Deep Creek Lake Real Estate Blog - Jay Ferguson

Deep Creek Lake Real Estate Blog - Jay Ferguson
EVERYTHING under the sun about Deep Creek Lake, Maryland! Deep Creek Lake Real Estate Information, Local News & Happenings in Garrett County Maryland, Current Events, Local Business Profiles, Upcoming Attractions, Vacation Rentals, Resort Realty, Community Profiles, Homes for Sale, Restaurants & Dining, Entertainment Schedules, Festivals & Gatherings, Churches & Charities, Wisp Ski & Golf Resort, Swallow Falls State Park, Youghiogheny & Casselman River, Garrett County Fair & more!

Friday, April 30, 2010

Lawmakers, DNR secretary to meet about alcohol ban

Kevin Spradlin
Cumberland Times-News



CUMBERLAND — Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary John Griffin is expected to meet with local lawmakers to discuss the recent ban of alcohol in state forests.

The issue has sparked emotions from tourists, government officials and business owners alike. Chief concerns include the lack of public notice and the fact that only a handful of people are causing trouble. Why punish everyone by preventing hunters, fishermen and other recreational enthusiasts from enjoying a cold adult beverage in a responsible manner?

Delegate Kevin Kelly said Griffin is coordinating a time to meet with the District 1 legislative delegation to Annapolis. That meeting is not yet scheduled but, Kelly said, will be a public meeting. However, Kelly said the ban “makes some sense.”

He said top officials within the Natural Resources Police, the agency charged with enforcing DNR policies, have cited concerns for the safety of their 25 law enforcement officers who operate in Allegany and Garrett counties.

“Manpower is down because of budget cuts,” Kelly said. “That’s not a lot of police officers. There are very few officers for the amount of territory which they have to cover.”

A lone officer who comes upon a rowdy, alcohol-imbibed group of visitors is outnumbered and can be a safety issue, Kelly said.

About one-quarter of land in Allegany County is owned by state government. Garrett County has more than 84,100 acres of publicly owned land — more than any jurisdiction in the state. Combined, the two counties have about 83 percent of the state’s 138,288 acres of state forest.

Kelly said when DNR made a similar ban at state parks in 2009, there was not much feedback on the issue and seemed taken aback by the controversy sparked by the expansion of the alcohol ban. Kelly said NRP officials said the new policy is similar to adjoining states but did not immediately have specifics available.

The Allegany County Board of Commissioners took up the issue at the end of its Thursday public meeting. Commissioner Dale Lewis asked his two colleagues to draft a letter to Griffin, Gov. Martin O’Malley and local lawmakers to notify them of their discontent over the issue.

“If they’re gonna put off limits to people who want to have a social beer at night around a campfire or after a day of deer hunting ... I think that’s wrong,” Lewis said. “I think we have to let them know that (and) ask them to consider rescinding or reconsider.”

As for officers’ safety, “I would like to know how many tickets they gave to somebody actually drinking in the (forests),” Lewis said.

Sgt. Art Windemuth of the Maryland Natural Resources Police has previously told the Times-News that in 2009, officers dealt with 12 incidents in Savage River State Forest and 59 incidents in Green Ridge State Forest that were classified as criminal and/or alcohol. A breakdown of solely alcohol-related incidents was not available.

Commissioner Jim Stakem agreed and said existing law and policy on unruly behavior should be sufficient.

“If somebody’s misbehaving, you remove them,” Stakem said.

Stakem said it’s been the No. 1 issue mentioned to him in recent weeks and that he empathizes with critics of the policy even though “I don’t fish ... I don’t do that sort of thing, but a lot of people do. I fully support a letter.”

Commissioner Bob Hutcheson didn’t address the alcohol ban directly but said he was “concerned about timing and the lack of notice. I think it was the wrong approach.”

Stakem said the manner in which the policy was implemented was “under the table.”

“Talk about transparent government,” Stakem quipped. “That’s an abuse right there. I don’t care who hears it. I think we should be very strong on our request.”

