The division provides technical assistance to landowners interested in selling their timber.
Once the Division of Forestry or a consulting forester has marked your timber for sale, the actual process of selling the timber begins. This may seem intimidating to many landowners and some are so afraid of making a mistake that they never go any further. It doesn't have to be this way, and much of the anxiety can be avoided if a few simple rules are followed:
Please note that the contracts are in an Adobe Acrobat PDF file, which requires the FREE Acrobat Reader, available by visiting the Adobe Web page. Please click here to download.
1. Sell by sealed bid, receiving full payment (lump sum) in advance. This is the safest, easiest method for both parties and is recommended by the Division of Forestry as the preferred way to sell timber. Some buyers may offer to cut "on the shares" rather than lump sum. The share method may net you more money in the end, but it can also have some serious drawbacks, especially for those not experienced in selling timber. Print this advertised bid for timber sale contract to help you advertise for bids. Call your forester for more information.
2. Advertise widely. Bids for timber can vary dramatically and the more interest you can generate the more likelihood of getting top dollar. Your forester will furnish you with a list of prospective buyers. Send a notice directly to the buyers. In the notice, you should set a date(s) and time to show the timber to interested parties and a date, time and place to open the bids you receive and award the sale.
3. Sell by written timber sale contract. Make sure that whatever special considerations you want or any specific items you and the buyer should agree on are written into the contract. It is preferable to receive full payment and sign the contract when the bids are opened. At the very least, you should require a deposit to be submitted with the bid, and that full payment is made and the contract signed within five days of bid opening. Print this sample timber sale contract to assist you in developing your contract.
4. Sell only what you originally agreed to sell. Many times buyers will not agree on which trees have been marked and try to get you to sell more or trees that haven't been marked. If you sell your timber differently than the way it was marked, you are doing your woods and yourself a disservice, and you have wasted your money.
5. If you follow the four guidelines above, you will be able to do a professional job of administering your own timber sale. If for some reason you still feel uneasy or uncomfortable with the process, you may want to consider using a consulting forester to handle the sale for you.
Consulting foresters are professional foresters in private business who function much as a real estate agent would in selling property. They are well versed in the market and know the local buyers. They know how to handle a sale to get their client maximum dollar value, while protecting their clients' interests and property. Usually this is done for a percentage of the sale. If you decide to use a consultant, be sure you agree in advance on his/her services to be provided, responsibilities and fee. Visit the Kentucky Association of Consulting Foresters Web site for more information.
