Who I Am
My name is Jay Ferguson, and I am a lifelong resident of the Deep Creek Lake area. I am also co-owner of the real estate side of Taylor Made. I have been in the real estate business for 21+ years now and I LOVE what I do! I have to say, my career really took off when I co-founded the real estate side of Taylor Made in 2014. Its been an amazing experience, building a real estate company from the ground up and achieving so much so quickly! In August 2016, we purchased Long & Foster Real Estate Deep Creek, where I had started my career in 2000. In 2018, we on-boarded virtually every agent from Coldwell Banker Deep Creek Realty as they closed up shop and the real estate family grew even more! We now have over 40 sales agents and have expanded to West Virginia and Pennsylvania, as well. Taylor Made is the #1 vacation rental company at Deep Creek with over 475 vacation rental homes, and over one hundred thousand yearly visitors. Its amazing what we have accomplished using the principles of honesty, teamwork and customer service!
Personally, my wife Jessica and I enjoy traveling and especially spending time in the outdoors, hiking and exploring the many diverse areas that Garrett County is naturally blessed with. We have raised two wonderful children here, Kayleah (22) and Noah (13). In the summer, we love spending time on the water with friends & family and enjoying the lake life! We are both active in our church, our community & local school activities, and we fill our schedule with plenty of volunteer efforts. I currently serve on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity. I am proud to say that I was named Deep Creek Time’s Favorite ‘Community Champion’ in 2019. I was also named Garrett County Realtor of the Year in 2018-19, as well.
I really enjoy promoting my hometown. I am very proud of the resort area that has developed over my lifetime and look forward to growing the area even more! Deep Creek Lake has been described as ‘The Lake Tahoe of the east', and I think that speaks volumes about the potential to own property here! Deep Creek Lake isn't really a town or city by itself; it's comprised of three towns: Oakland, Swanton & McHenry, Maryland. I am very passionate about my hometown and am impressed with how many people know about it as we travel around the country. Deep Creek Lake is an amazing place to visit and even better place to live! During the pandemic in 2020, our market exploded and more and more people left their primary residence in the city to live here permanently. With distance learning in schools and tele-commuting becoming the ‘norm’, many more people were drawn to the area to ‘live where they love to play’.
Why You Want Me Working for You: In addition to being an owner, I am consistently one of the top-producing agents in the entire area and the Associate Broker of record for Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales. I have 21+ years of experience and I am a problem solver. There aren’t many situations that I have not encountered and I have a strategy for almost every scenario that you may encounter. I
have extensively trained in all areas of real estate & emerging technologies, and also have trained as an appraiser, as well as served as a full-time Broker. I have a strong knowledge of the industry, as well as many trusted local contacts & affiliations that allow me to perform at a very high level and deliver results. I have a great deal of respect for my peers in this industry and have strong working relationships that I would love to put to work for you.
Call me to discuss your situation - I know I can be of great service to you & others you care about!
Honesty. Integrity. Results.
The Deep Creek Farmers Market is a community event that promotes a wholesome, social gathering place in our area showcasing the rich agricultural heritage, local craftspersons, and unique small businesses of the area. Visit food vendors, craftors, live bands, and more! The Mission of this market is to serve all Garrett County residents and visitors alike, and specifically the Deep Creek Lake/Northern Garrett County region. There are inherent benefits for the consumer, producer, and community where food is grown, purchased, and consumed locally. They strive to improve the variety, taste, and freshness of products available to consumers in our area. The Farmers Market is open every friday during the summer season from 3-6pm between the fairgrounds and the college parking lot. visit Deep Creek Farmers Market – “Grow, nourish, and inspire community” for more information
Oakland was featured on World Atlas’s list of the friendliest towns in Maryland! With just over 18,000 residents, Oakland was established as a town in 1862 and shows the natural beauty of the state in all four seasons. Outdoor lovers will surely love the surrounding areas which include the Wisp Ski Resort and the Swallow Falls State Park. In addition, the Oakland Historic District is a charming place to discover, where more than 200 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places can be found. These include the Garrett County Courthouse (1907), and of course with a number of cute local restaurants and shops, Oakland’s friendly hospitality is always on display in this most alluring town.
Will O’ The Wisp on Rt. 219, on Deep Creek Lake, Oakland, opened in late 1961 or early 1962. Mr. and Mrs. Helmuth Heise were the hosts.
The Four Seasons Dining Room had a grand opening on Saturday, May 26th 1962 at 3pm, at which time a beautiful 5′ by 9′ oil painting “Four Seasons” by artist Mr. Aza Stanton was unveiled. Charles Apostolou was the Chef.
