It is just a house. Large, Dutch Colonial, sits right on the water in a quiet Long Island suburb. If you drove past it today, you might even think it looks cozy. But mention 108 Ocean Ave Amityville NY 11701 United States to anyone with a pulse and a Netflix subscription, and the reaction is immediate. People lean in. They want to know if the walls really bled or if the flies were actually a demonic infestation. Most of what you think you know is probably wrong, but the truth is actually weirder than the Hollywood version.
The real story didn't start with ghosts. It started with a tragedy that actually happened. On November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr. took a .35-caliber Marlin lever-action rifle and killed six members of his family while they slept. This isn't a "legend." It is a matter of public record. The victims were his parents and his four siblings. DeFeo later claimed he heard voices telling him to do it, a detail that provided the perfect soil for the supernatural frenzy that followed.
The Lutz Family and the Birth of a Franchise
A year after the murders, George and Kathy Lutz bought the property. They got it for a steal—$80,000—because, honestly, who wants to live in a mass murder site? They stayed for exactly 28 days. That less-than-a-month stay birthed a book by Jay Anson and a film franchise that has spanned decades.
They claimed the usual tropes. Green slime. Cold spots. A demonic pig named Jodie with glowing red eyes. While the Lutzes maintained their story until their deaths, the legal reality was much messier. William Weber, DeFeo’s defense attorney, eventually admitted that he and the Lutzes "created this horror story over many bottles of wine." They needed a way to explain DeFeo’s actions and perhaps a way for the Lutzes to get out of a mortgage they couldn't afford.
Does that mean nothing happened? Not necessarily. But when you look at the address 108 Ocean Ave Amityville NY 11701 United States today, the current owners aren't dealing with demons. They're dealing with tourists.
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Privacy, Renovation, and the Real Estate Reality
People forget that this is a private residence. It’s a home. Since the Lutzes fled in 1976, several families have lived there. None of them reported a single supernatural occurrence. James and Barbara Cromarty, who lived there for a decade after the Lutzes, even sued the publishers of the original book for harassment. Their biggest problem wasn't a ghost; it was people trespassing on their lawn to take photos of the famous "eye" windows.
Speaking of those windows—they’re gone.
To deter the endless stream of lookie-loos, the quarter-moon windows that looked like eyes were replaced with standard square ones. The house was even given a new address for a while—112 Ocean Avenue—to try and throw people off. It didn't work. The GPS coordinates for 108 Ocean Ave Amityville NY 11701 United States are etched into the brain of every true crime buff and paranormal enthusiast on the planet.
Current Market Value and Ownership
If you’re looking to buy, you’ll need deep pockets. The house sold in 2017 for about $605,000, which was actually below the asking price. It’s a beautiful 5,000-square-foot property with a boathouse and a heated pool. In any other neighborhood, it would be a multi-million dollar crown jewel. Here, it carries the "Amityville Tax." You get a discount for the history, but you pay for it in privacy.
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The interior has been completely gutted and modernized. There is no trace of the 1970s wallpaper or the dark wood paneling seen in the movies. It is bright, airy, and very "Hamptons-lite."
Why the Myth of 108 Ocean Ave Persists
Our brains hate a vacuum. We can't wrap our heads around why a young man would kill his entire family in their sleep without a "reason." The idea of a cursed house is, oddly enough, more comforting than the reality of human darkness. If the house is evil, then the people are just victims. If the house is just wood and nails, then the evil lived inside Ronald DeFeo Jr.
That is a much scarier thought for most people.
Researchers like Joe Nickell have pointed out the massive inconsistencies in the Lutz's story. For instance, they claimed the police were called because the front door was ripped off its hinges by a supernatural force. Police records from those dates show no such call. They claimed a secret room was found in the basement that wasn't on the blueprints. It was actually just a small space for the water heater.
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Navigating the Neighborhood Today
Amityville is a gorgeous, quiet village. The residents are, understandably, tired of the "Horror" label. If you visit, stay on the sidewalk. Don't block driveways. The local police are very efficient at ticketed visitors who overstay their welcome or cross onto private property.
The house at 108 Ocean Ave Amityville NY 11701 United States represents the intersection of American Gothic and the modern obsession with true crime. It's a reminder that once a story is out there, the facts don't really matter anymore. The "Amityville Horror" is a brand, a movie, a campfire tale—but for the people on Ocean Avenue, it's just the house next door with the nice lawn.
What to actually do if you're interested in the case:
- Read the trial transcripts: If you want the truth, look at the DeFeo trial, not the movie scripts. It’s a sobering look at mental health and family dynamics.
- Check the historical society: The Amityville Historical Society offers a much broader view of the town's history that has nothing to do with the murders.
- Respect the current residents: This cannot be stressed enough. It is a family home. Treat it with the same respect you'd want for your own front porch.
- Acknowledge the victims: Amidst the talk of ghosts and "Red Rooms," six people lost their lives. Visiting the cemetery nearby where the DeFeo family is buried is a far more grounded way to acknowledge the history than staring at a house's siding.
The real story of Amityville isn't about what happened in 28 days of hauntings. It’s about how a single tragedy was transformed into a permanent fixture of pop culture. The house remains standing, silent and renovated, while the world continues to project its fears onto its facade.
To truly understand the legacy of the property, one must separate the 1974 crime from the 1975 "haunting." The crime was a tragedy; the haunting was a phenomenon. One was built on evidence, the other on a very successful marketing campaign that blurred the lines between fiction and reality so well that, fifty years later, we are still talking about it.
If you find yourself in Suffolk County, enjoy the coastal views. Look at the architecture. But don't expect the house to talk back. It’s finished with that chapter.
Actionable Insight: If you are researching the property for real estate or historical purposes, use the local Suffolk County land records rather than paranormal forums. For those interested in the architectural history, the Dutch Colonial style of the home is a classic example of early 20th-century suburban design, which is often overshadowed by its infamy. Always verify the current zoning and privacy laws of the village of Amityville before planning a visit, as they have strict ordinances regarding "dark tourism."