Yet another reason I Love Garrett County
The state of Maryland is suffering from extreme temperatures, but Garrett County is pleasant by comparison. Upper 80’s, low 90’s with much lower humidity is the norm in the summer here. From the Baltimore Sun weather blog:
“Heat Advisories were posted once again across almost all of Maryland, with exceptions only for Garrett County and the Lower Eastern Shore. A Code Orange air quality alert was up for the entire state, noting that air pollution levels are unhealthy for sensitive groups, including the very young, the elderly and people whith respiratory or heart diseases.”
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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Candy Thomson - Baltimore Sun - Outdoors Girl Blog
So, I read her piece on the Maryland Park Quest yesterday, blogged about it and then had an idea – what if I could meet her while she was in Garrett County? Well, I sent her a quick email, she liked the idea and we just finished meeting at the Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center. Candy Thomson, the ‘Outdoors Girl’, is in Garrett County for the Maryland Park Quest ‘marathon’ of 24 state parks in 7 days. She’s done with 3 and on her way to New Germany State Park next, hoping to finish up the day at Rocky Gap.
She camped last night at Swallow Falls and hit the Garrett County park trail at 7am. Next, off to Herrington Manor and then…Deep Creek Lake State Park. It worked out perfectly to meet her at the Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center – where she was greeted to a hero’s welcome by the staff and Patty Manown Mash. You could tell they were all following her quest (and they are all readers of the ‘I Love Deep Creek’ blog, too, apparently – thanks for the great !)
She promised to be up again for the black bear hunt in October, and I agreed to attend, as well! She says she loves it up here and loves coming back!
Without wanting to hold her up from the rest of her Quest, she smiled for a quick photo in front of the lake, and was off to New Germany…good luck, Candy!
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/!
Opponents of Garrett County wind farm threaten lawsuit
Megan Miller
Cumberland Times-News
Deer Park — DEER PARK — Opponents of a Garrett County wind power project have warned developer Constellation Energy and the county government that they plan to sue unless Constellation seeks a special permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Constellation project consists of an electrical substation and 28 415-foot wind turbines atop Backbone Mountain, spread along an 8-mile stretch near Eagle Rock.
In a June 23 letter, the Garrett-based opposition group Save Western Maryland and the Maryland Conservation Council stated that the wind project will adversely affect Indiana bats and Virginia big-eared bats, both classified as federal endangered species. The project would therefore violate the federal Endangered Species Act.
To prevent a lawsuit, the opposition groups stated, Baltimore-based Constellation must seek an incidental take permit from USFWS. The permit effectively protects developers from violating the act by creating a plan in advance to deal with the possibility that endangered wildlife could be harmed by a project.
In April, Constellation spokesman Larry McDonnell said the developer planned to voluntarily seek an incidental take permit.
“Even though the risk of a negative impact to an Indiana bat is very remote, Constellation Energy will voluntarily seek the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s approval for any incidental impacts,” McDonnell said. “We will commit to developing Indiana bat habitat improvement projects that will result in far greater benefits to the species than any remote risk posed by the project.”
When reached Tuesday, McDonnell said the company was preparing its permit application, though he was uncertain of when it will be filed.
The application requires developers to create a habitat conservation plan for mitigating the effects of an incidental killing of wildlife. USFWS can also require that applicants conduct biological surveys of the project area.
The length of time needed for USFWS to review a permit application can range from less than three months to one year, depending on the scope and complexity of the conservation plan, according to USFWS permit instructions. The time frame can also be affected by other factors, such as public controversy.
In a news release issued after its letter to Constellation, Save Western Maryland called on Constellation to halt construction on the project “until a conservation plan is completed and a permit is issued.”
“The big wind developers purport to be responsible, corporate citizens,” the group said. “As such, they must live up to their green image by complying with all laws, especially those designed to protect the environment such as the ESA.”
McDonnell said that Constellation’s bat protection measures “have been and will continue to be very comprehensive.”
As evidence of a potential threat to bats, the wind farm opponents cited studies done at the Mountaineer wind farm, a 44-turbine facility in nearby West Virginia, and at a 20-turbine facility near Meyersdale, Pa. The studies showed significant bat mortality at both locations, including one six-week monitoring period when researchers found 398 bat carcasses at the Mountaineer wind farm and 262 at the Meyersdale site.
For legal precedent, they cited a 2009 case in which a federal judge halted development at the Beech Ridge Energy wind farm in Greenbrier County, W.Va., until the developer secured an incidental take permit from the USFWS.