Helmut died at age 82 in August, 2009. His nickname was “Ace.” He started ski area operations in 1955 in the Deep Creek Lake Area. Wisp Ski Resort was located on 3,080 foot Marsh Mountain. It had 23 slopes and trails totaling 14 miles. He sold his financial interest in Wisp Resort in 2001 yet remained as part of the management team. for more information visit (1) Western Maryland Historic | Facebook
On Saturday, June 10th from 11am-4pm the town of Oakland will be putting on a kickoff to summer event in the Arts & Entertainment District in downtown Oakland! The event will include live music, food vendors, family friendly competitions, a services auction, and a beer walk. Cost for the beer walk is 20 dollars per person and registration starts at 10am. Participants can sample 7 different craft brews from local breweries including Screech Owl Brewing, 1812 Brewing Company, High Ground Brewing, Black Flag Brewery, Olde Mother Brewing Co. and more!
The event will also feature a cornhole tournament that is open to players 12 and up and will be held on Second Street. Cornhole is a lawn game in which players take turns throwing beanbags at a raised platform with a hole in the far end. A bag in the hole scores 3 points, while one on the board scores 1 point. The entry cost is $10 per person and the tournament will be double elimination and bring your own partner. There will be a cash payout for winners.
The Farmer’s Market will be at the Mountain Fresh Pavilion until 1pm that day and local businesses will be having in store specials and sidewalk sales all day. D’s Eats Food Truck, Rotary Fries, 206 Alder, and Grantsville Lions Club Kettle Corn will be on hand with concessions.
DEEP CREEK LAKE — Three employees of Brenda’s Pizzeria at Deep Creek Lake recently spent some time learning more about pizza from Master Chef Gregorio Fierro.
“We are always trying to stay current and on top of trends and pizza,” explained owner Brenda McDonnell. “We have always made our dough, and we wanted to get into featuring different pizzas and toppings and different types of pizzas.”
A supplier from Pittsburgh invited Fierro to teach a class in Pittsburgh, and Todd McEnroe of Nappie’s Food Service invited several employees to attend.
“I am so happy with the three guys who took the class,” McDonnell said. “They were there for five days and learning in the classroom and then actually making the doughs with Chef Gregorio.”
She noted that what they learned will be applied this summer with different pizza types made in the restaurant’s new ovens.
Taking the class were Brenda’s manager Sydney Bauman, Julian Coluzzi and Brian Pessini.
McEnroe explained that he has been with Nappie’s Foods for over 20 years. Nappie’s currently serves family-style restaurants, pizzerias, country clubs and white tablecloth restaurants.
“My specialty has always been the Italian segment of our business specializing in pizza,” he said. “I have been selling to Brenda for five-plus years now. I had the opportunity to host and participate in a pizza school by the premiere Pizzaiolo certification school in the world, which took a lot of planning and having/getting it to be certified by Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli out of Northern Italy.”
McEnroe noted that up to this point, the school had never allowed the class to be taught outside its headquarters in Italy or its certification school in Chicago.
Frostburg State University will be hosting students from both Allegany and Garrett Counties in a Dual Enrollment Pilot program next fall. The Bobcat Academy will give students an immersive college experience and an opportunity to earn college credits while completing their senior year of high school. Dr. Kim Green-Kalbaugh, Chief Academic Officer for Allegany County, spoke about the academy at this month’s school board meeting. Garrett County schools will have open house events on May 19th and 30th for students and parents interested in the Bobcat Academy.
Arrowhead Cove, at Deep Creek Lake, has been selected as a priority area for a pilot dredging project, Garrett County Chamber of Commerce said.
The project will involve the removal of accumulated sediment from the lakebed, revitalizing the waterbody, providing greater boater access, and preserving its ecological integrity.
In this pilot dredging project, Garrett County, the State of Maryland, property owners, and stakeholders will evaluate the pros and cons of dredging within Deep Creek Lake and determine if dredging other sediment-impacted Deep Creek Lake coves is a viable and cost-effective strategy for improving water recreation, water quality, and fish habitat.
The State of Maryland has provided all the funding for the project costs thanks in part to the efforts of former Senator George Edwards and former Delegate Wendell Beitzel.
A request for bids has been released and construction is anticipated to begin in late September 2023.
A public meeting will be held to share the analysis, timeline, and details of the project on Wednesday, May 24, at Garrett College GIEC, beginning at 6pm.
The Department of Public Works – Roads Division advises the public that prefabricated bridge construction will be taking place on North Hill Road beginning June 1, 2023. From this date and for approximately four weeks, the roadway will be closed for the project. The closure area is located between the intersection of North American Road and Shallmar Road.
Alternate routes of traffic during the planned closure includes North American Road or Kitzmiller Road/Route 39.
As both sponsorships and awareness continue to grow for “A Walk for Recovery,” so does the momentum for the focus of the effort: plans for Reflection House, the first residential treatment facility in Garrett County for women suffering from substance use disorder.
The event is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, May 13, at Deep Creek Lake State Park.
The two-mile walk will be open to all as a way to unify and strengthen the community. It is family, kid and pet friendly.