Kelly agreed with Hutcheson about the approach DNR took to implement the policy.

“It should have been handled differently,” Kelly said, “no question about it.”


If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

National Resource Police officer honored for Deep Creek rescue

From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News

SWANTON — A Maryland Natural Resources Police corporal was honored recently by the agency for his rescue of a man from Deep Creek Lake while on patrol Aug. 1.

Cpl. Jeffrey Sweitzer was presented a certificate of merit “in recognition of his dedication and professionalism while performing above and beyond the call of duty in a life-threatening situation,” according to an NRP spokesman.

Sweitzer was patrolling the Holy Cross area of the lake after midnight when he observed a vessel traveling at a high rate of speed that passed very close to another vessel that was stationary. Sweitzer attempted to pursue the speeding vessel, but the speed and restricted visibility on the lake prohibited him, so he proceeded slowly in the direction that the vessel was headed.

After he had reduced the speed of his vessel, Sweitzer heard a person calling for help. He located a person in the water who was intoxicated, disoriented and not wearing a personal flotation device.

When safely aboard Sweitzer’s vessel, the unidentified victim advised that he had just fallen off the family’s vessel, but he was unable to provide the address of the residence.

When the vessel failed to return to the location where the person was found and contact with the Garrett County 911 center with the name of the rescued person yielded no reports for assistance, Sweitzer continued to patrol in the direction of the vessel.

Eventually, the person’s residence was located, his family was contacted and the operator of the vessel was charged with negligent operation. Nine other passengers aboard the vessel were unaware that the victim had fallen overboard.

Sweitzer was honored during a ceremony recently in Annapolis.

Also honored were officers of Western Region Area 8, District 6, including Cpl. Harold Cage (Flintstone); Cpl. James Clise (Lonaconing); Cpl. Michael Friend (Friendsville); Officer Gary Crowe (Mount Savage); Officer Curt Dieterle (Rawlings); Officer James Satterfield (Frostburg); Officer Angela Englehart (Big Poole); Sgt. Michael Kueberth (LaVale); Cpl. Jeffrey Herndon (Clear Spring) and Lt. Bradley Stafford (LaVale).

All the officers were cited for “outstanding performance and dedication above and beyond the call of duty in a specific situation or incident.”

Cage was also promoted to sergeant of Garrett County.



If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

SHS Students Attending Classes At Cinemas During Mercury Clean-Up

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Apr. 29, 2010

Southern Set To Reopen Monday

The clean-up of mercury at Southern High School is nearing completion, with the school system expecting to reoccupy the building on Monday morning, according to a report issued this morning by the Garrett County Health Department.

Mercury was inadvertently released on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 21, and the school was closed immediately for the decontamination process. As of Tuesday of this week, the 863 students and 87 staff members have been holding classes at Garrett 8 Cinemas in McHenry.

With the exception of the auto shop area of the high school building, mercury has been removed in all areas of the school to below targeted levels set by state and federal officials, according to Rodney Glotfelty, county health officer. This target level was set at 50 times less than the federal regulatory limit for long term workplace exposure.

"The verification of the removal of mercury to these exceptionally low levels provides assurance that children and staff can safely re-enter the school environment," Glotfelty said.

The Maryland Department of Environment (MDE), Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Garrett County Health Department are all in agreement that upon receipt of confirmatory laboratory results this morning, the school is now ready for resumption of classes and activities.

Read the rest here
If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Myers Inducted Into Chamber Hall Of Fame

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Apr. 29, 2010

Karen Myers, president of Recreational Industries Inc., the firm which owns and operates Wisp Resort, and president of Mountaineer Log & Siding Company Inc., was one of three Marylanders formally inducted last night into the Maryland Chamber of Commerce's Maryland Business Hall of Fame. The ceremony was held at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport and attended by an estimated 500 of the state's top business leaders.
Myers is the first Western Maryland business leader to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, which now includes 32 members. The Hall of Fame was established to recognize entrepreneurs and business executives whose contributions have helped advance the quality of life for Marylanders and improve the state's business climate.

