Unsolicited Request for my Timber

[ShepFL]

In Friday's snail mail I got letter from a Saw Mill wanting some of my Cypress. I plan to meet with the guy and see what he is all about. I am wary.

I don't mind harvesting some but do not need a mess to clean up after the fact so I will be using info gleaned from here and local forester. Question is this - how did he know I had marketable Cypress and where did he get my address? Is this common practice?

Rather unsettling that others know more about me than I know about them.

[swampwhiteoak]

Don't know much bout how things work in Fl but I can venture a guess.

Can it been seen from the road?  If not from an adjoining property?  Heck maybe he spotted from the air.

Once someone is looking at a spot of ground it is pretty easy to find the owner.  I've got plat books for all counties that I work in and I would assume those are in Fl as well.  If not it is just a trip to the courthouse.  Public information is public you see.

Work with an independent consulting forester with your sale and make sure you are clear about your expectations and state such in your contract (what constitutes a "mess" is subjective).  Check references!

[Bud Man]

Just let him cut what ever he wants and he'll probably send you a check in the mail afterward.  They usually come out real promptly and clean up any mess they made after they cash the check you send for his logging charges and then you can look for your check for whatever the logs were worth. Usually the check will come in a few days !!  Make sure he has your address so he can know where to send the check if he happens to leave town on vacation or sumthin !!

[swampwhiteoak]

[Bud Man]

ShepFl, that miller's name wasn't Tom was is cause........

[Texas Ranger]

In Texas they buy Tax appriasal records and sub divide them out by Abstract and suryey, then send boiler plate letters to the different areas buying timber.  Usually say something like we are working in your area and were wondering if you would like to sell your timber.   They, of course, offer cash, or a check when they are through with the job.  They may never finish the job. and the cash is not enough.

Get a forester working for you.

[Ron Wenrich]

This is part of the prospecting that goes on when either buying timber (procurement forester) or as consultants.  I've done it both ways.

Names are gotten off of tax maps.  We used to routinely go through the tax maps and get every landowners name with 25 acres and up in woodland.  Then we would get their mailing address.  Then shoot off a letter.  This was done during rainy, snowy or muddy times of the year.

As a consultant, we would send out "newsletters".  We provided lots of information.  It was more of an advertisement.  We would get about 2-3 responses per thousand mailings.

If we were marking an adjoining woodlot, we would normally send a letter to all the adjoiners, advising of the sale and to make sure that there were no questionable trees marked.  Of course, we would gladly look at their timber as well.

On occassions, I would send a letter to a landowner that had marketable timber.  Usually these were landowners that were absentee.  Response rate was relatively low.  For the best response, personal visits are always the best.  I was only run off once.

The guy who wrote you the letter may not know whether you have marketable timber or not.  Just prospecting, but now he has your interest.  Pretty good for a small investment of time on his part.  

Whatever you do, make sure you get at least on other opinion.  Same goes for price.  Check references.  Check markets - things have been off lately.  Market timing is everything.