By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 June 24th, 2009 Category: Deep Creek Lake Market Update, Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, Garrett County News, Garrett County Real Estate, News, Wisp Real Estate, Wisp Ski Resort

Yesterday we had a meeting with Karen Myers, one of the owners and developers of the Wisp Ski Resort. She gave us an update on the Wisp Ski Resort, the new Hale Irwin Lodestone Golf Course, and other real estate developments atop Wisp mountain. Here are the highlights of the meeting;

Contrary to any rumors the Wisp Ski Resort is NOT in any type of financial trouble! And they don’t intend to get in any financial trouble in the future by utilizing a plan to be fiscally responsible going forward. This plan includes delaying some of the proposed projects until economic conditions improve and expansion is feasible. The Wisp finished this past ski season (2008-2009) with about 185,000 skier visits - which was slightly ahead of the previous winter season - even with a slumping economy and an unusually warm March which forced them to close earlier than normal for the season. Some in the ski industry have heard reports that most of the other mid-Atlantic ski areas were down significantly in skier visits - if that is true this once again shows the overall strength of the Deep Creek Lake area as four season resort area that can still draw people and tourists even in tough economic times!

Hale Irwin Lodestone Golf Course

First and foremost the Wisp plans on finishing the Hale Irwin Lodestone Golf Club. The first 10 holes have already been “plated” and their is some additional rock blasting to be done on the final 8 holes. Hale Irwin toured the site last week and the course is on target to be done and playable by September 2009. The Wisp is currently pre-selling memberships - full memberships are $40,000 for non-lot owners and $20,000 for a sport membership for those who plan on playing less golf. This golf course will be a private, membership only course and won’t be open to public play.

Wisp Lakeside Club

Second on the priority list is to complete and open the Lakeside Club on Deep Creek Drive with a temporary building. The permanent $7 million building has been put on hold until the economy improves. The location is 1077 Deep Creek Drive which is the site of the old S&H Marina on Deep Creek Lake. The temporary location will have a bar, lounge, pool, TV’s locker rooms, and game rooms.  This club is targeted for property owners in some of the neighborhoods atop Wisp Ski Resort - such as Kendall Camp, North Camp, or Highline - that don’t have access to Deep Creek Lake. The target date for opening the Lakeside Club is July of 2009.

North Camp Ski Slope Expansion

Eventually, as economic conditions improve, the Wisp plans on constructing another Chair Lift and increasing the number of ski trails and ski-able terrain in the North Camp area of the ski slopes. The new Chair will be #8 and will meet at the top of North Camp near Chair #7.

Wisp Mountaintop Village

Lastly, the proposed Mountain Top Village near the ASCI White Water course will be developed. Proposed is a 100 unit residential building that will be ski-in/ski-out along with various retail and food shops. The mountaintop village already has ASCI (Adventure Sports Center International), The Pumphouse Cafe, and the Wisp Outdoors Center.

If you are interested in any real estate opportunities at Wisp Ski Resort or in the Deep Creek Lake area please give us a call or drop us an e-mail. We’ll be more than happy to show you any building lots, residential homes, or townhomes atop Wisp mountain and provide more details about all the happenings at Wisp.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 June 17th, 2009 Category: Garrett County News, News

The proposed Community Athletic Recreation Center (CARC) in Garrett County and Deep Creek Lake is still a possibility although things are looking bleak after last week’s meeting between officials from Garrett College and the County Commissioners.

If constructed the Recreation Center would be open to the public and would include indoor swimming pools, indoor tracks, basketball courts, fitness facilities, and physical therapy rooms. It would benefit all full time residents of Garrett County and many second and vacation home owners at Deep Creek Lake as well - especially seniors and families with children. As another amenity to the Deep Creek area this center would also help maintain real estate and property values as well. Garrett County is the only county in the state of Maryland without a public pool and recreation center! We may very well be the only county in the entire United States without a public pool! The center was originally planned to be placed atop Wisp Mountain near ASCI (Adventure Sports Center International) but space concerns in 2006 eventually shifted the plans to the campus of Garrett College in McHenry.

The project was placed on hold last January after bids to build the center on the campus of Garrett College came in well above initial estimates.  However, Garrett College officials would like to start discussions again on the athletic center since the state still has committed around $15 million for the construction of the facility and the fact that Senator George Edwards recently secured another $3 million as well. College officials think that due to the downturn in the economy new construction bids will come in much lower this time as many contractors are now looking for work.