Myers, who represents the 10th generation of her family in Garrett County, is a member of a number of boards and organizations, including the Garrett Lakes Arts Festival, Garrett County Board of Realtors, Garrett County Development Corporation, and Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, on most of which she has served as a director and/or officer. She was twice named to the Daily Record's Maryland's Top 100 Women, and was selected Garrett County Woman of the year and Garrett County Employer of the Year. She is an active member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Oakland, and of the Garrett Community Concert Band.

"It is my high honor to accept this recognition on behalf of my partners at Wisp, Steve Richards and Gary Daum; the Wisp management team; and our 125 year-round employees and 700 seasonal employees," Myers said in her acceptance speech. "We're in the 'fun' business, and it is our goal to generate smiles on [the faces of] each of our customers. It is not a one-person show; it is a team…

Read the rest here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Hearing Slated For Land Development Ordinances Drafts

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Apr. 29, 2010

The Board of Garrett County Commissioners will conduct a public hearing concerning proposed revisions to three principal land development ordinances on Saturday, May 8, at 9 a.m. in the Garrett College auditorium. All interested citizens are invited.

The proposed revisions would affect the Deep Creek Watershed Zoning, Garrett County Subdivision, and Garrett County Sensitive Areas ordinances.

The Garrett County Department of Planning and Land Development released initial preliminary drafts of these three ordinances for public review on Sept. 29, 2009.


Deep Creek Watershed Zoning Ordinance

1. New zoning districts are proposed: Agricultural Resource (AR), Rural Resource (RR), and Lake Residential–2 (LR-2) are new districts intended to preserve rural character and conserve natural resources by limiting residential development to a relatively low average density.

New standards for subdivisions in the AR and RR districts are proposed using either a cluster or non-cluster option with incentives to promote cluster subdivision. The Rural Development (RD) district is proposed to be eliminated.

2. A Scenic Protection Overlay District is proposed for those areas identified as "crestlines" on the proposed zoning map. This provision is intended to preserve the scenic views of the ridge tops and crest lines surrounding Deep Creek Lake. Requirements for retaining and planting trees on the sides and rear of structures when viewed from the lake and shoreline are proposed.

3. Architectural standards for non-residential structures in the Town Center (TC), Town Residential (TR), and General Commercial (GC) zoning districts for metal buildings are proposed.

4. Provisions, including setbacks, for domestic, agricultural, and industrial wind energy devices are proposed.

5. New setbacks for drilling for natural gas are proposed.

6. New provisions for nonconforming structures and grandfathered non-conforming lots are proposed.

Garrett County

Subdivision Ordinance

1. The AR and RR land classifications are proposed to be expanded, and new standards for subdivisions in these areas are proposed using either a cluster or noncluster option with incentives to promote cluster subdivision.

2. A provision that would allow the Planning Commission to require a traffic impact study for major subdivisions is proposed.

3. A provision to retain trees and other vegetative cover for new subdivisions abutting scenic byways is proposed.

4. Provisions to delineate the boundaries of any wetlands or Source Water Protection Areas on subdivision plans are proposed.

Garrett County Sensitive Areas Ordinance

1. Provisions to protect Source Water Protection Areas are proposed.

2. A provision to limit the exemption from the steep slope requirements to lots of record that are less than four acres is proposed.

3. A provision to prevent construction of buildings on man-made slopes exceeding 30% grade is proposed.

4. A provision to use the Maryland Sensitive Species Project Review Areas map as the indicator for referring applicants to Department of Natural Resources is proposed.

Read the rest here.


If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

GC Commissioners Hold Staff Mtg.; Health Officer Reviews SHS Incident

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Apr. 29, 2010


The Garrett County commissioners held a staff meeting on Tuesday, hearing reports from leaders of 15 county departments and agencies. Topics reviewed included the Southern High School mercury incident, snow removal statistics, early voting, alcohol sales compliance checks, and wind turbine construction.

Health Department

Health officer Rodney Glotfetly reported that cooperation and preparation are playing key roles in the successful handling of the mercury release problem at Southern High School. The incident occurred last Wednesday.

