Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales Blog

10 Years of Deep Creek Vacations!

We are celebrating 10 years of Deep Creek vacations! There have been many changes in the past decade, but our commitment to our guests, home owners and the community remains steadfast.

the beginning

Jodi Taylor Refosco, her husband, Joe Refosco, and her brother, Chad Taylor, started Taylor-Made in April of 2008. Each had many years of experience in the vacation rental and hospitality industries. Chad and Jodi were continuing a tradition that was started by their parents, Zachary and Linda Taylor, who previously owned a vacation rental firm.

With only one home and no employees, Jodi, Joe and Chad did everything themselves. From lawn care and maintenance to reservations and housekeeping, the trio built the company from the ground up.

They started with the mission statement “Creating Memories & Exceeding Expecations”. Their goal was to help both guests and owners create lasting memories in a place that they love while providing exceptional customer service. That is still the philosophy of the company today. Continue reading 10 Years of Deep Creek Vacations!

March 2018 Deep Creek Lake Real Estate Update

Your Deep Creek Lake Real Estate Update

Winter is still holding on and giving us a few more blasts of snow, just like our inventory of homes. The number of homes on the market is still lingering around 330 in all of Garrett county with a little more than half of them being lake area homes. The activity is typical for this time of year and has slowed down in the past couple of months.

Twenty-two lake area homes sold last month for an average price of around $351,000. While this is down from last year at this time when the average was $510,000, the number of units are up from only 10 homes sold last year. Continue reading March 2018 Deep Creek Lake Real Estate Update

Your Guide to Easter Weekend at Deep Creek Lake

Spring is coming to the mountains of Western Maryland! If you are spending the extended Easter weekend at Deep Creek Lake, there are lots of fun events to keep you entertained. Plus, you can spend time enjoying the outdoors. Check out area state parks that offer hiking trails, fishing and biking.

I will update the post as more local Deep Creek Lake events are announced.

Our Guide to Easter Weekend at Deep Creek Lake:

Saturday, March 31

Swallow Falls Nature Tour
9am at Swallow Falls State Park
2hrs. Learn about the park, the ecosystem, bears and the local inside scoop. $15 per person. Perfect for first time visitors. http://allearthecotours.com

Natural Egg Dyeing
10am-Noon at the Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park
This hands on activity demonstrates how beets, onions, grape juice, and other natural items can be used as dyes. Bring 6 hardboiled eggs (per child) wiped off with a mild vinegar solution. Plus, there’s a chance to meet the Easter bunny!

Smiley’s Fun Zone Easter Egg Hunt
11am-1pm at Smiley’s Fun Zone
Bring your basket for candy, prizes, and pictures with the Easter Bunny and Smiley!

Egg Hunt
Noon-4pm at Broadford Park
This egg hunt is divided into age groups: 2 and under, 3 – 5, 6 – 8, and 9 -12. The Easter Bunny will be hiding over 6,000 eggs!

Continue reading Your Guide to Easter Weekend at Deep Creek Lake

New: Deep Creek Travel Insurance Update

Our new Deep Creek travel insurance allows you to make reservations with confidence. From illness and injury to weather and school schedule changes, there are a variety of situations that might affect your travel plans.

covered situations

We recently partnered with Rental Guardian. They offer Cancel for Any Reason coverage. If you cancel for a covered reason, they cover 100% of your reservation cost.

Covered reasons include (but are not limited to):
-Illness
-Injury
-A death in the family
-Required to work
-Extension of the school year

There are more than 30 covered reasons to cancel. Get more details on coverage.

cancel for any reason

Cancellations for any reason not covered by the policy will receive 70% reimbursement. (excludes NY and WA travelers) This option gives you peace of mind. Should something that is not covered arise, your financial risk is minimal. Continue reading New: Deep Creek Travel Insurance Update

5 Tips to Sell Your Home this Spring

Check out our 5 Tips to Sell Your Home this Spring to get a leg up on the competition. Set yourself up for success during this busy buying and selling season!

hire a realtor

First and foremost, you should partner with a real estate professional. Look for someone who is a full-time agent. They will know the local market. Your agent can also do the heavy lifting when it comes to negotiating with buyers.

Ask them about their marketing strategy for your listing. You want it to appear on all of the major sites like Zillow, Trulia, etc. Be sure your home will be professionally photographed as well. If your home doesn’t show well in the photos, buyers won’t want to see it in person. You can ask to see examples of their print or online advertising for past listings. Social media should be part of their marketing strategy as well.

make sure the price is right

Setting the right price is a big determining factor in how quickly your home will sell. This is where a good sales agent can really help you out. They will help you set an appropriate, realistic price for your location. Overpriced homes might sit on the market for a long time. That could scare away potential buyers. Sometimes, the assumption is made that something is wrong with the house if it is an old listing. Continue reading 5 Tips to Sell Your Home this Spring

Deep Creek Lake St. Patrick’s Day Rundown

Deep Creek Lake St. Patrick’s Day celebrations will keep you entertained all weekend. Pack up all of your green gear and take advantage of last minute specials. There are lots of fun activities for all ages!