Commissioner Holliday has gone on the record as saying he would vote against the project due to his concerns that the center would eventually become a financial burden on the county after it was up and running due to operating costs - not because he was concerned about the funding needed to get the project built. However at last week’s meeting he did give his ok to continue studying the feasibility of the center. Commissioner Glotfelty is abstaining from this vote since he owns Double G Campground which will be adjacent to the proposed recreation center. With Commissioner Glotfelty abstaining it could create a situation of one yes vote from Commissioner Gregg and one no vote from Holliday which would essentially kill the project.

The center could host numerous swim meets, track meets, and basketball camps and tournaments throughout the year to generate income and offset ongoing operating costs. Due to the tourist nature of Deep Creek Lake and Wisp Ski Resort it should be relatively easy to attract groups and organizations to these types of events!

If you would like to voice your opinion one way or the other you can e-mail Commissioner Holliday at countycommissioners@garettcounty.org.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 June 16th, 2009 Category: Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, Garrett County News, Garrett County Real Estate, News

At today’s public meeting, the Garrett County Commissioners approved the county’s 2010 fiscal year budget and real property tax rate.

The real property tax rate will be reduced to $0.99 per $100 of assessed property value - down from the current $1.00 per $100 of assessed value - but significantly higher than the $0.946 constant yield rate.

This means that all Deep Creek Lake and Garrett County property owners will pay an additional $2.6 million combined in real estate and property taxes in the next fiscal year.

The commissioners also approved a budget that is $28 million less than the amended 2009 fiscal year budget. As with most other counties in Maryland, the belt tightening has begun here as well. The local county government is in the process of looking for ways to reduce expenses and delay projects in anticipation of fewer revenues from the state.

By: coeliangreen cgreen@railey.com 301-501-4122 June 3rd, 2009 Category: Deep Creek Lake Activities, News, Wisp Ski Resort

Yes - you heard correctly, the Wisp Ski Resort in western Maryland hosted its 3rd annual ski and snowboard Tom Wallisch Rail Jam on Saturday, May 23rd 2009.

Wisp Ski Area - May 23, 2009

Despite 80 degree weather, the Wisp was able to maintain a strip of snow for this awesome event.  With over 50 competitors, a live band, and plenty of food and drink a great time was had by spectators and competitors alike.  Competitors were each given three runs to show off their skills on a course set with plenty of jumps, rails and boxes.  Judges scored the competitors, and age group awards were given to the top competitors.

Local competitor, Colin Lynch, winner of the male under 18 snowboard category

Local competitor, Elizabeth Green, winner of the female under 18 ski category

The event is named for local freestyle competitor Tom Wallisch who grew up skiing at Wisp and was a member of the local Deep Creek Winter Sports Team.  Tom has gone on to successfully compete on the national and international level.  This past winter Tom won the  Tahoe Winter Mountain Dew Tour Slopestyle event - an incredible feat for a seasoned pro much less an up and comer!   Tom has also been featured in numerous videos and magazines.  The event’s name sake was on hand to help set up, judge the event and support our local freestyle skiers and boarders.

For more information on Tom Wallisch check out one of his many video clips on Youtube.   See why Tom is considered one of the best slopestyle skiers in the world!   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oceLxuO8fLc

Tom Wallisch doing what he does best!

In conjunction with Wisp Ski Area and the Deep Creek Winter Sports Team, Tom Wallisch announced this week that he will be sponsoring a scholarship program.  The scholarship will provide an upcoming junior freestyle skier or snowboarder an opportunity to train and compete as a member of the local Deep Creek Winter Sports Team.    The scholarship will include a ski pass at Wisp and membership in the local Deep Creek Winter Sports Team Freestyle training program.  For information on the Deep Creek Winter Sports team, or to apply for the scholarship, contact Kellyann Green cgreen@railey.com or 301-501-4122.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 May 7th, 2009 Category: Garrett County News, News

Local Deep Creek Lake and Garrett County real estate developer Jonathan “Smiley” Kessler recently announced plans to suspend construction of the planned Aqua Mountain indoor waterpark in McHenry, Maryland. You can read and download the press release here. The Aqua Mountain waterpark would have been another great ammenity for the area and a natural complement to all the other year round activities that can be done in Garrett County.

The waterpark was planned to be located next to the Garrett County Fairgrounds but instead the property will now be developed into a commercial site with frontage along Route 219 and views of Deep Creek Lake. This commercial property is currently for sale and has great potential with it’s high visibility and 600 feet of frontage along Route 219, proximity to both Deep Creek Lake and the Wisp Ski Resort, and extended water and sewer lines.

