| In the last two decades it has been discovered by | | | | handful of the uncut parcels remain, however timber |
| the layman a secret known only to the logging | | | | grows in some regions very quickly and with land |
| industry insiders--the possibility of buying timberland | | | | values soaring over the last 8 years many of the |
| with little to no money down and own the property | | | | timber operators have moved on to greener |
| after removing a select amount of timber. The | | | | pastures and few are interested and ready to jump |
| process takes place day in and day out all across the | | | | back into the deal with both feet. Today |
| Pacific Northwest where logging mills consume saw | | | | opportunities are beginning to present themselves |
| logs and make them into lumber, chipboards, plywood | | | | because these timbered parcels are owned by |
| and paper. Consider for a moment how many logs | | | | out-of-towners who might need the cash and are |
| are processed each day because of American | | | | prepared to get out with whatever they can get. |
| demand for forestry products all over the country, | | | | You can start by obtaining owners rolls from the local |
| the amount is staggering. | | | | title companies and the accompanying maps. Look for |
| If you were an owner of this mill you would be | | | | properties that are north or east facing staying away |
| faced with two primary issues: Find raw logs to cut | | | | from creeks and rivers. Difficult to get to parcels |
| up and buyers for the products you make. The | | | | may require helicopter logging and that can get |
| second seems to take care it itself so the first is | | | | expensive. Learn a thing or two about topography |
| something always on the mill owners mind and then | | | | maps because they are handy in determining |
| you show up with 40 acres of timberland needing the | | | | contours, access, orientation and property boundaries. |
| cash to buy the property. Will he lend you the | | | | Mail off a few letters to these owners indicating your |
| money to buy it? You bet he will. The mill will send | | | | interest in buying a forest recreation parcel, then sit |
| out their log buyer, count the trees and make you an | | | | back and wait for the phone to ring--it will, just not |
| offer of cash up front for a log delivery in the future. | | | | always from an owner who has big fat pumpkin |
| Oftentimes, the amount the log buyer will give to | | | | Ponderosa pine and Doug Fir trees. The motherlode |
| you can be more than you are paying for the | | | | species are Sugarpine and Port orford cedar, and |
| property. You enter into an agreement to buy the | | | | redwood. |
| property for cash. The Timber company will come to | | | | Real estate agents in the areas where trees grow |
| the closing with a check and in return will receive a | | | | are not your friend so don't talk to them they can |
| timber deed. Within the Timber deed is the amount | | | | alert the competition of your interest in the area. |
| borrowed, the amounts the company will agree to | | | | Prior to ever telling a timber company of a location of |
| pay for each specie of trees, and the time frame the | | | | a parcel you better had gotten it tied up into a |
| amount is due back to the mill. The property and its | | | | formal purchase agreement. These timber buyers |
| timber is held as collateral and you go to work hiring | | | | know every parcel, every owners name and virtually |
| a logger to get the logs to the mill. During the entire | | | | everything about most private parcels of land in the |
| process no payments or interest are paid on the loan. | | | | areas where the buy timber, it's their business to |
| Once the logs are to the mill and the loan is paid off | | | | know. The upside is that if you strike a deal with a |
| solely from the logs delivered, you will be the proud | | | | timber company they might turn you on to a deal |
| owner of a logged parcel of forest land free and | | | | because they've tried and the owner has told them |
| clear or close to it. The profits come when you sell | | | | to buzz off because they don't want to see their |
| the property to another for significantly more than | | | | land blitz by a timber company. But you they might |
| you have in the venture. If you do it correctly, the | | | | sell to. For timber stands to be healthy they must be |
| land can be sold for roughly half of what you paid for | | | | thinned, so go do some thinning the trees do grow |
| it but a huge windfall for you. | | | | back. If you need more direction contact a lumber |
| About here the inquiring mind says if this is such a | | | | mill, ask for the log buyer and have that person take |
| great idea why isn't everyone doing it? Truth is only | | | | you through the process, they do it all the time. |