By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 March 6th, 2010 Category: Deep Creek Lake Market Update, Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, Garrett County News, News

Yesterday the historic Alpine Village Inn, on the shores of Deep Creek Lake, went to auction. The bidding started at $550,000 and quickly escalated up to $900,000. The winning bid ended up being $900,000 and it appears a non-local developer was the winning bidder. The previous owners had paid $750,000 for the motel back in 2003. It is not immediately known what plans the new owner has for the once thriving 29 room hotel/motel.  The State of Maryland Highway Administration does have plans at some point in the future to widen the intersection of Rt. 219 (Garrett Highway) and Glendale Road which could potentially increase the value of all commercial real estate at Deep Creek Lake in that area. The interesting point here is that the Alpine Village sold for more than what it did just 7 years earlier - once again demonstrating the underlying strength and stability of real estate values here at Deep Creek Lake - values that are holding fairly steady even during one of the worst real estate slowdowns and economic downturns in our country’s history.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 February 24th, 2010 Category: Garrett County News, News

Lifelong Garrett County Maryland resident Jay Ferguson has joined Railey Realty - Deep Creek Lake and Garrett County’s leading real estate company since 1995. Jay has spent the last 9 years in the real estate business with Long & Foster Real Estate. He was the office individual top producer for 6 consecutive years, and a Hall of Fame member of the Gold Team - a distinguished honor in the company based on annual sales of $5 million or more for 8 of the last 9 years. Jay has expanded on his Realtor education as a GRI (Graduate of the Realtor Institute), RRS (Resort Recreation Specialist) and an e-Pro (internet transaction & marketing specialist).

Jay has successfully blended his background in web design and internet marketing / consulting to propel his real estate sales career and grow his business. He has worked with hundreds of clients throughout the years and has assisted many first time home buyers and friends in the dream of home ownership. Ferguson says, “I was born and raised in Oakland & at the lake, and it’s incredibly exciting to introduce new residents to everything that Garrett County has to offer. I’m very proud of how much our area has grown throughout the years and the many new businesses & attractions that make our home even more special.”

Ferguson has specialized in Southern Garrett County homes/land & Deep Creek Lake vacation home/building lot sales, though he has vast experience in all other areas of the county, as well. Jay has sold and marketed everything from small recreational lots, to farms, single family homes and vacation homes at Deep Creek Lake and Wisp Resort. “I greatly appreciate the opportunities and the people that I have worked with through my years in the real estate business. I have learned a lot from some truly great friends, colleagues, and real estate professionals. I look forward to a new challenge in my life and adding my sales experience and web marketing to the area’s #1 real estate agency. I am always eager to learn more from some of the greatest Realtors the county has to offer, as well as working with a locally owned real estate company.”

Railey broker and owner Kevin Liller had this to say about Jay. “We are really excited to have Jay join the Railey Realty team. Jay is a quality person who brings a vast knowledge of real estate and internet marketing as well as a very loyal customer and client base.”

Jay and his family live in Mitchell Manor in Oakland. He and his wife Jessica have two young children, Kayleah, 10, and Noah, 2. Jay is the son of Jerry & Sherry Ferguson, both Garrett County natives.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 February 19th, 2010 Category: Deep Creek Lake Activities, Deep Creek Lake Area Things To Do, Garrett County News, News, Wisp Ski Resort

Garrett County Maryland and the Deep Creek Lake area has received about 225 inches of snowfall this winter season according to the State Highway Association. The all time record is right around 230 inches. The heavy amounts of snow started falling on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 - about 40 inches that day - and it hasn’t really stopped since then. Another large blizzard hit Wednesday, February 10th - about 30 inches of snow accompanied by strong winds. After these two storms impacted the area, the northwest winds kicked up again on President’s Day resulting in lake effect snow all week. It finally stopped snowing today. Here is a graphic WBAL ran on their nightly news. Keysers Ridge is about 12 miles north of Deep Creek Lake.

While the locals have been complaining about the snow it’s been an absolute boon to vacationers, tourists, and skiers. Ski conditions at the Wisp Ski Resort have been excellent the past few weeks - along with cross country skiing! The Wisp has been extremely busy the past few weeks and expects to have another busy weekend. The strangest thing is that it’s been too much snow for snowmobiles - many of the snowmobiles are getting stuck in the fields and on Deep Creek Lake needing to be dug out.

If you do travel to the area, the main roads, such as Interstate 68, Route 219, and most of the county roads are fine. However, most roads still have snow cover and aren’t fully widened yet. In fact some of the more remote country roads are still closed as of today. Most driveways have been plowed but you should be advised to bring a 4WD or AWD vehicle if you do travel to the area.

The snow record will probably be broken soon as another major storm is expected to hit early next week! Once again, the weather is proving why Deep Creek Lake is such a wonderful, true four season resort area. If you would like to explore purchasing real estate in the Deep Creek area - please contact us - we’ll be more than happy to show you all their is to do in this winter wonderland!