The opposition stated that not only Constellation, but also Garrett County government, could be held liable for any violations of the act, since county government entities granted a number of permits required for the construction to move forward. The county also owns land on which three of the project’s turbines will be placed.
The liability could also extend to the project’s previous owners and other interested parties, such as Old Dominion Electric Cooperative Inc., which has entered into a power purchase agreement with Constellation.
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/!
Price Reduction on 1104 Alexander Ln - backs to Broadford Park
One of the best values in Oakland for a single family home in nearly mint condition:
Tastefully updated colonial on quiet cul-de-sac, backs to Broadford Lake park. Move-in ready! Fresh paint inside/out, re-carpeted, new kitchen in Oct 08: cherry cabinets & granite tops. Dining, family room, library, 1/2 bath & deck access on 1st floor. A tranquil 2nd floor master suite w/ 2 walk-in closets, en-suite bath & deck with views. Lower level boasts new media room! Perfect entertaining!
Now $299,000!!!
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/!
Great Summary of the Second-Home Market Nationally
Some interesting data & analysis that mirrors the Deep Creek Lake second home market:
July 6, 2010 by cloeffler
Check out this post originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune by Richard Bolen, REALTOR(R), McCall Realty:
(A quick “shout out” to all our friends in the Lake Tahoe area who helped NAR host the 2010 Resort and Second-Home Symposium. We couldn’t have done it without you! We have only heard wonderful about the successful event with 214 participants in attendance. Lake Tahoe is truly a national treasure — both in its natural beauty and the hospitality of its residents!)
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — About 65 percent of South Lake Tahoe Homes are second homes or vacation properties. I often write about, or use the phrase second home buyer characteristics, which makes sense. South Lake Tahoe is very much a second home resort real estate market.
Some 65 percent of area homeowners live elsewhere. This means that about a third of South Lake Tahoe homes are primary residences.
The National Association of REALTORS did a specific study on vacation or second home buyers. I thought it would be of interest to look at the most recent findings.
Before looking at the particulars, there are a few key characteristics of the vacation and second home buyer to always have in mind. These are important, especially as it relates to style and manner when representing a buyer:
• The vacation or second home buyer lacks urgency.
• The vacation or second home buyer is overqualified financially.
• The vacation or second home buyer is looking for a family retreat.
Of these, lack of urgency is really important to understand to best represent a buyer. What I like to do is “mirror” a buyers pace if I can. If a buyer seems to want to move quickly, I quicken my pace. If the buyer moves slowly, I respond in kind.
Sometimes, though, a particular house or situation does require urgency. An underpriced house, or one that is right priced and exceptionally attractive can require immediate action to get it.
In cases such as this, I do recommend that the vacation or second home buyer move as quickly as they possibly can.
If I ever quicken my pace, it is because I don’t want a buyer to miss out on something they obviously really like. I am never in a hurry just to make a sale. Buyer comfort to me is king.
2010 Vacation Home Buyers Survey (based on 2009 buying trends)
Sales and prices:
• Some 10 percent of U.S. home sales were vacation or second home properties.
• 1 percent more vacation or second homes sold in 2009 compared to 2008.
Buyer characteristics:
• The median age of the vacation or second home buyer in 2009 was 46 years of age.
• 28 percent of vacation orsecond home buyers were older than 55.
• The median household income of 2009 vacation or second home buyers was $87,500.
• 39 percent of vacation or second home buyers had a household income that exceeded $100,000.
• 73 percent of 2009 vacation or second home buyers were married.
• 49 percent of 2009 vacation or second home buyer households had no children younger than 8. • 86 percent of 2009 vacation or second home buyers were Caucasian.
Property characteristics:
• 55 percent of 2009 vacation home sales were in a small town or rural area.
• 50 percent of 2009 vacation home sales were in the South.
• 71 percent of 2009 vacation or second home sales were single-family homes.
• 74 percent of 2009 vacation or second home sales were existing properties (not new).
• The median distance away from primary residence was 348 miles.
Method of Purchase and Financing:
• 54 percent of 2009 vacation or second home buyers used a real estate agent or broker.
• 10 percent of 2009 vacation or second home sales were a foreclosure or trustee sale.
• 27 percent of 2009 vacation or second home sales were directly from an owner (17 percent that buyer knew, 10 percent that buyer didn’t know).
• 32 percent of 2009 vacation or second home buyers looked first on the internet to shop for a home.
• 12 percent of 2009 vacation or second home buyers contacted a real estate agent first to shop for a home.
• 26 percent of 2009 vacation or second home buyers found the home they purchased on the internet.
