Posted: April 5, 2024 | Success Stories
At Carolina Forestry & Realty, we take pride in our ability to help landowners maximize the value of their timberland. As registered consulting foresters in North Carolina, our primary goal is to guide our clients in making informed decisions about their timber management and sales. Today, we’d like to share a success story that demonstrates the value of working with experienced professionals when it comes to selling your timber.
Recently, we received a call from Mr. Smith, who had inherited a 94-acre tract of land in Chatham County from his grandfather’s estate. Mr. Smith was planning to sell the timber on this tract and had already received offers from three local timber buyers. The highest bid he had received was $140,000, which he was about to accept, believing it to be the true market value of his timber.
However, before finalizing the sale, Mr. Smith reached out to us after receiving our newsletter. He wanted to know how we could assist him in maximizing his timber value. We explained that, as consulting foresters, our job is to guide clients in their timberland management decisions, not to buy timber ourselves.
We offered to perform a free timberland inspection for Mr. Smith to determine the age, health, value, and general conditions of his timber stand. Upon inspection, we discovered that Mr. Smith had inherited a mature stand of loblolly pine, with an approximate market value of $200,000 to $300,000 – significantly higher than the offers he had received.
Mr. Smith was shocked to learn the true value of his timber and agreed that it was in his best interest to employ our services to appraise and sell his timber on a competitive market. We got to work right away.
Our team thoroughly appraised the 94 acres of timber and determined the fair market value to be at least $210,000. However, we informed Mr. Smith that due to the competition involved in a sealed-bid sale, the final sale price could be even higher. We prepared a comprehensive timber sale announcement, complete with a detailed map of the property and conditions to protect the landowner from unfavorable logging practices.
We sent the sale announcements to 75 reputable buyers in the area and held the sale a month later on the property. The results of the sealed-bid sale were astounding:
Mr. Smith was thrilled with the outcome of the competitive sealed-bid sale and happily accepted the high bid of $262,135. This was a staggering $122,135 more than the highest offer he had received before contacting Carolina Forestry & Realty.
To ensure a smooth transaction, we organized a closing of the sale through a local attorney. The attorney prepared a timber deed that legally bound the buyer to follow all the conditions of the sale. Once the timber deed was signed and the funds were transferred, the sale was complete.
By working with Carolina Forestry & Realty, Mr. Smith earned an extra $100,000 on his timber sale, even after accounting for our commission. This success story clearly demonstrates the value of partnering with experienced consulting foresters when considering selling your timber.
As registered consulting foresters, our primary focus is on helping landowners make informed decisions about their timberland management and sales. We have the knowledge, experience, and network to ensure that you receive the best possible value for your timber.
When you work with Carolina Forestry & Realty, you can expect:
Don’t leave money on the table when selling your timber. Partner with the experienced team at Carolina Forestry & Realty to ensure that you receive the best possible value for your timberland. Suppose you’re considering selling your timber or would like to learn more about how Carolina Forestry & Realty can help you maximize your timberland value. In that case, we invite you to contact us today. Our team is ready to answer your questions and provide you with a free timberland inspection.