Author: Stacy Carlson

August Real Estate Rundown By Jay Ferguson

“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” – Mark Twain

My name is Jay Ferguson and I am one of the owners of the real estate division of Taylor Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales. I am entering my 19th year in the real estate business here in Garrett County and at Deep Creek Lake.If you are interested, you can click here find out more about me personally and my background.

I will be writing a monthly blog post about our local real estate market, sharing & interpreting statistics and offering some insights into the market as a whole…as I see it. These are my personal thoughts and musings about the market in general and are not intended as anything more specific. And, to be clear, I am an optimistic, glass half-full kind of guy.

Lastly, every stat I reference is based on the official stats published by Bright MLS on or around the 15th of each month. My plan is to give you straightforward stats coupled with my analysis from the front lines and let you interpret what you read in your own way.

July 2019  – We finished the month with 71 new listings, down from 81 new listings last month. The biggest stat that I report on below is the number of new, pending sales. A whopping 78 new pending sales in July! I believe the recent drop in interest rates helped to fuel this activity, but the growing desire to own a piece of paradise is evident when you are looking at properties in Garrett County & Deep Creek Lake! Continue reading August Real Estate Rundown By Jay Ferguson

Mountain Coaster Fun at Wisp Resort

The Mountain Coaster at Wisp Resort offers year round fun! You have probably never experienced a roller coaster quite like this favorite Deep Creek Lake attraction.

mountain coaster

About the Mountain Coaster

The Mountain Coaster at Wisp Resort is a cross between an Alpine Slide and a roller coaster. It has 1,300 feet of uphill track that builds the suspense. Then, you twist, turn, dip and roll 3,500 feet down the eastern side of Wisp Mountain. Maximum speed is 28 mph. That might not be fast enough to scare coaster enthusiasts, but it is perfect for providing some thrills for everyone. You will ride in a “cart” that holds as many as two riders. Braking is up to you. Continue reading Mountain Coaster Fun at Wisp Resort

Deep Creek Donut Guide – Start Your Morning Right!

Deep Creek Donut Guide

Our Deep Creek Donut guide gives you the scoop on sweet breakfast treats at the lake! There are several spots where you can grab some goodies to take back to your Deep Creek Lake vacation rental home. These spots are loved by locals and visitors alike!

Deep Creek Donut Spots

Deep Creek Donuts
20294 Garrett Highway, Oakland, MD 21550

Using a vanilla cake donut base, they have a lots of options on their menu. You can also choose from dozens of toppings to create your own. Located right next door to the popular Lakeside Creamery, you can eat fresh, hot donuts outside at the picnic tables that overlook the lake. They are open 7 days a week during the summer from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Glazed & Confuzed Donuts
24450 Garrett Highway, McHenry, Maryland

Glazed & Confuzed is a far out food truck serving donuts and hot coffee in Funland’s parking lot. Their extensive menu includes far out options like the “Wild Thang” (maple glaze with bacon) and the “Lake Monster” (vanilla glaze with crushed Oreos). Hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. during the summer only. Continue reading Deep Creek Donut Guide – Start Your Morning Right!

July 2019 Real Estate Rundown By Jay Ferguson

“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” – Mark Twain

My name is Jay Ferguson and I am one of the owners of the real estate division of Taylor Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales. I am entering my 19th year in the real estate business here in Garrett County and at Deep Creek Lake. If you are interested, you can click here find out more about me personally and my background.

I will be writing a monthly blog post about our local real estate market, sharing & interpreting statistics and offering some insights into the market as a whole…as I see it. These are my personal thoughts and musings about the market in general and are not intended as anything more specific. And, to be clear, I am an optimistic, glass half-full kind of guy.

Lastly, every stat I reference is based on the official stats published by Bright MLS on or around the 15th of each month. My plan is to give you straightforward stats coupled with my analysis from the front lines and let you interpret what you read in your own way.

June 2019  – We finished the month with 81 new listings, down from 114 new listings last month. Most sellers have their home on the market by July 4th or so, if they are planning on selling. Of course, there are always late additions to the summer market but that happens every year. June also happened to be VERY rainy and wet. We had several flash flood watches in our area and a lot of that pretty landscaping was washed out in a matter of minutes. Area contractors are having an especially hard time keeping up with their workloads, as the rain set everyone back – especially for outdoor work and exterior paint jobs. Continue reading July 2019 Real Estate Rundown By Jay Ferguson

Wolf Den Run State Park is Deep Creek’s Newest Attraction

Wolf Den Run State Park opened in mid-July of 2019! It is Garrett County’s eighth state park. It is a great addition to our public lands. Totaling over 2,000 acres, it will give you lots more scenery to explore. When it was privately owned, it was used for off-road vehicles (ORVs). The existing trails are being improved when possible and new trails are being developed too. As a state park, it will be open for ORVs, hiking, hunting and fishing.

The park is named after a stream within the park boundaries named Wolf Den Run. It goes back to a 1901 Maryland Geological Survey Map of Garrett County dated. The stream flows through the northern section and into the Potomac River.

Huckleberry Rocks Area

This is the first section of Wolf Den Run State Park to open. Trail improvements have been made, and visitors are welcome with reservations. There are 12.5 miles of trails. Of that, 6.5 miles can be used for full-sized vehicles.

There is a limit of 50 machines per day. You can contact Herrington Manor State Park to reserve your spot. Keep in mind that you do need to have an ORV sticker to ride.

wolf den run state park

Continue reading Wolf Den Run State Park is Deep Creek’s Newest Attraction

June 2019 Real Estate Rundown By Jay Ferguson

“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” – Mark Twain

My name is Jay Ferguson and I am one of the owners of the real estate division of Taylor Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales. I am entering my 19th year in the real estate business here in Garrett County and at Deep Creek Lake. If you are interested, you can find out more about me personally and my background here.

