April Real Estate Update - Deep Creek Lake & Garrett County Maryland
April was a better month for real estate sales at Deep Creek Lake & Garrett County, Maryland. Out of the 17 total sales in April 2010 (up one from last month and ironically, one from last year during the same period), 6 of those sales were for full price – or higher! That seems much more like the real estate market that Deep Creek Lake & Garrett County sellers were accustomed to seeing a few short years ago. My interpretation of this is that sellers, buyers & agents alike are starting to get on the same page in terms of pricing. Prices have come down – everywhere. Now, the buyer activity seems to be picking up, as well. I’ve had more buyer calls about property in the last 2 weeks than….well, it’s been a while. People are looking to buy again. And there are some great deals out there.
There are 49 properties currently under contract compared to 44 last month.
9 of the 17 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.
The average list vs. ORIGINAL sales price was 70.67%, up 1% from last month. The biggest part of this number is the high listing numbers that sellers start with. I blogged about this a few months ago. Sellers are starting to get the picture now, and those who can afford to sell for less, are.
The ADJUSTED list vs sale price is 90.47% – up again from last month. Once the market reacts and adjusts to prices & competition, the Realtors who assist in pricing property can adjust the asking price of properties for sellers who are willing & able to react. This number is a very telling stat – it shows that we are starting to narrow in on the price points for the local real estate market. The best evidence of this stat I can offer is that the 6 sales that were full price or higher. We are narrowing in on the true market values.
The current number of active/for sale residential listings is 665 as of today. This is up from last month (605) and will continue to grow as the spring and summer continue. April & May are huge listing months in Garrett County & Deep Creek Lake – this year is no different. I fully expect 700+ listings by this time next month.
Here are the statistical breakdowns:
Average Sale Price: $332,294 (last month) $404,031
Average Days on Market: 219/219 (last month 220/275) (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
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
Price reduction: 1104 Alexander Ln -$324,900 GA7297438
If you haven’t seen this house yet, you are missing out! And, its now even more affordable! This is by far one of the better selections in the Oakland market. Countless upgrades and improvements ranging from a new kitchen with granite to a media room on the lower level. A must see – by appointment only.
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
The Stables at Herrington Manor - Open House Saturday
Jessica & I took the kids to the open house Saturday @ the Stables at Herrington. Our good friend Autumn Newcomb is involved with the project and Kayleah wants to learn to ride horses. Autumn was the previous owner of the stables and I assisted her in the process of selling to John & Terry Fram, the current owners. WOW. They have completely update the place! We got to meet a few horses, pose for some pictures and watch a great demonstration of riding styles from Terry’s daughter. The weather could not have been better, so it turned out to be a great day.
Stop out and see them sometime – they have a lot of fun activities, lessons and boarding services available, as well.
Here a few pics:
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
Mountain Laurel Medical Center opens doors to new facility
Megan Miller Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — A ribbon-cutting celebration marked the official opening of Garrett County’s Mountain Laurel Medical Center Friday afternoon.
Federal, state and local officials gathered for the ceremony at the new facility on Memorial Drive. The medical center actually opened to patients in November.
The center provides primary, preventative and pediatric care to county residents, including low-income residents and those without medical insurance.
“All persons living in Garrett County will now receive the same quality of care, regardless of socioeconomic status, or whether they’re insured or uninsured,” said Beth Little-Terry, Mountain Laurel’s CEO. “This is truly the community’s medical center.”
Little-Terry said the new facility has 12 exam rooms and is fitted with state-of-the-art diagnostic and other computer equipment.
“This is another example of how things can get done when all levels of government work together,” said state Sen. George Edwards, who spoke during the ceremony.
Delegate Wendell Beitzel said he hopes the new facility will help officials develop a solution to the ongoing struggle to secure OB/GYN services in the county.
“In the long term, we’re hoping we can work with the new facility and family doctors to provide needed medical attention to mothers and children in this county,” he said.
Other speakers included Maurice Denis, associate vice president of the National Association of Community Health Centers.
According to Denis, the Mountain Laurel center is one of 7,500 community health centers in the nation. Together, they serve approximately 20 million people, and provide services that are, on average, 30 percent lower in cost than private practice physicians and emergency services.
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
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…
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.
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.
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
