Central Maryland now in agricultural drought
Most of Central Maryland, incuding Baltimore and the surrounding counties, are now, officially, experiencing a moderate agricultural drought (tan on the map), according to the Drought Monitor map released Thursday by NOAA.
Portions of southern Anne Arundel County, Calvert and small sections of Prince George’s, Charles and St. Mary’s counties, are coping with severe drought (orange), according to the map.
Only Garrett County continues to enjoy normal conditions. The rest of the state (yellow)is rated as “abnormally dry.”
In all, 64 percent of Maryland is now classified as being in drought, up from 37 percent last week. About 4 percent is in severe drought for the first time this year.
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
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Horse rescue farm gets help from inmates - Garrett County horse follow up
Seems like the rescue horses are doing much better and they’re making new friends;
from the Baltimore Sun:
Even as she toiled at a Woodbine farm Thursday in the relentless heat and humidity, Paula Jordan said she and three other female inmates were grateful to the owners for allowing them “a little taste of freedom.”
Jordan, a 41-year-old Baltimore resident convicted of second-degree assault, is a member of a newly formed crew dispatched from the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women to pitch in twice a week with maintenance on the 58 acres of rolling pasture at Days End Farm Horse Rescue.
The nonprofit organization long known for giving horses second chances at life is turning a spotlight on prisoners in need of the same opportunity.
“I made wrong choices and I’m paying the consequences,” said the single mother of three who is serving a six-year sentence at the Jessup prison and is slated to be released in October 2011.
“We accept that we will be working in the fields for now, but I love animals,” Jordan said eagerly. “We met some of the horses Tuesday and learned the ways they communicate. This will be a good learning experience.”
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!
Riding the wake on a Rotax - AOPA Pilot Blog
Interesting comparison between flight and the experience of riding a personal watercraft (PWC) on Deep Creek Lake. From the article:
…
Riding a PWC this week on Deep Creek Lake in western Maryland, I found the craft being sucked into the wake of boats when riding parallel to the wake, as we do when flying in formation. The result was a rolling motion that seemed to take control of the PWC, making me feel as if I were along for the ride. Turning to cross the wake at 90 degrees led to a more thrilling, jolting ride, but one where I felt more in control…
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!
Author, artist at Deep Creek event - Art in the Park
Cumberland Times-News
DEEP CREEK LAKE — Award-winning children’s book author Melinda Chambers of Romney, W.Va., will attend Art in the Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Deep Creek Lake State Park’s Discovery Center. She will be autographing her books, audio books and T-shirts.
Ashley Teets of Terra Alta, W.Va., an award-winning children’s book illustrator and artist, will be painting children’s faces in Chambers’ tent near the Discovery Center.
For more information, call 301-387-7067 or log on to www.discoverycenterdcl.com
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!
Going camping this summer? Top five tips for a great trip
Deep Creek Lake gets a plug in this camping piece….
Posted: 07/08/2010
By: Roosevelt Leftwich
Earleville, MD – Wouldn’t it be nice to relax on a nice sunny beach.
Well for some folks this thought stinks.
They’d rather be out roughing it in the woods.
But then others would rather be out doors but have a nice RV to climb into at night.
Tip number one….pick the right camp,
“It’s very much like picking a hotel there are certain people that have brands that they like and locations that they like it’s the same thing with camping we have locations that range from Deep Creek Lake area to Saint George’s island surrounded by the Potomac camping on a beach or camping in a luxury cabin with Wi-Fi and cable.” Maryland Campgrounds Association President Deb Carter says.
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on www.DeepCreekAlive.com!
June 2010 Real Estate Market Update
June was a good month for real estate sales in Garrett County & Deep Creek Lake. The highest ever sale at Deep Creek Lake ($3.5 million) close on June 11. Railey Realty had the listing part of the transaction. I had my first million dollar sale! Surprisingly, I have come close several times but this is the first ‘official’ sale over a million (and ironically, my first transaction at Railey Realty).
There were 30 homes that sold in the month of June, which is nearly double that of May 2010.
Late spring and summer have always been among the best months of the year for real estate sales, partly because of the start of ‘vacation season’ and it’s easier to look at homes when kids are out of school, etc. Plus, you don’t have to wade through 23 feet of snow to look at houses 🙂
There were 27 sales during the same period last year, so that is a positive.
