ilovedeepcreeklakerealestate – Page 137

Md. lawmakers warn of larger classrooms, Medicaid cuts

Associated Press Thu Jan 13, 2011, 07:43 AM EST

— ANNAPOLIS — Legislative leaders warned Wednesday that Maryland’s $1.6 billion budget shortfall could lead to larger K-12 classroom sizes and higher college tuition costs, as well as cuts to health care providers and environmental programs.

But Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch said they have to wait until they see Gov. Martin O’Malley’s budget proposal later this month before knowing what sorts of tax increases — if any — might gain traction this year.

The legislators issued their warnings as the Maryland General Assembly began its 90-day session.

O’Malley has said he plans to close the budget gap with a range of painful spending cuts — not tax increases. However the governor says his budget will only be the start of a dialogue, and he’s keeping an open mind on tax proposals.

See our e-Edition for the rest of this story

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 Do It All specializes in cleaning services in Garrett County & @ Deep Creek Lake. Give them a call (301-501-0217) or visit the website – competitive rates and quality results from a locally owned & operated company!

Krugman's Straw-Man Market System

Lots of bits relating to Garrett County in here, which I thought was unique. The author is a teacher at Frostburg:

Economics / Economic Theory
Jan 12, 2011 – 12:21 PM

By: William_Anderson

A friend of mine a decade ago was looking to do doctoral work in economics, and one of the places where he inquired was his state’s flagship university. But he decided not to seek his doctorate at that particular place after he spoke to someone who was just about to defend his economics dissertation there.

This soon-to-be PhD, it seems, was not familiar with the term “opportunity cost.” (He was specializing in so-called macroeconomics, which tends to embrace every Keynesian fallacy and a few extras, so perhaps it should surprise no one that this person was not familiar with concepts of scarcity: Keynesians believe that governments create wealth by fiat.)

I recount this story after reading a recent post by Paul Krugman on his New York Times blog, in which he claims that free markets are responsible for the bad food in Great Britain and the lack of central heating in Mexico City. He writes,….

Read the full 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

Travellers urged to seek out adventures in Maryland

A little bit of love for Garrett County…from the UK 🙂

12 Jan 2011

Holidaymakers who will be visiting the state of Maryland in the US over the coming months have been encouraged to seek out some of the region’s outdoor activities.

According to the Maryland Office of Tourism, the area around Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County is a ‘focal point’ for winter recreation in the western part of the state.

One location worth visiting in the area is Wisp, a resort that boasts attractions such as the Mountain Coaster, which is described as a ‘hybrid of an Alpine slide and a rollercoaster’.

Visitors can also visit state parks such as Herrington Manor, New Germany and Swallow Falls to explore outdoor trails and take in the scenery.

Read the full 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

December 2010 Real Estate Market Update – Sales Stats

I had several people point out that the links for the November real estate update were switched around (2009 v 2010), so I updated that post & reprinted the stats (see it here).

Also, this month is good example of why I wait until the 2nd week of the month to do these updates. I looked at the December stats just last week and there were 32 sales. Now, there are 34 – 2 weeks into January. It’s not supposed to happen this way, but some agents seem to take their time when updating the MLS. Either way, I’ll do my best to update you with accurate numbers.

December sales were up considerably, especially factoring in the weather and the lower numbers in November. There were 34 homes that sold (versus 22 in November 2009). There are 27 homes under contract (36 last month).

I recently posted an update on 2010 as a whole and the numbers were promising. There were 33 more sale all year than 2009 (12% increase). I expect this recovery to continue and am optimistic for 2011!

The average list vs. ORIGINAL sales price was 82.03%, up from last month (80.69%).

The ADJUSTED list vs sale price was 90.20%, down slightly from last month (91.02%).

The current # of active/for sale listings in MRIS (minus timeshares) is 567, down from last months 654. I predicted this number would plummet and it did – a lot of homeowners listing contracts expire and they are currently deciding where or whom to list with (By the way, Call Jay Ferguson for all your real estate needs 🙂 We have a 17 month supply of homes available based solely on the December sales numbers and the sudden disappearance of these end of year homes for sale. Do not rely on this number, it will definitely change dramatically.