Glotfelty said the Health Department would not have been able to respond to the incident if it had not spent some of its federal emergency preparedness funding to train Craig Umble. The training has enabled the environmental sanitarian to handle situations involving hazardous materials, such as mercury, and other environmental emergencies.

"We had great confidence when it was reported to us that there had been a possible mercury incident out at the school, that we could send Craig out and that he could assess the situation, get the area quarantined as fast as possible, and do whatever else we needed to manage the incident," Glotfelty said.

Read the rest here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Progress being made in Oakland at Dairy Queen


Not long ago, Greg Mortimer, the builder of the Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, informed me that they are expecting to open in mid-May. You can tell from the photo that there has been significant progress since that last photo I posted.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Consumer Protection Division Orders Garrett County Home Builder to Pay Over $500,000 in Restitution, Damages and Penalties

April 27, 2010
by Maryland RealEstateRama

Category: News || Housing & Development | BALTIMORE, MD - April 27, 2010 -(RealEstateRama) —

Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that his Consumer Protection Division has issued a final order requiring Deise Custom Homes, LLC and its principal to pay more than $480,000 to consumers and penalties of $34,000. The Division found that Richard E. Deise, Jr., and his company, Deise Custom Homes, violated Maryland’s Custom Home Protection Act and New Home Deposit Act by failing to place or maintain money paid by consumers into an escrow account or having a surety bond to cover the deposits and payments. The Division also found that Deise and his company violated the Home Builder Registration Act and the Consumer Protection Act by failing to build homes as promised.
The Division found that Deise and his company collected substantial deposits and payments from at least four families toward the construction of new homes in Garrett County, then failed to protect those payments as required by Maryland law, failed to complete construction of the homes, and failed to pay refunds to any of the consumers. The order bars Deise and Deise Custom Homes from acting as a home builder in the State of Maryland unless they meet requirements set by the Division, and requires payment of $384,835 in restitution, $99,903 in damages, $34,000 in civil penalties, and $7,926 in costs.

“Before paying any money towards the construction of a new home, consumers need to protect the biggest investment of their lifetime by ensuring that their home is being built by a registered home builder and that any deposits they make are protected by an escrow account, bond, or letter of credit,” said Attorney General Gansler.

Home builders are required to give consumers a pamphlet prepared by the Office of Attorney General that discusses consumers’ rights under the law and steps consumers can take to protect themselves. New home buyers are encouraged to check whether their builder is registered by contacting the Division’s Home Builder Registration Unit at (410) 576-6573 or toll-free at (877) 259-4525, or by visiting the Attorney General’s website at www.oag.state.md.us/homebuilder.

Read more here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

State parks ban on alcohol hurting tourism? - Baltimore Sun blog

Baltimore Sun Photo of Deep Creek State Park

Tourism officials in Allegany County, home of Dans Mountain and Rocky Gap state parks, are saying that Maryland's recent ban on alcohol at state parks could be keeping tourists away from the area. As of last November, "the consumption, or possession of an open container, of an alcoholic beverage is prohibited" in all state park areas, including campgrounds. Ouch. Full-service cabins are exempt as are motor homes. However, park-goers can apply for a $35 alcohol permit from the park manager for special events. So, that's that. And I'm guessing that could put a little damper on day trips to the park. Still, I can legally drink a beer at Assateague Island National Seashore, a national park, but if I go next door to the state park area, I'll be in trouble. Hmmm. That's...troubling.

Read the rest here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Ten Oddly Named Small Town Travel Destinations - sawfnews.com

Accident, Maryland. Photo Credit: Garrett County Chamber of Commerce

Accident, Maryland
Accident is a town in Garrett County, Maryland, United States. The population was 353 at the 2000 census.

A person from Accident is called an "Accidental".

The town of Accident is located near Deep Creek Lake in northern Garrett County, the westernmost county of Maryland.

The unusual name of the town has an interesting story.

