you drive by 1 Laveta Place today, it looks peaceful. It’s a private home, so don't go knocking on the door or trespassing on the lawn. The current and past owners since the Ackleys have generally kept a lower profile regarding any "extra" inhabitants. Some say the ghosts left when Helen died in 2003. Others think the spirits were just attached to her specifically.
Nyack itself has a lot of "vibe." The town was founded in the late 1600s, and when you have that much history, you’re bound to have some residual energy. But the haunted house in Nyack NY is the only one that can claim to be "legally haunted."
It’s a weird distinction.
Think about it: a court of law, which usually deals in cold hard evidence and DNA, had to acknowledge the existence of a supernatural reputation.
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The Neighborhood Context
Beyond 1 Laveta Place, Nyack has other spooky ties. The famous director of The Omen, Richard Donner, lived in the area. Carson McCullers, the famous gothic novelist, lived here too. There is something about the fog rolling off the Tappan Zee (I refuse to call it the Cuomo Bridge) that makes you look twice at the shadows in those old Victorian windows.
If you're looking for a thrill, the "Ghosthouse" isn't a commercial haunt. You can't buy a ticket. You can't go inside. But you can walk the public sidewalk nearby and feel that specific chill that comes from knowing you're standing near a piece of legal and paranormal history.
Most people who live in Nyack take it in stride. They love the house because it's beautiful, not because of the court case. The architecture alone is worth the trip. It has those ornate "gingerbread" trimmings and a turret that looks like it belongs in a dark fairy tale.
What This Means for Real Estate Today
The Stambovsky case created what we now call "stigmatized property" laws. In many states, you don't have to disclose if someone died in a house or if it's supposedly haunted. But because of this one house in Nyack, if a seller creates a "reputation" for a property that lowers its value, they might be on the hook.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a double-edged sword. For some, a haunted reputation is a selling point. There are people who specifically seek out "spiritually active" homes. They want the bumps in the night. But for someone like Stambovsky, who just wanted a quiet house by the river, it was a nightmare.
Misconceptions About 1 Laveta Place
- Is it a museum? No. It's a residence. Please be respectful.
- Can you stay there? No, it’s not an Airbnb.
- Was it in the Ghostbusters movie? No, that’s just a nickname people gave it because of the lawsuit.
- Are the ghosts still there? Depends on who you ask. Most recent owners haven't reported Revolutionary soldiers shaking their beds, but who knows?
The house sold most recently in the last decade or so for a significant sum. It turns out that being "legally haunted" doesn't hurt the price as much as the 1991 court thought it might—at least not in the red-hot New York suburban market. People will put up with a lot for a Hudson view, even the occasional man in a pointed hat.
Practical Steps for Exploring Nyack’s Spooky Side
If you are heading to Rockland County to see the haunted house in Nyack NY, don't just stop at Laveta Place. You should make a whole day of it because the town is dense with history.
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- Oak Hill Cemetery: This is where many of Nyack’s famous residents are buried, including Edward Hopper. It’s incredibly atmospheric and offers some of the best views of the river.
- The Edward Hopper House Museum: While not "haunted" in the traditional sense, Hopper’s work is famously "lonely" and "haunting." Seeing where he grew up helps you understand the light and shadows of the town.
- Edward S. Pierson Home: Another massive Victorian that looks like it has stories to tell.
- Nyack Ghost Tours: During the fall, local historians often run walking tours. These are your best bet for hearing the gritty details that don't make it into the legal briefs.
If you are a prospective homebuyer in New York, the takeaway from the Nyack ghost house is simple: do your Google searches. If a house has been featured in a national magazine for having poltergeists, your home inspector probably won't find them, but the local library will.
Real estate is about more than square footage and property taxes. Sometimes, it's about the stories that stick to the walls. Whether you believe in ghosts or just believe in the law, 1 Laveta Place stands as a monument to the idea that some things can't be explained away—even by a judge.
Check the local archives at the Nyack Library if you want to see the original news clippings from the 70s and 80s. They have a fantastic local history room where you can see the actual photos of Helen Ackley in the house. It makes the whole thing feel much more real and much less like an urban legend.
The haunted house in Nyack NY remains a private sanctuary, a legal landmark, and a reminder that sometimes, the things we say about our homes have a life of their own.
To dive deeper into the legal side, you can look up the full text of Stambovsky v. Ackley, 169 A.D.2d 254 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991). It is genuinely one of the most entertaining legal documents ever written. For the paranormal side, look for the May 1977 issue of Reader's Digest, which features Ackley’s own account of her supernatural roommates.
If you're visiting, park near Memorial Park and walk up towards Laveta. It’s a short, hilly walk. You’ll see why people have been obsessed with this patch of land for over a century. The river is wide, the trees are old, and the houses... well, the houses have memories.
Keep your eyes on the windows. You might not see a Revolutionary soldier, but you’ll definitely see why this house became the center of a legal storm that still hasn't fully quieted down.
Drive safe, respect the neighbors, and maybe don't mention "Ghostbusters" too loudly while you're standing on the sidewalk. Some things are better left undisturbed.