Behind the commercial land are the newly constructed Lodges at Sunset Village - a log cabin hotel complex that will be managed by Railey Mountain Lake Vacations, Deep Creek Lake’s largest vacation rental company. The hotel features 14 cabins and can accomodate up to 130 people.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 April 20th, 2009 Category: Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, Garrett County Real Estate, News

The Garrett County Commissioners are seeking to increase real estate property taxes in all of Garrett County and the Deep Creek Lake area by a total of more than $2,000,000 for the next fiscal year starting on July 1, 2009. This proposal will be accomplished by setting a real property tax rate that is above the constant yield rate.

The current assessment system in Maryland provides that as property assessments rise the real property tax rate can be reduced so that the money derived from annual real estate taxes stays at a constant level from year to year - thus assuring a constant yield of revenue from annual real estate taxes.

State of Maryland law requires that the county hold a public hearing if it intends to raise the real property tax rate above the constant yield rate. The public hearing for this proposal is scheduled for tomorrow April 21, 2009 at 10:00 am in the Garrett County Commissioners public meeting room.

Since most second and vacation homeowners are not in the area mid-week - and especially during this time of the year - it’s a safe assumption that nearly all absentee property owners in the Deep Creek Lake area won’t be able to attend this meeting. If you can’t attend you can still e-mail your comments and opinions to all 3 county commissioners.

Commissioner Glotfelty - dglotfelty@garrettcounty.org

Commissioner Gregg - countycommissioners@garrettcounty.org

Commissioner Holliday - fholliday@garrettcounty.org

We would still like to see the county make some type of accommodation or come up with a better system when it comes to scheduling public meetings that have an affect on the largest portion of the tax base - which are the highest assessed properties in the county located in the Deep Creek Lake area. The county continues to schedule important meetings during mid-week when nearly all of these second and vacation homeowners simply can’t attend such a meeting. Back in 2002 and 2003 the public hearings for the proposed Transient Vacation Rental Unit (TVRU) ordinances were held mid-week when most vacation rental homeowners could not attend.

If you are concerned about your current tax assessment on your Deep Creek Lake house or Garrett County property, please give us a call or drop us a line. Maryland does have a process in place if you would like to dispute your current assessment.

(Paul Durham contributed to this post)

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 April 3rd, 2009 Category: Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, Garrett County Real Estate, News

For those not following the current Maryland legislative session, two bills recently introduced could have a significant effect on Deep Creek Lake and Garrett County homeowners, planning, zoning, and growth in the not so distant future.

If passed and signed into law by the governor, HB1116 and SB 878 would impose performance standards statewide to measure the achievement of both planning and growth by the year 2018. These bills would mandate that 80% of all growth in Maryland occur in designated Priority Funding (PFAs).  In a rural county such as Garrett, the effects will be obvious especially when almost all growth occurs outside of our PFAs.

In Garrett County there are only a few PFAs - two smaller areas near the towns of Oakland and Deer Park. The Deep Creek Lake area is not located in a PFA. Less than 5% of all the land mass in Garrett County is located within a PFA!

These bills could make it possible by the year 2018 and beyond for all property and real estate owners in the Deep Creek Lake area to be denied building permits altogether- and not just those seeking to build a new house - renovations , remodeling, and additions require a building permit as well - those could be denied as well. And this won’t be limited to the Deep Creek area - other non PFA areas of Garrett County will be affected as well. The only building and growth in the county could be restricted to those few smaller PFAs in Oakland and Deer Park. These bills could also restrict MDE approval for storm water management permits which would essentially shut down new subdivisions along with townhome and condo developments in the Deep Creek Lake area as well by the year 2018.

These bills seem to make sense in other densely populated Maryland counties down state- but not a rural county like Garrett with hardly any PFAs.  This could significantly slow down second and vacation home growth altogether in the Deep Creek Lake area leading to a stagnant tax base and job losses in the building trades. Right now Garrett County has a really good situation- a majority of the tax base consists of second home owners who don’t live here full time. They pay most of the taxes needed to run the county and the schools yet they hardly use any of the services. The Garrett County Commissioners and Garrett County Board of Realtors have formally opposed these bills along with Delegate Bietzel and Senator Edwards. If you own property in Garrett County or at Deep Creek Lake and are concerned about these bills and the restrictions they could place on your property please contact your legislative representative.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 March 13th, 2009 Category: Deep Creek Lake Area Things To Do, Deep Creek Lake Events, News, Wisp Ski Resort

This past weekend marked the 21^st annual Governor’s Cup Ski & Snowboard race at Wisp Resort, sponsored by the Deep Creek Winter Sports Team.  60 local and regional skiers and snowboarder’s competed for the coveted Governor’s Cup in a 2 day event.   To be eligible for the Cup racers were required to complete 4 race runs, starting with 2 slalom runs down the Squirrel cage slope on Saturday and 2 Giant Slalom runs down the Main Street slope on Sunday.  Winners of the cup posted the fastest 4 run times.  A junior cup was also awarded for the fastest JR racers (under 16).