In 1750 King George II of England paid off a debt to George Deakins by giving him 600 acres of land in western Maryland.

To make the best of the opportunity, Deakins dispatched two independent survey teams to scout for the most promising land in that section of Maryland. When the teams returned it was discovered that they had marked the exact same 600 acres, even starting with the same oak tree.

A delighted Mr. Deakins had the location patented as "The Accident Tract."

The town is best known for The Drane House, which was constructed circa 1800 by James Drane, the first permanent settler in the Accident area.

Located on a high ground to the east of the town, approximately 150 yards from the Accident-Bittinger Road and one-half mile east of U.S. Route 219, it is believed to be the oldest standing structure in Garrett County.

The Drane House was purchased by the Town of Accident in 1987, reconstructed and preserved on the original site, and dedicated in 1994.

Recreational activities such as rafting and climbing programs from Adventure Sports Center International offer a more varied experience.

Read the rest here.



If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Monday, April 26, 2010

Community Action Awarded $50,000 "EmPower" Grant

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Apr. 22, 2010

Gov. Martin O'Malley announced last Wednesday that Garrett County Community Action was among the recipients for round one of the "EmPower Clean Energy Communities" grant program. The initiative helps local governments and nonprofits fund energy efficiency projects specifically for low to moderate income Marylanders.
Community Action will use its $50,000 grant to help purchase energy efficient appliances for a new 36 unit housing development currently being constructed in Oakland called Liberty Mews.

The EmPower grants, overseen by the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA), are providing a total of over $3 million this fiscal year, broken into two rounds, to local governments and nonprofits across Maryland. The first round of these funds will be used to perform energy makeovers to save money for at an estimated 1,000 low and moderate income Maryland families.

O'Malley also announced the start of round two for additional counties who did not exhaust their available funding for projects in round one.

"These grants are an example of exactly the type of efficiency projects we had intended for Maryland communities and families when we entered into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the nation's first multi-state collaborative carbon cap-and-trade program," said O'Malley. "These grants are another step forward in our goal to make Maryland's future cleaner, greener, and more sustainable for all our citizens."

Approximately $2 million in grants are being awarded in round one to a wide variety of projects that are expected to jumpstart energy savings and decrease monthly electricity bills. The MEA is providing a total of 24 grants to 13 Maryland counties in round one, with projects ranging from an energy efficiency retrofit of the Annapolis Boys and Girls Club building in the St. Ambrose Senior Community in Baltimore City, to supporting the efforts of the National Association of American Veterans to weatherize homes of low to moderate income veterans in Prince George's County.

"The Maryland Energy Administration is thrilled to be able to help hundreds of Maryland families reduce their energy bills with investments in their homes that will save them money today and for years to come," said MEA director Malcolm Woolf. "This marks yet another big step forward in meeting Governor O'Malley’s EmPower Maryland goal of 15 percent reduced energy consumption by 2015."

Read the rest of the article here.


If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Ground Broken For Community Athletic Recreation Center

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Numerous officials were on hand Wednesday to celebrate the groundbreaking for the Garrett College Community Athletic and Recreation Center (CARC) on the McHenry campus. The $23 million complex will house two swimming pools and a physical therapy facility run by Garrett County Memorial Hospital, plus a gymnasium with event seating for 2,000 people. The first phase, which is the 32,000-square-foot aquatics center, is to be completed by the fall of 2011. The gymnasium will be in phase two. Senator George Edwards, one of yesterday's guest speakers, was instrumental in securing $17 million from the state of Maryland for the project. The remaining funds are being provided by the county.

The county commissioners initially voted against the project, but reversed that decision after both an outcry from several thousand residents, and a reworking of the funding plan accomplished by college officials. Pictured at the event, from left, are Edwards; Jerry Zimmerman (who helped rework the funding plan); Commissioner Ernie Gregg; Josephine Gilman (who worked with Zimmerman); Dr. Jeanne Neff, interim president of Garrett College; Dusty Huxford, community partner, Manta Ray Swim League; Wendell Teets, superintendent of Garrett County schools; Linda Sherbin, chairperson of the Garrett College board of trustees; Don Battista, president/CEO of Garrett County Memorial Hospital; Catherine Patterson, GC student representative; David Whale, Grimm Parker Architects; Delegate Wendell Beitzel; Commissioner Fred Holliday; and Chuck Hess, CEO of Hess Construction. Click on the photo to see a conceptual drawing of the new facility, and to view a video of part of the ceremony. Photo by John McEwen.



