Things You'll Need:
- Consulting forester
- Property map
- New survey if lines unclear
- Management plan
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Step 1
First you need to determine what timber you have and the best way to sell it. A great way to do that is to hire a consulting forester who will evaluate the timber, suggest a management plan and help you sell it.
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Step 2
There are two primary ways to sell timber, by the unit and lump sum. Unit is pay as cut usually on weekly basis by species and product. The units may be per ton, per cord and per thousand board fee. The products may be Pulpwood, Chip&Saw, Sawtimber, Plylogs and Poles. If you sell per unit make sure it is with a reputable buyer who you can trust to pay for every load of timber. Lump sum is full payment for the timber sold upon signing of the contract.
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Step 3
Once you are ready to send out bids make sure you know the local market and buyers. A consulting forester is the best method to be sure of this. Every major buyer should have the chance to bid otherwise you make skip the one who would have bid the highest. Since timber bids can regularly vary by as much as 50% it is crucial to make sure your bid prospectus gets to all buyers, say within a 100 mile radius.
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Step 4
Once you or your forester has the winning bidder make sure you have a good contract stating among other items what is to be sold, how long to cut it, how to be paid, penalty for cutting unsold timber and liability protection for the seller in case of accidents or cutting across a line.
