As a licensed real estate brokerage firm specializing in timberland, Day Forest Management & Appraisal, Inc. regularly provides professional real estate services for timberland owners. Just as with the appraisal of timberland and the marketing of timber, the sale of timberland also requires specialized skill and knowledge. As timberland appraisers and timberland real estate specialists, we constantly learn of prior timberland sales that changed hands for what at first glance might appear to have been a reasonable price, however after closer examination of land and timber, it is revealed that many sales were conveyed for only a fraction of the property’s actual market value. Without careful consideration of the sum of the values of both land and timber, many properties are under-priced.

As managers and appraisers of timberland, we see the great value in holding, managing and investing in timberland, both short term and long term. Therefore it is often difficult to recommend that landowners sell their timberland, and in many cases we do not. However, there comes a time for everything and there are often good reasons to sell timberland. We frequently handle timberland sales for Estates and or individuals needing to liquidate their assets. The sale of timberland is often the best option for families or groups of property owners whose undivided interests have become so fractionalized and burdensome that efforts to continue to hold or manage the property are no longer practical or desirable. Whatever the landowners reasons, once the decision to sell timberland has been made, it becomes crucial to proceed wisely in order to market the property in order to produce the highest return possible.

Whether the timberland being considered for sale contains a well managed forest, is a cut-over woodland, is acreage that has been unmanaged for many years, or anything in between, the timbers market value or its contribution to the land should not be overlooked. In many cases the total timber value adds significant value to the land or may even exceed the lands value. In some cases the market value of the timber may be several times the bare lands value. The key to determining these values is the performance of an appropriately detailed timber inventory and determination of timber volumes in each forest product class. Knowing the volume and value of the timber on any timberland is crucial to the marketing of the property in order to produce the best results. As in the sale of timber, as well as with the sale of land and timber, detailed timber inventories prior to marketing often result in the highest sale price for the Seller by assisting the Buyer. Providing detailed timber inventory information assists the potential buyer to make a strong offer based on reliable information.

If a significant portion of the property value is attributable to the timber, the sale of timberland is often best marketed by the sealed bid sales method, similar to the procedure time proven to be most effective for the marketing of high value timber. We at Day Forest Management & Appraisal, Inc. utilize both the sealed bid method of marketing timberland as well as more conventional real estate marketing methods, depending on which procedure is believed to be most effective. To learn the best means to market your timberland, contact us for assistance.