• 25 percent of 2009 vacation or second home buyers found the home they purchased with a real estate agent.
• 70 percent of 2009 vacation or second home sales used a mortgage.
Internet use:
• Nine out of ten home buyers use the Internet in their home search process.
• Is our experience that buyers contact us after internet searching first.
• More often we find the home the buyer buys, rather than what they exactly saw on the Internet.
Buyer Motivations and Expectations:
• 89 percent purchased their vacation or second home as a family retreat.
• 29 percent purchased their second home because it was a “good investment” opportunity.
• 25 percent purchased their second home to rent to others.
• 14 percent purchased their second home for tax benefits.
• 26 percent purchased their second home as a future primary residence.
• 80 percent purchased their second home because they believe now is a good time to purchase.
Original Link: http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20100704/NEWS/100709931/1054
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/!
U.S. housing market remains fragile despite low mortgage rates
It’s not just Deep Creek Lake & Garrett County – it’s EVERYWHERE.
By Dina ElBoghdady
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 2, 2010
After showing signs of a fledgling recovery from the worst downturn in decades, the U.S. housing market appears to be heading back toward the doldrums, as the expiration of a lucrative tax credit for buyers and increased uncertainty about the economy cause home sales to plummet.
The sudden weakness in residential real estate has struck nearly every region of the country, according to recent government and industry data, driving down sales of new and previously owned homes alike in May. On Thursday, the National Association of Realtors said an index that measures sales contracts signed on existing homes plunged 30 percent in May, more than twice what analysts had forecast, to the lowest level since the group started tracking the numbers in 2001.
Those sharp declines come despite record-low mortgage rates and historically cheap home prices. The market’s renewed fragility highlights concerns about whether the U.S. economy will hurtle back into recession and illustrates the impact of the nation’s high unemployment rate, now at 9.7 percent. On Friday, the government will issue jobless figures for June that could signal what is in store for housing and economic growth.
As long as people are without jobs or fear losing their livelihoods, they are unlikely to commit to buying a home and saddling themselves with 30 years of mortgage payments.
“It sounds simplistic but it bears repeating: ‘No job = No house,’ ” Mike Larson, an analyst with Weiss Research, wrote in a note to clients Thursday. “With so many Americans unemployed or underemployed, the housing market is going to keep hurting.”
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/!
Foreclosure solutions workshop planned at HRDC
From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News
— CUMBERLAND — Local residents facing foreclosure, worried about increased interest rates or having other concerns about their mortgage can access some free legal advice in a workshop being sponsored by state Sen. George C. Edwards.
The Foreclosure Solutions Workshop will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. on July 15 at the Human Resources Development Commission at 125 Virginia Ave.
Homeowners who are facing foreclosure, worried about an increased interest rate or have other concerns about their mortgage can receive free one-on-one legal advice and housing counseling assistance at the event.
“The mortgage crisis isn’t just something we see in the news: it affects many individuals and families in our community,” said Gorman E. Getty III, president of the Bar Association of Allegany County that is coordinating the event along with Allegany Law on Greene Street. He noted that the Bar Association “has a long tradition of helping those in need and is committed to assisting with mortgage related issues.”
Marcia Conrad, executive director of Allegany Law which was founded by the Bar Association, said she is “delighted to be able to offer this service to distressed homeowners.”
“This is the first time that the Foreclosure Solutions Workshop is being offered in Western Maryland. Over 60 workshops have been successfully held throughout the state during the last two years,” said Conrad.
Allegany Law and the Bar Association of Allegany County have been working with the Maryland Foreclosure Prevention Pro Bono Project of the Maryland Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland to plan and staff the event. Homeowners should call Allegany Law at 301-722-3390 to register.
Registration guarantees a free legal consultation with a volunteer attorney to discuss an individual mortgage situation. The workshop will give participants directions on the next steps to take and where to go for help.
Workshop participants should bring the following: (1) all materials related to their current and former mortgages, including the loan application, settlement paperwork and lender statements; (2) any foreclosure notices or threats of foreclosure received; and (3) a monthly household income and expense budget.
Jennifer Larrabee, manager of the Maryland Foreclosure Prevention Pro Bono Project and housing counselors from Garrett County Community Action Agency and Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Maryland and Delaware will be also participate in the workshop.
The Foreclosure Solutions Workshop is free and open to the public. The site is handicapped accessible. To pre-register or for more information, call Allegany Law at 722-3390.
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!