By my count, 6 of these properties sold at full price or higher.
There are 48 properties currently under contract, the exact same as last month. I look for this number to be affected by a very slow month for the local economy in June. From folks I have spoken to, rentals were down slightly and that led to lower sales for restaurants, shops and other ‘tourism dependant’ local businesses. The consensus that I have gotten from these local business owners is that the weather from January & February led to longer school years and less available vacation time. When people aren’t in town to look at houses, its also affects real estate sales.
11/12 of the 30 sales appear to me to be vacation homes, or at least in the Deep Creek Lake area. The rest seem to be primary residential homes scattered across Oakland, Granstville, Swanton and Accident.
The average list vs. ORIGINAL sales price was 88.88%, up 3.66% from last month (85.22).
The ADJUSTED list vs sale price is 93.22% – up again from last month (92.37%).
The current number of active/for sale residential listings (minus timeshares) is 774 as of today. This is up from last month (737) considerably. We are still gaining more inventory than we are selling and this will continue to drive down prices from a supply and demand standpoint. With current state of affairs, this is a number that is unlikely to come down anytime soon. That’s a 26 month supply of homes available, which is a very challenging stat to overcome.
Here are the statistical breakdowns:
Average Sale Price: $448,350 (last month) $409,316 (understand this is affected by the $3.5 million lakefront sale)
Average Days on Market: 177/241 (last month 256/267) (days on market with current broker/total days on market)
Of the $26,901,000 in total dollar volume in the month of June, Railey Realty was responsible for $16,039,900 – a whopping 60% of the Garrett County real estate market!
#1 in Garrett County & at Deep Creek Lake since 1995.
I’ll blog later about about year to date numbers – from a company standpoint, you will be impressed at the level of production we have been able to maintain even in the sketchy market conditions that exist today.
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!
Cash is still king in real estate market
Cash buyers account for more than 25% of U.S. real estate deals
By Andrea V. Brambila, Thursday, July 8, 2010.
Inman News
This may be a buyer’s market, but not all buyers are on equal footing in the homebuying process. Cash is still king, and those who have it are taking full advantage of the comparatively speedy and reliable closings they offer sellers.
Cash buyers have made up at least a quarter of home purchasers since the beginning of 2010, a figure buoyed by more affordable home prices and a substantial volume of distressed properties.
According to the National Association of Realtors’ monthly Realtors Confidence Index survey, buyers paid all in cash in 15 percent of transactions in October 2008, the first month the association conducted the survey.
Fast-forward to May 2010, and an estimated 25 percent of transactions were in cash. That’s a jump from 12 percent in May 2009. From January through April, cash buyers’ share of transactions hovered at 26 or 27 percent, according to the NAR survey.
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on www.DeepCreekAlive.com!
Federal Tax Report - Closing Date Extended to September 30
Federal Tax Report
Closing Date Extended to September 30
It wasn’t pretty, and the debate went well into the evening, but on June 30 the Senate passed a stand-alone bill that extended the date for closing on a tax credit-eligible home from June 30 to September 30, 2010. The bill passed the Senate on a voice vote in a process known as “unanimous consent.” A stand-alone bill is a single issue bill that contains just one provision (and, if needed, its “pay-fors.”) Stand-alone tax bills are a rarity in the Senate, but the urgency was well understood. Earlier in the week, the House had passed a stand-alone extension (HR 5623) by a vote of 409 – 5.
The White House has said that President Obama will sign the bill, although the timing for the signing is not yet known. The extension is seamless, so closings that occur between July 1 and the date the President signs the legislation will satisfy the requirements of the credit. In order to get the benefit of this closing date extension, the parties must have entered into a contract for the purchase on or before April 30, 2010.
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!
Avoiding the trap - Outdoors Girl Maryland Park Quest
Following the progress of Candy Thomson as she passed through Garrett County yesterday:
July 7, 2010
Avoiding the trap
Third Quest in the can and it’s not even noon yet.
Can I do five parks in one day?
Ranger Dave Best and I walked along the water’s edge at Deep Creek Lake State Park and through the woods looking for the five metal medallions that tell the story of the park and its resources.
Made a rubbing of each to complete the Quest.
Temperature is near 90 now. Still, making my first three stops near the water has made a big difference.
