No, Deep Creek Lake is not going to be drained

Vacation-home market booms in Maryland and Virginia

The robust housing landscape in Washington exists for more than just primary residences. A number of second-home markets have seen an increase in popularity in the past few years across a wide variety of destinations — from waterfront communities to mountain retreats.

We’re take a closer look at three such markets that are showing clear signs of increased demand among Washingtonians seeking a getaway.

The Eastern Shore of Maryland
Maryland’s picturesque Eastern Shore has long been a second-home destination for Mid-Atlantic city dwellers, but its popularity has reached new heights within the past two years.

Homes on the Eastern Shore are selling in half the amount of time that they were when the country was coming out of the recession, with median days on the market dropping from more than 100 in most months of the year from 2007 to 2013. Now, the days on the market is more likely to be under 75, even hitting a record low of 45 in June 2016 and 46 in May.

The number of closed sales per month keeps climbing on the Eastern Shore, with even the winter months of the past two years seeing approximately the same number of sales as the peak spring selling months of just a few years prior. While there’s an active market, the area still provides value.

The median sales price for homes here has stayed steadily between $200,000 and $250,000 for the past nine years. However, with all other indicators showing a return to demand, we expect prices to increase over the next year or two.

Shenandoah County, Va.
For those looking for an escape near the mountains, the Shenandoah region’s real estate market is showing signs of renewed strength. The number of active listings has plummeted, even though the number of new listings coming on the market has stayed roughly the same for the past several years.

This trend suggests that although new listings are coming onto the market, they are selling quickly and therefore don’t remain active for long. Every month for the past two and a half years, the number of active listings has decreased compared with the same month for the year prior and, more notable, the size of the decrease has grown to percentages in the double digits over the past year.

Correspondingly, the number of days on the market has started to tick downward, moving from 100 in the past two years and staying under 80 for the majority of months. Median sales prices have also trended upward over the past year, settling in around $175,000 this past spring.

This is part of the slow but steady climb from the low point during 2010, when prices were closer to $125,000, after reaching peaks of more than $250,000 during the boom years around 2007.

Garrett County, Md.
One location Washingtonians should keep an eye on is Garrett County, Md. Approximately three hours from Washington, this county borders West Virginia and contains Deep Creek Lake — the largest man-made lake in Maryland. Fly-fishing, boating and white-water rafting are common summer activities, and during the winter Wisp Resort attracts skiers and snowboarders to the slopes.

This region has started to show all the signs of a market on the cusp of becoming highly competitive. Prices have made a noticeable rebound by crossing the $300,000 mark (after a few post-recession years when they dipped to $150,000), and the median days the on market has dropped by more than a half, from more than 200 just a few years ago to as low as 54 in July 2016.

The surest sign that this market is getting hot is that homes are just now getting back to the point of selling close to their asking prices. After a few years when sellers were getting only about 80 to 85 percent of their asking price, Garrett County has crossed into the 95 percent category. This shows that buyers are more motivated than ever to own a home in this community.

With median prices well below those of homes in the Washington region, all three of these markets are poised for growth, and properties in these areas could be a wise investment for the right buyer. Local real estate agents can help identify the best neighborhoods and specific properties, and talk more in detail about these recent trends.

They can help you find the right vacation home at the right price, especially when shopping for a home from out of town.

The fact that a number of second-home destinations continue to see a rise in popularity is yet another sign of renewed health for the housing market in and around Washington. Whether it is mountain trails or the water’s edge that appeals to a vacation-home buyer, our region has a tremendous variety for everyone across the price spectrum.

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Price Improvement-1041 ROCK LODGE ROAD

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61st annual Garrett County Ag Fair scheduled for July 29–Aug. 5

McHENRY — Although there have been various fairs and carnivals held in Garrett County for at least a century, the contemporary Garrett County Agriculture Fair will observe its 61st anniversary this year, with the 2017 event scheduled for Saturday, July 29, through Saturday, Aug. 5.

The fair will once again consist of a myriad of competitions, ranging from the judging of farm animals and their caretakers to canned goods to photography to 4-H projects. There will be tractor pulls and a baby crawling contest, live entertainment on the Exhibit Hall stage every evening, and Reithoffer Shows will provide a wide variety of rides and amusements.

In addition, numerous service organizations, churches, and other nonprofit entities will have various food and beverage items for sale, and the fair will conclude with the annual Garrett County Livestock Sale.