Random observations:

4 ‘newer’ homes sold in December (less than 5 years old)
It appears that 20 or so of these sales were vacation homes
22 homes sold under $300,000 (last month was 13)
25 homes sold under $400,000
After last month’s zero, 3 houses sold over $1million
3 homes sold for full price (one for 102% of asking price – multiple offers, I believe)
One house sold for 57% of asking price
2 – 111 year old homes sold – one in Oakland & one in Friendsville
The average age of the homes that sold was 34 years
Another Wisp Hotel unit sold, this time for $51,000
4 condo’s/townhouse properties sold, (3 last month)

Here are the statistical breakdowns:

Average Sale Price: $327,687 (last month $293,264)

Average Days on Market: 207/270 (last month 244/281) (days on market with current broker/total days on market)

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

Market for Vacation Homes Is on the Rise

From the WSJ.com:

By S. MITRA KALITA

Sales in many vacation communities across the U.S. soared last year to levels not seen since boom times, driven by deep discounts, cash purchases and buyers’ rising stock portfolios.

On Mercer Island, Wash., waterfront sales nearly tripled in 2010, compared with a year earlier, reaching par with 2006 volume there. Sales on Hilton Head Island, S.C., rose 14% for the year. Palm Beach, Fla., experienced a 40% annual increase and a 54% increase in homes under contract, indicating an especially strong fourth quarter. Palm Beach sales volume now is comparable to its 2007 peak. These figures were gleaned by brokers in each locale.

“The proverbial train has left the station,” said Ned Monell, an agent with Sotheby’s International Realty in Palm Beach. “We haven’t felt energy like this in a long time. Buyers sense that they’ve been on the sidelines long enough.”

The question now is whether the momentum will last. The strength of second-home sales paints a stark contrast to the overall housing market, which is expected to worsen in 2011.

Read the full 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

Just listed – Lot 8 Paradise Estates – Dock – BIG view potential

Lake Access Lot with Boat Slip and Paid Sewer Tap. One acre of peace and quiet overlooking Deep Creek Lake. Walk to your dock slip. Close to all Deep Creek Lake activities. No HOA fees. Potential for BIG views based on home design. Lot 8 Paradise Estates.

Listing # GA7506013

$149,000

More details.

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

Winter Storm Watch up for Significant Accumulations Tues-Wed

http://garrettcountyweather.com

Winter Storm Watch
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
236 PM EST SUN JAN 9 2011

…SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW EXPECTED TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY…

.A LOW WILL TRACK NORTHEAST UP THE OHIO VALLEY MONDAY
NIGHT…CROSSING WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA TUESDAY. AT THE SAME TIME ANOTHER
LOW WILL DEVELOP FURTHER EAST AND MOVE UP THE EAST COAST. THE LOWS
WILL CONSOLIDATE INTO AN EAST COAST SYSTEM WEDNESDAY…WITH A
NORTHWEST FLOW PROVIDING LAKE EFFECT ENHANCEMENT ACROSS THE REGION.

…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EVENING…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EVENING.

* ACCUMULATION: POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR 6 OR MORE INCHES OF SNOWFALL.

* TIMING: TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING.

* IMPACTS: SNOW COVERED ROADS.

* VISIBILITIES: BELOW A MILE AT TIMES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW…SLEET…OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS. REPORT YOUR SNOWFALL
ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL
FREE…1-877-633-6772.

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

Yough River Watershed Board Votes To Support Gas Drilling Moratorium

‘Like’ on Facebook!

Support the Republican Newspaper! It’s only $9.95/year for the online edition!

Jan. 6, 2011

The Youghiogheny River Watershed Association board, at its monthly meeting on Tuesday, unanimously adopted a position supporting a moratorium on Marcellus gas drilling in Maryland “until additional information is obtained and actions have been taken,” according to board chair James “Smokey” Stanton.
Stanton said that the board members believe there is “insufficient information about the impact of Marcellus drilling, and believe development of this resource should be delayed.”