See the video of the ceremony here (Video Glenn Tolbert).


If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

County Commissioners Hold Constant Yield Hearing, Propose $.99 Tax Rate

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The Garrett County commissioners held a constant yield hearing Tuesday morning in their public meeting room at the courthouse in Oakland. Eight members of the general public attended the event.

Garrett County Department of Financial Services director Wendy Yoder explained that the constant yield rate is calculated by the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation for each taxing authority in the state. It represents the real property tax rate for the coming fiscal year that will generate the same amount of tax revenue that was garnered during the current year.

"As assessments increase, the constant yield tax rate decreases," Yoder said. "When a tax authority plans to impose a real property tax rate that is higher than the constant yield tax rate, that taxing authority must advertise the tax increase and hold a public hearing."

The commissioners are proposing to maintain the current property tax rate of $.99 per $100 of assessment in Fiscal Year 2011. At that rate, the county expects to realize a 5 percent increase, or about $2.2 million, in additional revenue in FY '11.

If the county wanted to maintain the same amount of revenue in FY '11 as it did in FY '10, the property tax rate/constant yield rate would be $.9433.

Yoder noted that the county's assessable base is expected to increase by about $211,416,000 in the coming fiscal year. Local property owner Charles Mills asked if this included new home construction. Yoder said it did not.

Mills noted, therefore, that the county probably will see more than a 5 percent increase in revenue next year. He also noted that taxes for his Deep Creek Lake property have gone up 300 percent in the last 10 years alone.

Mills acknowledged that the property probably has increased in value, but questioned the dramatic increase in taxes.

"That's a very large percentage per year over a 10-year period," he said. "I have no idea where the money went."

Mills said he was having a tough time figuring out where the 30 percent increase a year in revenue is going.

Read the rest here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Friday, April 23, 2010

Karen Myers offers Wisp Resort & Lodestone Update @ Railey Realty


Karen Myers was one of our guests at this week's Railey Realty sales meeting. I worked with Karen when I first got into the real estate business in 2000. She is a WEALTH of information and one of the most creative entrepreneurs that I have met. In case you did not know, she is one of the owners of Wisp Ski & Golf Resort, Mountaineer Log & Siding, and is a partner in DC Development, which is developing Marsh Mountain & the Lodestone Golf Course.

She shared a multitude of information with us, and here are some bullet points:
  • Wisp Ski Resort was profitable in July & August of 2009 - it's very difficult for a ski season to remain profitable in the summer months. She also mentioned that Wisp is the 6th largest employer in all of Garrett County, with approx. 125 full time employees. During the winter months, that number swells to a staggering 750 employees!
  • The Lakeside Club is operational on Deep Creek Drive. 'Re-callable' memberships are available for $37,500. This basically gets you a 'country club style' setting on the lake, offering lake access, kids play area, showers & mens/womens locker rooms, swimming, dining & drinks.
  • The Lodestone golf course will be opening in June. All 18 holes will be playable. Hale Irwin will be here July 10, 2010, for a sort of grand opening. The course is intended to be private, but they are offering 'trial use' memberships starting at $2,000 for the season. (Check with them for specific rates/packages). She also mentioned that the large amount of snow that we got this year helped the golf course grass to grow in much better than they expected.
  • Customers interested in real estate at Wisp Resort, or vacation rental guests are permitted to play the course for $125, and Wisp Golf Club members are offered a chance to play M-Th for $100.
  • Plans still exist for a 'Mountain Top Village' surrounding the ASCI whitewater course on top of Marsh Mountain. The plan is to have commercial shops and more dining options for vacationers, locals and skiers.
  • She also mentioned an exciting new addition to the Wisp Outdoor Center, but swore me to secrecy - stay tuned, it sounds exciting!
Some interesting trivia that she shared with us: DC Development has developed a total of 540 lots since 1994. Exactly 1/3 of those are built on. Imagine the total tax base that number has added to the county coffers?