Among the musical entertainers throughout the week will be Russel Dickerson, Tim Litvin, Sundance Head, the Joseph Sisters, and HeartStrings.

Much of opening day, Saturday, July 29, will be spent entering all indoor exhibits, and the Reithoffer Shows carnival rides will run from 5 to 11 p.m. that evening.

Judging of exhibits will be conducted all day on Sunday, July 30, with the barns closed to traffic, and the entering of horses and marketing animals will be conducted throughout the day, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The day will culminate with an interdenominational worship service at 6:30 p.m., followed by the crowning of the 2017 GC Farm Queen at 7:30 p.m.

All exhibit barns will be open to the public beginning at 10 a.m. Monday, the carnvial rides will be open until 11 p.m., and various contests/competitions will be held throughout the day.

Tuesday will be Senior Citizens Day, with free admission granted for those age 60 and older. Seniors may ride midway attractions free from 1 until 5 p.m. The day’s schedule will also include a pet show, a 4-H robotics challenge, a high school junior rodeo, and a performance by the Still Kickin’ Cloggers.

The Wednesday slate will include a baby crawl and judging in various animal categories.

A pedal tractor pull, 4-H/FFA beef showmanship judging, a market beef show, and a heavyweight tractor pull will be among Thursday’s events, with Friday’s schedule including the master showman competition, 4-H engineering events, the costume animal parade, cow patty bingo, mechanical bull riding, and peewee swine show.

The final day of the fair — Saturday, Aug. 5 — will include the Livestock Olympics, a dirty-pony contest, the annual livestock sale, the four- and eight-cylinder demolition derby on the fair track.

The cost of admission to the fair on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday (July 29) is $10, which covers unlimited carnival rides, entertainment, and track events. The admission price for Thursday and Saturday (Aug. 5) is $15, which covers the same items noted above. Non-ride tickets, which must be purchased in advance ($7), include entertainment and track events, but not carnival rides. The non-ride tickets can be purchased at First United Bank & Trust in McHenry, Grantsville, and Friendsville; Slopeside Market, Deep Creek Shop and Save; all First Peoples locations; Double G Ranch; Southern States in Mountain Lake Park; and Gregg’s Pharmacy in Oakland.

More information can be found on the fair website at garrettcountyfair.org.

The Garrett County Agriculture Fair is a non-profit organization that is led by a 24-member all-volunteer board of directors.

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One level living! Affordable 3BR home in Southern Pines. High-end finishes include hardwood floors, granite counter-tops, stylish cabinets & vanity, stacked stone and a freshly paved driveway.

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NEW LISTING- 508 Lake Forest Drive

Peaceful wooded waterfront with gentle slope to lake offers deep-water Type A private dock.

Enjoy four-season beauty of the lake, sun and moonrises by a wood-burning fireplace or from the expansive lakeside deck.

Architect/Owner incorporated natural cedar and dry-stacked stone into low-maintenance design; 3 master suites (4BR/4.5BA), ample parking and hot tub ~rental-ready~ if desired!

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NEW LISTING- 106 O'Brien Street

The price is right for this 3BR, 1BA home. Fixer-upper in Mountain Lake Park in need of some TLC – mostly time, not materials. In need of new flooring in most rooms.

The basement has been partially finished and framed. Metal roof. Heating & plumbing all appear to be in operating condition. Great lot with mature trees and backs to woods.

Walking distance to grocery store & schools. Sold AS-IS.

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NEW LISTING- 3067 Shingle Camp Road

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Type A dock, deep water. Covered lakefront porch allows for plenty of time outdoors.

Must-see custom lakefront home with additional carriage house above detached garage. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms.

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Rural editor who railed against Trump retires

Twelve years after the Civil War, a Union Army veteran named James Hayden established a newspaper for Garrett County, and called it The Republican in honor of Abraham Lincoln. One hundred and forty years later, the Lincoln kind of Republican is long gone, and those who live in the Western Maryland county where Hayden’s newspaper is still published each Thursday voted overwhelmingly to make Donald J. Trump the commander in chief.

Donald W. Sincell, the longtime editor of The Republican, who opposed Trump’s election in November, is still shocked by Trump’s 4-1 margin in Garrett County. The Republican, published in Oakland, does not have a history of directly endorsing political candidates. But it was clear from editorials in 2016 that Sincell did not think a Trump presidency would be good for the country. The Republican refrained from endorsing Hillary Clinton, but in words and in cartoons, it railed against Trump.

