Page 53 - Garrett County 2024/2025 Visitors Guide

// QUALITY OF LIFE: Housing Options
PHOTO BY KRISTEN FISCHETTI – HIGHER FOCUS STUDIOS
PHOTO BY KRISTEN FISCHETTI – HIGHER FOCUS STUDIOS
PHOTO BY SARAH DUCK
IT’S A SELLER’S MARKET,
But Savvy Buyers Can Find the Right Fit
Garrett County is a highly desirable real estate market. In fact, the area is “more popular than it’s ever been,” said Jon Bell, co-owner of Railey Realty in McHenry.
Many potential sellers are staying put because “people love it here. They want to be here,” Bell said. “We’re a true four- season resort, which a lot of other vacation destinations don’t offer. We’re also a short drive from Baltimore, DC, Pittsburgh and parts of Ohio, so we’re very convenient for many families.”
As a result of Deep Creek’s abiding popularity, housing inventory is relatively low, with the number of new listings down 15% in August 2023 from the same month in 2022.
The majority of sellers are those who have gotten older and may be ready to trade their lakeside home for a place in a less snow- prone climate, Bell said.
Despite the low inventory, buyer demand remains high. Railey Realty’s most recent market analysis found that 54% of homes on the market sell in 30 days or fewer.
High interest rates “are something that buyers seem to talk about more, and they’re shopping around for mortgage brokers more than they used to, but it hasn’t stopped them buying,” Bell said. And while there are no guarantees, Bell does expect that the coming years will bring lower rates, creating more favorable conditions for buyers.
Moreover, there are several strategies buyers can use to ensure they’ll find the right Deep Creek home when it hits the market. One is to pick the right time to start your housing search — spring, for example, is usually a favorable season for inventory, Bell said.
“Around the holidays, families get together, and that’s when they make decisions about the future of their lake houses. Or in the early months of the year, people start to think about whether they want to get the house ready for summer or whether they want to sell,” he said. “It’s the same thing in the fall. People start thinking about ski season, and they’re talking about whether they want to keep the house. Listings typically come on the market at the change of the season.”
Another possibility: if you can’t find the right listing for the home of your dreams, build your own. Local companies such as Cedar Ridge Log Homes & Construction (cedarridgeloghomes.com), Brosnihan Builders (brosnihanbuilders.com), A.H. Holland Homes (ahhollandhomes.com) or Humberson Homes (humberson.com) can work with customers on designing the home of their dreams.
“There’s a lot of building going on right now, especially in the Wisp area,” Bell said. “Building is a great option for buyers because there are a lot of really good lots for sale. It just depends on what you want.
The negative to building is that it takes time — one or two years depending on the size of the house. But we have a lot of great builders and contractors at Deep Creek, so it’s a good time to build.”
But most importantly, Bell said, anyone interested in making the Garrett County area their home should reach out to local realtors and stay in touch. “Work with someone, because the good listings sell quickly,” he said.
So contact local firms like Railey Realty (railey.com) or Taylor-Made Deep Creek Sales (deepcreeksales.com) today to start your search for the perfect Deep Creek home.
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