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 February 12th, 2010 Category: Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, Garrett County News, Garrett County Real Estate, News

Due to last weekend’s winter storm, the Garrett County Planning Commission has rescheduled their public hearing concerning revisions to three principal land development ordinances. The new date and time of the hearing is Saturday, March 6, 2010, at 10 am to be held in the auditorium of Garrett College. If inclement weather forces the cancellation of this hearing the make-up date will be March 11, 2010.

The proposed revisions would affect the following ordinances;

• Deep Creek Watershed Zoning Ordinance
• Garrett County Subdivision Ordinance
• Garrett County Sensitive Areas Ordinance

An in-depth look at these revisions and how they may affect Deep Creek Lake and Garrett County real estate can be found in this previous post. As always, we strongly urge you to become familiar with these changes, ask questions, and register your comments.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 January 22nd, 2010 Category: Garrett County News, News

Good news for owners of vacation rental homes at Deep Creek Lake. The Garrett County Commissioners decided this week that it is not in the best interest of the county at this time to pursue legislation that would have allowed them to increase the local hotel/motel tax which is currently 5%.

When it was reported last fall that such legislation would be pursued by the county government many of the local rental agencies - including Railey Mountain Lake Vacations - vehemently opposed on behalf of their homeowners. The reasoning was that in this soft economy many homeowners are having to discount their nightly rental rates just to attract the same amount of renters. The renters pay the accommodation tax when staying overnight in a vacation rental home or motel/hotel - and any increase in this tax could potentially keep tourists from visiting Deep Creek Lake and staying overnight. Or the increase in the tax could have led to further rental discounting - which could have further eroded a homeowners net rental income and potentially the value of their Deep Creek Lake real estate.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 January 8th, 2010 Category: Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, Garrett County News, Garrett County Real Estate, News

The county has released its latest revisions to the Deep Creek Watershed Zoning Ordinance, the Garrett County Subdivision Ordinance, and the Sensitive Areas Ordinance. There has been a lot of language deleted and changes made from the original proposals that were previously released in the fall of 2009. A summary of the major issues are listed below;

Scenic Protection Overlay Districts

• There is a significant reduction in the size of the Overlay Districts according to the county’s most recent map.
• The current revision applies only on ridges and crests - deleting language referring to slopes and hilltops.
• Applies only in areas where houses create a silhouette on the skyline when viewed from Deep Creek Lake or the shoreline.
• Trees must now be retained or planted on the sides and rear of the house or improvement.
• No trees are required to be planted or retained between the house and the lake.
• If mature trees can be retained on the sides and rear of the structure then no planting is required.

Basically, this new ordinance will now require lot owners in these areas to either plant or retain trees on the sides and rear of the house when built - but not in front of the house - essentially creating a “framing” effect around the entire structure when looking at the house from the lake. The belief is this “framing” effect will help protect some of the scenic quality and character around Deep Creek. However, please note there will probably be no grandfathering in regards to this issue. So if you already own a lot in one of these districts and have yet to build a house - you will be required to plant or retain trees as specified above. The county will enforce these standards as part of the building permit process. So in order to get your final Use and Occupancy permit you will need to demonstrate that you have adhered to these standards.

Agricultural & Rural Resource Parcels

The revised map of the Deep Creek Watershed Zoning District reveals that the county has re-classified some of the parcels near the Dam from AR (Agricultural Resource) and RR (Rural Resource) to LR2 (Lake Residential 2). The current revisions also relax the AR/RR standards for subdividing property and basically provide for either a clustering or non-clustering option. Mandatory clustering and the creation of a resource parcel is NOT required. The 3 options to subdivide AR/RR parcels are as follows;

1. Subdivide with 3 acre minimum lot a size (which is the current standard).
2. For parcels 20 acres or less - or if transferring to children or grandchildren - 1 acre minimum lot sizes are now permitted.
3. There will be an incentive for property owners who choose to do a cluster subdivision. The incentive will be a bonus density of 1 dwelling unit per 2 acres with no minimum lot size, 50% open space required.

The county has also revised the zoning ordinance language dealing with commercial architectural standards, removing the “commercial uses” language making the standards applicable to all non-residential structures - meaning public, institutional, and educational facilities will also have to adhere to these architectural standards which will call for a mandatory Planning Commission review. Other revisions address subdivision along scenic highways, setbacks for the drilling of natural gas, and development on steep slopes.

The Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing on these proposed changes for Saturday morning, February 6^th, 2010 at 10:00 am in the auditorium of Garrett College. The comment period for the public will probably be open for 30 days thereafter. So even if you can’t attend this hearing you will have the ability to register your comments.