He said that their concerns are “on several fronts,” including the effect that the practice may have on air quality, ground water quality, surface water, water appropriations, transport, discharge, and disposal of fracking water, geologic information, and adoption of state and local regulations including, but not limited to, bonding, permitting, and monitoring.

He said that the board believes baseline information must be obtained in order to better understand the positive and negative effects of drilling over time.

“We do not oppose eventual drilling in the watershed and in Garrett County,” he said, “but we believe there must be protections, accountabilities, and oversight in place before development is allowed.”

He said that the board supports the various educational efforts that are ongoing and spearheaded by the Garrett County commissioners’ Marcellus gas advisory committee, the University of Maryland Extension, and other watershed associations and groups.

Noting that the Yough-iogheny River Watershed encompasses approximately two-thirds of Garrett County, Stanton said that the board encourages each member of the YRWA to: immediately communicate their concerns about Marcellus shale gas drilling to the Garrett County commissioners; to attend and support moratorium legislation at the Garrett County Delegation pre-legislative meeting with Sen. George Edwards and Del. Wendell Beitzel this Saturday, Jan. 8, at Garrett College; and to attend the various upcoming public education programs on this topic.

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

Hunting a deer in the pines

Posted: Sunday, January 9, 2011 12:00 am

Hunting a deer in the pines 0 comments

There was one more place I wanted to investigate before my afternoon hunt. The woods and fields were covered in more than a foot of white in Garrett County. The presence of deer was easy to locate with the blanket of snow. They left prints of their presence when traveling through an area.

I parked the Jeep at the end of the snow covered gravel lane. The overhanging green briars painted both sides of Jeep as I drove the seldom-used road. The boards on the old steel bridge were no longer strong enough to handle vehicle traffic.

I opened the door of the Jeep and grabbed my rifle. No need to take my pack. I was just going to walk a few hundred yards and check for sign.

Deer tracks punched the snow across the bridge. The deer have learned to keep their feet dry from the frigid creek by using the bridge. Interesting I thought. The snow on the far side of the bridge was littered with paw prints. More than just a few deer have walked these woods. Some tracks old, some with sharp edges seemingly fresh. The hunt was turning positive.

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 Hear Roads Dept. Budgetary Report

‘Like’ on Facebook!

Support the Republican Newspaper! It’s only $9.95/year for the online edition!

Jan. 6, 2011

The county commissioners heard an update report on Tuesday morning from Garrett County Roads Department personnel. Since county officials are preparing the fiscal year 2012 budget, general roads superintendent Jay Moyer’s report centered around budgetary issues.

He presented the commissioners with personnel overtime data.

“We like to track that as much as we can,” Moyer said about winter operations overtime.

By the end of last winter’s record-breaking snowfall, county road crews had logged in 23,000 man hours of overtime pay.

“So far this winter, we’re at 4,500 hours of overtime,” Moyer said.

The superintendent said the department tries to hold overtime down as much as possible through work scheduling. He noted that crews may arrive at work earlier than normal, at 5 a.m., to clear snowy roads for school buses. Road conditions are evaluated at about 1:30 p.m. If the superintendent feels they are in good enough shape for buses to transport students back home, then road crews end their shift. If not, workers have to work overtime to keep the roads clear for the buses and other motorists.

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

Author: ilovedeepcreeklakerealestate

Md. lawmakers warn of larger classrooms, Medicaid cuts

Krugman's Straw-Man Market System

Travellers urged to seek out adventures in Maryland

December 2010 Real Estate Market Update – Sales Stats

Market for Vacation Homes Is on the Rise

Just listed – Lot 8 Paradise Estates – Dock – BIG view potential

Winter Storm Watch up for Significant Accumulations Tues-Wed

Yough River Watershed Board Votes To Support Gas Drilling Moratorium

Hunting a deer in the pines

GC Commissioners Hear Roads Dept. Budgetary Report

My Location

Deep Creek Media

Stay Connected