Plus, there is snow in the forecast! Spring skiing and snow tubing conditions at Wisp Resort should be excellent.

Deep Creek Lake St. Patrick’s Day Events

Garrett County Fair Indoor Flea Market & Crafts
March 17, 8AM-3PM
Shop for treasures at the Ag Hall at the Garrett County Fairgrounds. MORE INFO

Snowshoe & Hiking Tours
Saturdays through Mid-April, 10AM-Noon
All Earth Eco Tours will guide you through Swallow Falls State Park. You will learn about the environment and there are lots of great photo ops. MORE INFO

Sleepless in Garrett County
March 17, 11AM-Noon
This Discovery Center presentation teaches kids how native animals survive Deep Creek Lake’s harsh winters. MORE INFO

Snakes Alive!
March 17, 1-2PM
Learn about Maryland’s snakes and meet a few at the Discovery Center. MORE INFO

St. Patrick’s Day Party at Mountain State Brewing Co.
March 17, 5-9PM
Mountain State is serving up corned beef and cabbage all day. In the evening, there will be drink specials and bagpipers start at 6PM. MORE INFO

Continue reading Deep Creek Lake St. Patrick’s Day Rundown

Meet Our Vacation Rental Maintenance Team

Taylor-Made owners and guests benefit from our in-house vacation rental maintenance team. They have the experience and expertise to handle almost any situation that may arise.

Over the past year, we sought out local talent with specific skill-sets to save our owners money. We identified tasks associated with high-cost vendors, and hired new team members accordingly. Once they were onboard, they received extensive customer service training so that they could easily interact with guests or owners. Expanding our team to include HVAC, plumbing and electrical experts can save owners $150+ on a routine service call.

Gary Paugh, Maintenance Manager

Gary has been with Taylor-Made for eight years. His background in the military and positive attitude make him a natural leader. A native of nearby Mineral County, WVA, his years in the Army took him around the world to Korea, Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan. While in the service, he was a Platoon Sargent who supervised thirty-one people.

In his years with Taylor-Made, Gary has earned certifications for the repair of HVAC systems, hot tubs, plumbing and appliances. He feels that we have the best maintenance team yet with a very diverse knowledge base and willingness to learn new things. Gary says, “It makes me feel proud to work here – like I did in the military.” Continue reading Meet Our Vacation Rental Maintenance Team

February 2018 Deep Creek Real Estate Update

Old Punxsutawney Phil said 6 more weeks of winter. He might be right this time, because someone has been shaking the snow globe here at the lake. We have had over 80+ inches for this winter!

Deep Creek Real estate Buyers tip

Low housing inventories begin to put the sellers in the driver’s seat. When the right property comes along, be prepared to make a decision fast. A good agent will be able to help you with preparation and finding the right house. Contact one of our agents today to get that process started. Continue reading February 2018 Deep Creek Real Estate Update

Tips for Buying Lakefront Real Estate at Deep Creek

Buying lakefront real estate is a different experience than buying an ordinary home in a typical neighborhood. When you buy lakefront real estate at Deep Creek, you are also buying a way of life.

lakefront real estate

Buyers frequently ask our agents about lakefront real estate. Our experts point out all of the differences and things to be aware of. Here are some of their best tips to get you started on your Deep Creek Lake real estate search.

Secure Financing Early

Figure out your financing early on in the process. Unless you are paying in cash, you will need to obtain a mortgage. Getting pre-approved is key when buying a lakefront home. Lakefront home sellers are often advised by their agent to only accept an offer from a pre-approved buyer. Continue reading Tips for Buying Lakefront Real Estate at Deep Creek

Book Direct: Get the Best Price for Your Deep Creek Vacation

Book direct with Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales to be sure you get the best price! February 7th is “Book Direct Day”!

book direct

We want you to get the best possible value when it comes to your Deep Creek Lake vacation rentals. When you make your reservations on our website, you can be sure that you are getting the lowest possible rate and great customer service.

Here are just a few of the benefits when you #bookdirect:

Avoid Costly Fees Charged by 3rd Party sites

Websites like VRBO, HomeAway and Air BNB tack on service fees that can be hundreds of dollars. Why pay more for your Deep Creek vacation rental? Book direct with Taylor-Made to avoid those extra fees. That money can be better used to play mini golf, rent a boat or take the kids snow tubing. Continue reading Book Direct: Get the Best Price for Your Deep Creek Vacation