If you were not a regular reader of The Republican, and just picked up a copy while vacationing at Deep Creek Lake, you might have found that remarkable, even courageous.

“I get criticism all the time because I tend to take a more liberal stance on a lot of issues,” says Sincell. “People will write or they’ll call and say, ‘You need to change the name of that paper to The Democrat.’ And my response has always been that I didn’t name the paper, first of all. And, second of all, as the editor, as an individual human being, I consider things for their fairness, for their logic, for what seems right, and I don’t care if it comes from a Republican or a Democrat.”

When I contacted Sincell to talk about life in Garrett in the time of Trump, I did not expect him to report the following news: The Republican has just been sold to a West Virginia media company, a publisher of rural weeklies. Sincell, 65, retires this Friday after more than 40 years at the editor’s desk, ending a long run for one of Maryland’s last family-owned weeklies.

Don Sincell’s great-grandfather bought The Republican from Hayden in 1890. His grandfather, great-uncle and father ran the paper for many years. Don Sincell became editor in the 1970s. There have only been four editors in the 140-year history of the newspaper.

The decision to sell to NCWV Media was a tough one, Sincell says. But he says the new owner is better positioned to take The Republican across the digital divide.

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NCWV Media purchases The Republican of Oakland, Maryland

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — NCWV Media continued its growth efforts on Thursday, purchasing The Republican, a weekly newspaper based in Oakland, Maryland.

The deal is effective June 30, said Donald W. Sincell, president of Sincell Publishing Co. Inc., Oakland, and editor of The Republican newspaper.

The newspaper, which was founded in 1877 by James Hayden, has been owned and operated by five generations of the Sincell family since it was purchased from Hayden in 1890 by Sincell’s great-grandfather, Benjamin H. Sincell.

“There is no one in the next generation of our family who is interested in taking over management of the business for the future, so the timing for such a decision seemed right.”

There will continue to be family involvement and management from members of the family, as Sincell’s younger sister will become the new editor of the paper, and his daughter will continue to be part of the news staff.

“In fact, we are so pleased that the majority of our long-time employees will still have their jobs upon the transfer of ownership, which was a significant concern for our family,” said Sincell, who added that all the employees “are like members of our family.”

Sincell said he is optimistic about the continued publishing of The Republican, stating that the new owner is “on the cutting edge” of the publishing business, in both print and online.

“Brian Jarvis, president of NCWV Media, also comes from a multi-generation family involved in newspaper publishing and clearly understands all of the aspects of ‘rural living,’ which was another important factor in our decision-making process,” Sincell said.

“He and his leadership team are passionate about local media and grasp so well the vitally important role that a local newspaper plays in the community. And they will be adding some exciting new and innovative content and services, giving our paper a fresh look overall.”

Jarvis, whose company publishes The Preston News & Journal, The Exponent Telegram daily, as well as The State Journal, The Bridgeport News, The Fairmont News, The Weston News, The Blue & Gold News and NCWV Life Magazine, said the Oakland paper fits the company’s strategic mission well.

“We are very excited to be part of The Republican. We plan to build on what the Sincell family did for several generations by continuing to provide great local reporting, being a proud partner of local businesses and creating a strong digital presence for the area,” Jarvis said.

“Garrett County is located adjacent to Preston, which could naturally create many unique opportunities for the readers and customers of both publications,” Jarvis said.

NCWV Media purchased Preston Publications, which includes the Preston County News & Journaland the weekly shopper the Penny Saver, in November 2014.

Since it was brought into the NCWV Media family, it has won several awards from the West Virginia Press Association, as well as being named “Business of the Year” by the Preston County Chamber of Commerce at its April awards dinner.

The Republican will continue to be published for Thursday distribution, and at least for the short term, both the main office in Oakland and the satellite office in Grantsville Plaza will remain at the same locations.

“Our pledge is that The Republican will continue to provide great news and marketing delivered to the homes of Garrett County residents and those of many of our subscribers all across the country,” Jarvis said.

“We hope to improve on this local news coverage and distribution by increasing reporters and correspondents. Garrett County is large in geography, so having the resources to cover all the towns will be pivotal,” he said.

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