Fastest Male & Female and winner of the 2009 Governor’s Cup

Derek Berger

Elizabeth Green

Elizabeth Green competing at 2009 Governor's Cup at Wisp Ski Resort in Maryland

Junior Governor’s Cup

Jack Havens

Cara Stough

Snowboard Governor’s Cup

Colin Lynch

Jessica Harvey

Junior Snowboard Governor’s Cup

Kyle Beard

Kesina Woodfield

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 January 7th, 2009 Category: Deep Creek Lake Buyer Info, Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, News

DNR Policy Change To Impact Deep Creek Lakefront Property Owners

There has been a change in DNR’s policy with regard to how older “grandfathered” improvements on the Deep Creek Lake buffer strip will be recognized. Up until now, any improvement - such as a walkway, stone path, pavilion, or shed - that existed with Penelec’s or DNR’s approval prior to DNR’s original management of the lake in 1980, or before DNR’s first set of regulations in 1986, did not require a permit. The permits were intended for new improvements only and DNR would simply document the older grandfathered improvement in their site inspection reports.

DNR has not required permits for these improvements for 28 years. DNR Lake Manager Carolyn Mathews has informed the Garrett County Board of Realtors that they are reinterpreting the regulation and are requiring property owners to apply for a Special Permit when DNR identifies a grandfathered improvement during a site inspection. DNR also reserves the right to require the removal or significant alterations to the grandfathered improvement and the permitting process provides the method and leverage to do so.

What does this mean to lakefront homeowners or those looking to buy lakefront real estate? Quite simply, if you have an existing improvement on the buffer strip and don’t have a permit - at some point DNR will approach you to apply for a permit without any guarantees they will approve it - even if it is “grandfathered.” And for those looking at buying lakefront property - pay very close attention to what you see down by the lakefront. If there is an improvement, such as a deck or shed, make sure the current owner can provide documentation that the improvement has been approved along with a special permit. If the owner can’t provide a current permit, make them go thru the permitting process with DNR. There are examples where DNR has conducted a buffer strip inspection, either at the request of the property owner, the buyer, or a Realtor® prior to closing and then required significant modifications to or the removal of the formerly grandfathered improvement. Depending on the terms of the contract of sale, and the timing of DNR’s inspection, this might impact your closing by introducing unexpected DNR permit issues and the costs of complying with DNR’s orders.

(Post written in conjunction with Paul Durham)

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 January 6th, 2009 Category: Garrett County News, News

Coming soon to Oakland, Maryland is a brand new Walgreens drug store scheduled to open in the summer of 2009. For those of you that don’t know Oakland is the county seat of Garrett County Maryland and is located about 9 miles south of Deep Creek Lake.  Even though it is not yet built, this Walgreens is currently for sale to potential investors who may be looking for cash flow or to complete a 1031 tax deferred exchange. Here is the most recent information packet we have. Please contact us if you are interested in this investment opportunity or any others in the Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake areas.

Walgreens Oakland (PDF)

The developer who is building this particular Walgreens had purchased 3 parcels of real estate last year which basically comprised an entire block of land near downtown Oakland.  As a result, 2 businesses and one apartment building were recently razed to make way for the new drug store that will go head to head with CVS - which is located directly across Garrett Highway. The two businesses that are now gone are the Oaklee Dairy and Laundromat - which were both long time fixtures as you approached Oakland from Deep Creek. The Oaklee Dairy was more commonly referred to as “the custard stand” by most locals.

It’s hard to imagine that a small town such as Oakland and Mountain Lake Park already has a Wal-Mart, Lowes, and CVS - and now has a Walgreens on the way that will employ 25 to 30 people.

In other Garrett County commercial real estate news are rumors that both Wendy’s and Outback Steak House are exploring the outparcels in front of the new Lowes as possible sites along of Rt. 219. However, both rumors are unsubstantiated at this point.

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