If you like Dutch Colonials, try the Amityville Horror House

Looking for real estate? How does a six bedroom, three story, Dutch Colonial grab you? It also features a swimming pool and a boat house. The house is located in a small sleepy Long Island suburb. It’s only a few minutes from the beach and the Atlantic Ocean. It’s listed for a mere $ 1.15 million. We might also mention it is the Amityville Horror House.

Source for this article: If you like Dutch Colonials, try the Amityville Horror House

The Amityville Horror

The book, The Amityville Horror, and later the film, are about the experiences of George and Kathy Lutz and their children. They bought this Dutch Colonial house for rock bottom prices in 1976, after the house had been vacant for more than a year. The couple learned that the house was where Robert DeFeo Jr, shot and killed his parents and siblings. For a pithy $ 80,000 the Lutzes bought the place, knowing full well why it was so cheap. At that price, you would never have to worry about needing payday loans to keep up with the payments. But the Lutzes left the home with their children in less than a month in terror, claiming strange occurrences tantamount to either a haunting or demonic possession in the home.

Off to the movies

A book was written about the Lutzes and their experiences the year after they moved out. The book in question, The Amityville Horror, has come to be viewed as not-quite-accurate. That aside, a film was made in 1970, along with several sequels. A remake came out in 2005, starring Ryan Reynolds. Interestingly enough, after the Lutzes left in 1976, James Cromarty and his wife moved in the very next year, staying for more than 10 years. According to Cromarty, "Nothing weird ever happened, except for people coming by because of the book and the movie."

Killer home prices

You won’t read this on a National Association of Realtors bulletin, but houses where murders occur are quickly whipped into shape and put on the market at half the home’s value or less. The idea is to sell it quickly and quietly. You think I’m making this up? See for yourself at HousingWatch.com. The only thing you have to ask yourself is if you're alright with knowing someone met a grisly end in your living room.

Article resources

The Amityville Horror

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amityville_Horror

HousingWatch

http://www.housingwatch.com/2010/02/11/fate-of-a-murder-house/