Maryland Park Quest becomes an outdoors marathon - Balt. Sun Blog
Be on the look out for Candus Thomson, the popular ‘outdoors girl’ blogger from the Baltimore Sun. She is embarking on Maryland Park Service’s Park Quest, starting Wednesday at Swalllow Falls. (from the blog):
The premise, as sketched on a grease-infused paper plate, is fairly simple. Complete the Maryland Park Service’s Park Quest—a free popular summer-long activity that has attracted 750 families this year—in one week. That’s 24 parks, stretching from Deep Creek Lake in Western Maryland to Assateague Island on the Atlantic Coast, in seven days.
I’ll blog about it at the end of each day.
Park Quest is part-hike, part-scavenger hunt, part-geocache, with a little history and geography lesson sprinkled on top for good measure.
The theme for this year’s event is, Where a Family Becomes a Team. Teams must include at least one adult and one child 16 years of age or younger, but can be as large as 10 people to include extended family. Teams must complete at least 10 Quests by Sept. 6 to be eligible for the Park Quest Finale on Sept. 11 at the Hammerman Area of Gunpowder Falls State Park, where they could win camping gear, kayaks and vacation packages.
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!
Lawsuit threatened over Western MD wind farm
A group of Western Maryland residents and a state conservation group have filed formal notice they’ll sue to stop construction of a wind farm in Garrett County, contending the massive turbines “almost certainly” will harm endangered bats in the forested, mountainous region.
Save Western Maryland, a group of local residents opposed to wind farm projects in the county, announced Saturday that it had joined with the Maryland Conservation Council and “several concerned citizens” in a June 23 letter warning of the lawsuit to Constellation Green Green Energy LLC, and other businesses that have or have had a hand in the wind farm being built on Backbone Mountain south of Oakland. Constellation Green Energy is an offshoot of Baltimore-based Constellation Energy.
The groups contend the Eagle Rock project will violate the federal Endangered Species Act because the 28 turbines, each more than 400 feet high, would “almost certainly” kill or injure rare Indiana bats or Virginia big-eared bats, both protected by law.
The notice said a lawsuit would be filed within 60 days, unless Constellation obtains an “incidental take” permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for any protected bats its turbines might harm. Getting such a permit requires the applicant to prepare a “habitat conservation plan,” which lays out steps taken to avoid or minimize harm to rare species, and possibly to mitigate their loss as well.
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!
Deep Creek Lake Fireworks July 4th, 2010
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ6PuZXr9CY&hl=en_US&fs=1]
The setting is always amazing. McHenry Cove starts to fill up with boats at about 7pm or so. I arrived at Ski Harbor on my boat, guests of some clients whom I have worked with for years and from my time owning property there. You see all kinds of picnics, bonfires and party tents set up all along the shorelines of the lake; thousands of people enjoying the 4th of July and the festivities.
The water was really calm in the no-wake cove, and there were kids fishing off the docks and launching kayaks. We setup a picnic blanket and some lawn chairs and settled in for the show. The fireworks typically start at 9:30, so we had some time to kill and to enjoy the atmosphere.
My daughter Kayleah and her friend were fishing off the boat, Noah and his little buddy Wyatt were running around chasing ducks, throwing sticks and exploring the waterfront. We had packed a simple picnic basket with some snacks, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (YUM!) and birthday cake (Happy Birthday Jerry!). The food and company were great and before we knew it, the cove had filled with hundreds of boats and it was showtime…
The fireworks lasted about 30 minutes or so, and the smell of sulphur was drifting through the air. One of the most impressive things for me was the way the sound echoes through the valley and reverberates through the lake. You can hear LOUD echoes on a 1-2 second delay that ring all the way to Sky Valley (a client of mine reports that her dogs are NOT firework fans).
My son, Noah, is turning 3 next month and these were his 3rd set of fireworks he has seen from the lake, but this was by far his most interactive. He spent the first 5 or 10 minutes with his hands over his ears and then seemed to adjust well. You may be able to tell from the video, he was ‘helping’ me adjust the camera 🙂
When the fireworks were finished, we waited for the boat traffic to clear up, and the kids rode home safely in the car – it is a bit scary on the return trip on a boat with all of the traffic, etc. But, as far as I know, everyone made it home safe and happy – thrilled with the most impressive fireworks display Deep Creek Lake has seen in quite a while…thanks to Hugh Umbel for the show!!
Here is a link to the photo gallery on Facebook, and I hope you enjoy the video from http://www.Youtube.com/deepcreeklake.
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<a href=”http://www.ilovedeepcreek.com/”.
Deep Creek Lake Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!
