Diameter vs. circumfrence

[Cedarman]

Realators are for selling houses.  The moral of this thread is do your homework when buying land and timber land, use the realator to push the paperwork through.  Around here most realators are women, they aren't about to get their nylons ripped.  This attitude opens the door for those women that will get out there and walk the land and woods and put them ahead of the pack.  Most of the men won't get their shoes dirty either.  Anytime I looked at land the realator gave me a map and said have at it.

[Onthesauk]

Sometimes works out.  The realtor we bought through represented an out of state trust.  He claimed that he had the property cruised and there was no marketable timber.  I'm pretty sure we've got twice the original property cost still standing, that after trading an acre or two of timber for all the roads and site work.

[SwampDonkey]

Realtors must be different here than down south because there is no way you could say their course load is heavier than studying forestry. Now, these people are not uneducated types. Many or most I should say do have business training, some are foresters, some customs agents, some nurses, farmers (yup I know a couple brothers who farm, have realestate, trucking and a funeral home) and so one. They often take up reastate as a side line, not a sole income. And that's true for most all I know who are into it, it's a side line business. The two farmers would be the only ones I know of that would ever ask to have an appraisal done on a lot. The rest are as you describe. I've tried soliciting from them and I got a flood of swamp land for sale, not appraisal.

[Ron Wenrich]

Some food for thought.  I've heard that timber is considered real estate until severed.  Then it becomes personal property.  There hasn't been a savvy realtor that has challenged the issue, but a lot of foresters would have to get their realtor's license if that would be the case.

I misspoke about the course load. 

[SwampDonkey]

I've also noticed a couple realestate outfits that brought foresters into their group all the sudden have begun using the aerial photos anyone can obtain for free off the government website. Before that, all you got was lines drawn on a map when displayed in the paper adds. Of course most are just selling houses so you have that photo. It's a little bonus, but I'm sure everyone brings something to those realtor groups. But anyway, there are a few farms that come up and some isolated and remote lots that have camps on them. Nice to have aerials of them. There is one lot I've seen on the web stuck dab into the middle of Fundy National Park. They have a huge price on the camp or lodge, but it is a big outfit with 150 acres of woods not timbered. Many of these places are foreign owned, and some may be sold off by timber companies as well. I'm sure that's the same anywhere in US or Canada.

Timber here is property, but even the judges in court don't know how to value it. Almost impossible to convict a timber thief, and they know it. Funny, if i see someone steel granny's wallet you can get convicted over $20. But, if I see someone steeling my timber, well, good luck.

[Ron Scott]

A number of consulting foresters here are also realtors and have land sales as part of their business. That's were they make a lot of their money. Sometimes I see it as a conflict of interest.

[WDH]

It is the same down here.  Most consultants have a real estate liscense.  The economic downturn has dealt them a heavy blow.  Some have folded. 

[Ron Wenrich]

We have a few consultants that also buy veneer logs, even off of jobs they mark.  I see that as a larger conflict of interest, but others see no problem with it.

[Ron Scott]

Yes, there gets to be a question of ethics with some and I don't condon to some of their practices. There gets to be a conflict with practicing "good forestry" by some, especially now with the woods business being as poor as it is.

[logwalker]

This reminded me of this old thread, where I had become so jaded from hearing and seeing so many over estimations of what a property owner had. I learned to never assume after this one.

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,4567.0.html

Jeff, I went back and read your original posting. I was just wondering how you prepared your crow or did you eat it raw?     

[SwampDonkey]

We have a few consultants that also buy veneer logs, even off of jobs they mark. 

Sure begs the question, who are they working for? The owner or the mill? I suppose you run a fine line in some circumstances that lead to either eating and paying the light bills or having an empty fridge.  Still, it doesn't make it any easier to except from the outside looking in.

I'm wondering though, is the guy marketing to the best value or his best buddy or boss at that mill? Seems to me the consultant would want the best price, if we assume he knows the markets well enough. Trouble is, I think a good many don't, and they aren't doing the "leg work". In my situation up here everyone knows the markets if they care to, just takes a visit or a phone call to the local marketing board. They are working for woodlot owners, loggers, truckers, anyone dealing in private wood sales.

I've read about more than one person dealing with a consultant that didn't know his markets well enough.

[Faron]

I once had a doctor send me a 48" diameter log.    It was, of course, about 15 inches.  He was a bright guy, and a fantastic woodworker, but boy he got that wrong.  Thing was, I had to call him and make sure the contractor hadn't pulled a fast one on him.

[tonich]

Sometimes I see it as a conflict of interest.

I see that as a larger conflict of interest, but others see no problem with it.

Yes, there gets to be a question of ethics with some and I don't condon to some of their practices.

Agree! Sure, one is either a Forester or Realtor. Not both of them at the same time.  

[KyMasterLogger]

when i get the calls about a "whatever" diameter tree from the landowner, i usually divide their measurement by 3.14.  although there has been a few times when the owner knew what they were talking about, and really did have a 4 or 5 foot diameter tree. reguardless of what they tell me, i always go look for myself.

[chucker]

  !!!! rule of 3 (three)get you real close hey....

[rocksnstumps]

So an apple pie 1 ft in radius is really two pies? YUMM!