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Deep Creek Lake Maryland Real Estate Sales, Homes For Sale, Water Front, Ski-in / Ski-Out – Jay Ferguson - Railey Realty – Garrett County

EASIEST real estate search engine to use, and the best listings in Garrett County & Deep Creek Lake, courtesy of Railey Realty:

Deep Creek Lake Maryland Real Estate Sales, Homes For Sale, Water Front, Ski-in / Ski-Out – Jay Ferguson - Railey Realty – Garrett County

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

New home sales in March rocket past expectations - Washington Post

New homes sales in March shot up 27 percent from their record lows in the previous month, as home buyers rushed to take advantage of the government's purchase credit before it expires at the end of this month.

Sales rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 411,000, the biggest monthly jump in 47 years and the strongest month since July, the Commerce Department said this morning.

The sales figure blew past forecasters' estimates, which expected an annual sales rate of 330,000.

The other good news is that the median sales price of a new home rose slightly compared with last year, up 4 percent to $214,000.

The downside to this good news is that the housing market remains in distortion, thanks to the continued government incentives. We won't get a clean number on home sales until June, because May will be the first month when homes are sold without any sort of government incentives (assuming that Congress does not extend the credit again).

Read the rest here:
Economy Watch - New home sales in March rocket past expectations

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Thursday, April 22, 2010

Ski Harbor at Deep Creek Lake - Community Profile


Ski Harbor is a lakefront condo & townhouse community at Deep Creek Lake. One of the coolest features of this community is the land it sits on - a 1,200+ feet peninsula on the shores of Deep Creek Lake. You can always find a quiet spot to sit and read, picnic or just think. Lots of different amenities: indoor swimming pool, sauna, tennis court, beach volleyball, basketball court (I've even witnessed street hockey!), swing sets, benches, canoe & kayak racks and more. There are dock slips available, lake views from almost anywhere on the property, 2 no-wake zones (great for kayaking & fishing), and acres of grassy, level lakefront common area. You have MEGA views of Wisp Ski Resort & the Bear Claw tubing park, as well as wide body views of McHenry cove from the point of the peninsula.

There are 2-4 bedroom condo's & townhomes available for sale or for vacation rentals. Its location near Wisp & on the water offers a 'rental friendly' location that is sure to impress your visitors, family & friends. You can get a 2 bedroom condo in the low $200k's!

Another great perk is a front row seat to fireworks. The Wisp always sets off the 4th of July fireworks from the Bear Claw tubing park, and I as I mentioned, the view is AMAZING! McHenry cove fills up with hundreds of boats, all lit up at night, and it's quite a sight to behold.

If you are in the market for a great lakefront vacation home or centrally located condo, Ski Harbor is one place that you will definitely want to explore!





Properties for Sale in Ski Harbor

Railey Realty Real Estate Blog - Ski Harbor

Ski Harbor News, Updates, Rentals

WSJ NEWS ALERT: Home Resales Jumped 6.8% in March

Existing-home sales rose 6.8% in March, slightly more than economists had expected, to a 5.35 million annual rate. First-time buyers purchased 44% of all homes, lured by the government's tax-credit program. The supply of unsold homes fell to eight months, down from 8.5 in February.

Read more here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350



HAPPY EARTH DAY! Deep Creek Lake & Garrett County Dirt for sale!

Celebrate Earth Day 2010! Buy some genuine Deep Creek Lake & Garrett County dirt :) There are some great lots and land available for sale, ranging from view lots, farms, acreage, hunting land, building lots, lakefront property, lake access parcels, riverfront land and large recreational tracts. ANY KIND OF DIRT YOU WANT, I can help you find it!


If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350