Overall, these changes are a significant departure from the last set of proposals released by the county. However, these changes will have an impact on real estate at Deep Creek Lake and in Garrett County - so as always we urge you to register your comments, ask questions, and familiarize yourself with these proposals.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 December 29th, 2009 Category: Deep Creek Lake Area Things To Do, Garrett County News, News

Deep Creek Fitness is opening a new gym and fitness facility in January 2010.  It will be located in the Market Square Shopping Center next to Foodland Fresh and Perkins along Route 219 (Garrett Highway) in McHenry. Tourists on vacation will be able to buy memberships by the day or week - and full time residents will have year round membership options. The gym will feature;

• LifeFitness Cardio Machines with individual televisions
• LifeFitness Pro Series Strength Circuit
• A free weight area with Hammer Strength equipment
• A studio for various fitness classes and possibly spinning bikes
• Showers and Locker rooms
• Personal training options

Check out www.deepcreekfitness.com for more info and their special introductory offers.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 December 8th, 2009 Category: Deep Creek Lake Activities, Deep Creek Lake Area Things To Do, Garrett County News, News, Wisp Ski Resort

Two bits of winter news in the Deep Creek Lake area this morning.

First, after 5 inches of snow last weekend and massive amounts of cold temps and artificial snowmaking, the Wisp is opening for the 2009-2010 snow ski season this Thursday, December 10^th, 2009. Only the Belly Flop trail will be open the first day. Limited terrain will be opening during the weekend. From the looks of it from my office and driving around, the slopes accessed from Chairs 2 and 3 - Squirrel Cage, Road Runner, and Wisp Trail will be open at some point this weekend.

More interestingly, the Wisp Ski Resort plans on opening a 50 x 85 oval ice skating rink this winter. The rink will operate the same hours as the Bear Claw Tubing Park and will feature benches, lighting, and a bon fire area to warm up. They’ll even have a mini Zamboni to clear the ice. Ice skates are available for rent as well as paid lessons. The projected opening of Garrett County’s only ice skating rink is December 21, 2009.

Any additional recreational amenity such as this ice skating rink just continues adding to the long list of things to do and activities in the Deep Creek area. And also in a small way, this ice skating rink also helps out real estate and property values in the Deep Creek Lake area as well - it adds intrinsic value you can’t actually measure with a statistic but when combined with all the other activities - boating, hiking, snow skiing, snowboarding just to name a few - makes this such a popular and one of a kind resort area to buy a vacation home.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 December 2nd, 2009 Category: Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, Garrett County News, Garrett County Real Estate, News

The Garrett County Planning Commission is still deliberating the proposed changes to the Deep Creek Lake Zoning Ordinance, the Subdivision Ordinance, and the Sensitive Areas Ordinance.

After the last Planning Commission meeting on November 12^th, it appears the language for the standards in the proposed Scenic Protection Overlay Districts will be significantly relaxed. This should be extremely good news for current and future lot owners in those districts who have yet to build a house. This expected change in standards should allow lot owners in these districts the right to keep their entire view of Deep Creek Lake. The original language in this recent proposal had called for a certain amount of tree screening - up to 80% in some instances - in front of houses built in one of the 12 Scenic Protection Districts that overlook Deep Creek Lake. While the exact language has yet to be officially released, a majority of the Planning Commission members at their last meeting recommended that the only tree screening required should be on the sides and rear of these houses - no screening will be required in front of these houses, which would have essentially blocked the lake views from these properties if enacted.

Public hearings on the proposals are expected to occur sometime in early 2010. This proposal and the others could have a lasting impact on real estate in the Garrett County and Deep Creek Lake areas. We highly urge that all property owners get familiar with these proposals, ask questions, and register your comments with the Garrett County Maryland Department of Planning and Land Development.

Please subscribe to this blog (on the right hand side as you scroll down) as we will keep updating the progression of these zoning changes.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 November 19th, 2009 Category: Garrett County News, News

At the most recent Garrett County Commissioner’s public meeting, many of the local Deep Creek Lake vacation rental companies voiced great displeasure at the potential for upcoming legislation in 2010 that would enable the county to increase the local accommodation tax. This tax is currently 5 percent and is paid by visitors and travelers who stay overnight in any of the local hotels or vacation rental homes in the Deep Creek Lake area. The potential legislation would give the county authority to increase the tax all the way up to 8 percent on overnight stays. If this legislation is approved the county would probably increase the accommodation tax to 6 percent at some point in 2010.

While at first glance a 1 percent increase in the accommodation tax doesn’t seem like much - Nancy Railey, of Railey Mountain Lake Vacations - Deep Creek’s largest vacation rental company, argues that any tax increase - no matter how small - will continue the recent trend of homeowners and hotels having to discount their rental rates just to keep the same amount of tourists visiting the Deep Creek area for overnight stays.  The Deep Creek area has been much more fortunate than other resorts in this recent recession in that the amount of tourists has only decreased slightly over the past few years. She argues now is not the time in this softer economy to raise this tax.

If you currently own a second house, townhome, or condo at Deep Creek Lake that is a vacation rental, any increase in the accommodation tax could potentially decrease the amount of rental bookings at your rental property - or force you to discount rental rates just to keep the same amount of overnight stays at your property. If you are concerned about this tax increase you can contact the Garrett County Commissioners at countycommissioners@garrettcounty.org.

A small article summarizing the tax and meeting can be found here.