Off to New Germany State Park now.”
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 Deep Creek Lake Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!
Garrett could see heated commission races
From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News
Oakland — OAKLAND — Garrett County voters will see heated races for county commission and several other local offices in the Sept. 14 primary election.
The filing period for candidates closed Tuesday at 9 p.m. In the final week before the deadline, four more candidates — two Republicans and two Democrats — filed for the District 3 county commission seat now held by Denny Glotfelty, R-McHenry, bringing the total number of candidates seeking the seat to six.
Glotfelty will face challengers Louis Newcomb Jr., Oakland, Timothy E. Thomas, McHenry, and Robert “Bob” Gatto, Oakland, in the Republican primary, while two Democrats, Bill Welch, Oakland, and George Falter, McHenry, also square off.
Three challengers have filed to run against current commission chairman Ernie Gregg, R-Mountain Lake Park, for the District 1 seat on the commission. Gregg will face Republican challengers Gregan Crawford, Oakland, and Leroy Bernard Sr., Swanton, in the primary. The winner will take on Democrat Eric Robison, Oakland, in the November general election.
Incumbent Commissioner Fred Holliday, R-Grantsville, will vie in the primary with current board of education member Jim Raley, R-Finzel, for the District 2 seat.
Two Republicans and one Democrat are seeking the office of sheriff. Skyler Hebden, D-Oakland, will take on the winner of the primary race between Republicans Robert E. Corley, Oakland, and Larry Gnegy, Oakland, in the November general election. The office is currently held by Gary Berkebile.
In the nonpartisan board of education races, Rodney Durst, Oakland, filed to retain his District 3 seat, but faces a challenge from Rodney Reckart, Oakland. Both current president Donald Forrester, Mountain Lake Park, and current vice president Thomas Carr, Accident, are unopposed to retain their District 1 and 2 seats.
Seven candidates have filed for three open positions as judge of the orphans court. The three candidates from each party who receive the most votes in the primary will go to the general election; of those, the three who receive the most votes will be selected to fill the positions.
On the Republican side, incumbents Clifford C. DeWitt, Oakland, James F. Margroff, Accident, and H. Wayne Wilt, Oakland, are seeking re-election, and face challenges from David C. Beard, Oakland, Aria Knust, Oakland, and Fred Sanders, Oakland.
Only one Democrat has filed for the office, Everett B. Deberry, Deer Park, so he will advance to the general election.
Incumbent Rita L. Watson, Oakland, will face Republican challengers Traci Royce, Oakland, John K. Sines, Oakland, and Bryan Paugh, Oakland, for register of wills. Watson was appointed register of wills after the retirement of Joseph DiSimone in June 2009.
Incumbent Sondra R. Buckel, R-Bittinger, is running unopposed for re-election as clerk of the circuit court. It will be Buckel’s first time seeking the office in an election, as she was originally appointed to fill the vacancy created by the death of David K. Martin in 2007.
Timothy W. Miller, Mountain Lake Park; Arzella Parsons, Oakland; DeCorsey Bolden, Oakland; Brenda Butscher, Mountain Lake Park; Tom Sheahen, Deer Park; and Ruth Hinebaugh Umbel, McHenry, filed for a seat on the Republican Central Committee. The committee seeks to fill eight seats, based on the number of registered Republicans in the county. The six candidates will fill the seats as result of the primary election.
Candidates for the office of Democratic Central Committee all filed Tuesday. They are Andrew “Andy” Diliddo Jr., Grantsville; Patricia Duck, Oakland; Timothy Duck, Oakland; William Goldsborough, Mountain Lake Park; Jeff Jovis, Friendsville; and Zelma Neary, Mountain Lake Park. The committee seeks to fill seven seats, based on the number of registered Democrats in the county. The six candidates will fill the seats as a result of the primary election.
Incumbent State’s Attorney Lisa Thayer Welch, R-Oakland, filed to retain her position and is running unopposed.
At the state level, Sen. George Edwards, R-Grantsville, has filed to retain his seat representing District 1 in Annapolis, and Delegate Wendell Beitzel, R-Accident, has filed to retain his District 1A seat in the House of Delegates. Edwards is currently running unopposed, while Beitzel will face Democratic challenger James “Smokey” Stanton, Oakland, in the general election Nov. 2.
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 Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!