I will be writing a monthly blog post about our local real estate market, sharing & interpreting statistics and offering some insights into the market as a whole…as I see it. These are my personal thoughts and musings about the market in general and are not intended as anything more specific. And, to be clear, I am an optimistic, glass half-full kind of guy.

Lastly, every stat I reference is based on the official stats published by Bright MLS on or around the 15th of each month. My plan is to give you straightforward stats coupled with my analysis from the front lines and let you interpret what you read in your own way.

May 2019 brought even more new inventory – 114 new listings on the market for sale. Its par for the course as sellers put their homes up for sale during the time of year where the vacation audience is at its peak. Homes are looking their best right now and docks are in the water. Social media feeds are loaded with snapshots of #LakeLife and gorgeous sunsets. It’s an amazing opportunity to carve out your own slice of lake life at its finest!

Continue reading June 2019 Real Estate Rundown By Jay Ferguson

10 Steps to a Successful Settlement

Successful settlement is the end goal of any real estate transaction. Finding your perfect home is the beginning to many years of wonderful memories but there are some additional subsequent details that must be managed to ensure that happens.

1.Notify your lender and lock your rate

Once you have negotiated a price and secured the right property for your family, quickly begin working with your lender so they can lock the best interest rate for you.  Some rate locks are 30-days and others are 45-60 days.  It’s important to know this upfront so that you are not in a position to have to pay additional money to keep your rate if settlement goes beyond your rate lock period.

2.Ensure that deposit is received by your REALTOR® and deposited once contract is ratified

With a real estate transaction, it is typical to provide a good faith/escrow/earnest money deposit at time of offer or once your contract is accepted and both buyer and seller have signed.  This deposit will be held until time of closing and applied to your purchase price.

3.Watch deadlines for contingency completions

If you have inspection contingencies in your contract, it is important to make sure your inspections are all completed within the time periods allotted in the contract.  This way, if there are repairs that need to be addressed, you have ample time to notify the sellers and get them repaired prior to closing.  If you miss the deadline then you may not be able to ask for repairs. Continue reading 10 Steps to a Successful Settlement

What’s New at Deep Creek Lake – 2019 Edition

 

new at deep creek lake

Discover what’s new at Deep Creek Lake! We have started compiling our 2019 list of new businesses in the Deep Creek Lake area. Check back often for updates!

The next time you are in town, stop by one of these fine establishments:

Deep Creek Axe Throwing Company
Open year round, this is a fun way to test your aim! It is kind of like playing darts but with axes! Located at Monkey Business Adventure Park, it is available to ages eight and up.

Deep Creek Water Trampolines
If your staying at one of our homes with a private dock, you can have your own private water trampoline that will keep the kids smiling for ours! It is a great addition to your lakefront activities. Give them a call at 301-501-5195 to make reservations and schedule delivery!

Sipside Lounge
Located in Oakland’s historic downtown, Sipside serves up classic cocktails, craft beers and fine wines. Live weekend entertainment and a cool atmosphere make it a great spot to hang-out with friends.

Roots Yoga
Centrally located at the Fort in McHenry, you will find everything from restorative to high intensity classes, women’s gatherings, blacklight yoga, dance, and a variety of other wellness workshops!

If you haven’t made your vacation plans, search now for the best summer selection.  Don’t miss out!

Deep Creek Lake Summer Road Trip – Less Than 3 Hours from Baltimore & DC!

A Deep Creek Lake summer road trip is the perfect opportunity to escape to the mountains for a little R&R. It is a getaway that is less than 3 hours from Baltimore and Washington, DC and less than 2 hours from Pittsburgh. The convenient location, natural beauty and abundant recreation make it the ideal destination for a long weekend away.

Deep Creek Lake Summer Road Trip

Deep Creek Lake Summer Road Trip Savings

We are offering a FREE summer night when you plan a trip arriving now through August 23, 2019. You can use the money you save to treat your family to fun activities or great food at local restaurants.

The offer includes:

– Stay 3 nights, get the 4th night FREE*

– A $25 gift card for Smiley’s Pizzeria will be at the home when you arrive

– Get 1 FREE Deep Creek Adventure Package per child Continue reading Deep Creek Lake Summer Road Trip – Less Than 3 Hours from Baltimore & DC!

Deep Creek Lake Real Estate Terms

Deep Creek Lake real estate terms can be challenging to understand if you are unfamiliar with the area. A review of the following terms used to describe real estate and permits around the lake will assist you in making your buying decisions.  Understanding these definitions will help you determine the property that’s the best fit for you (Lakefront, Lake Access, Split Lakefront, Lake View).  Using a Taylor-Made experienced and trained REALTOR® will ensure that your best interests are at heart every step of the way. I am Betsy Holcomb, a co-owner of Taylor-Made real estate and a sales agent. Feel free to contact me any time at betsy@deepcreekvacations.com or 301-616-5022 with any questions you might have.

Deep Creek Lake Real Estate Terms

ASSIGNED SLIP – A term used to indicate that the residential unit or lot has the exclusive use of a specific boat slip issued to the Council of Unit Owners or Homeowners Association.

BUFFER STRIP – Land owned by the State of Maryland between the water’s surface and the private property boundaries of adjacent landowners to an elevation of approximately 2466’ in most locations.  Said buffer strip is designed to provide an access area between the actual water surface and private property adequately sized to permit the general public to walk or fish around the entire perimeter of Deep Creek Lake. Continue reading Deep Creek Lake Real Estate Terms