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Buying land to sell timber - then resale land

Posted on 5/19/19 at 10:55 pm
Posted by texag7
College Station
Member since Apr 2014
39607 posts
Posted on 5/19/19 at 10:55 pm
I’ve heard people say “I bought x acres, sold the timber, then fixed up the land and resold for a profit”.

Is this common? I haven’t looked into it much but seems like the timber value would be added on top of the land value...making it difficult if not impossible to come out on top in the end. And the obvious caveat, if it was easy..everyone would be doing it
Posted by GoHoGsGo06
Member since Nov 2006
5739 posts
Posted on 5/19/19 at 11:24 pm to
Sounds like a dick move to me.
Posted by Chuker
St George, Louisiana
Member since Nov 2015
7544 posts
Posted on 5/19/19 at 11:32 pm to
Yeah I think the cats out of the bag on that one. Seems like people were doing this back in the 90's with good success but word got out both to the buyer and original landowner.
Posted by Jack Daniel
Gold member
Member since Feb 2013
27490 posts
Posted on 5/19/19 at 11:45 pm to
That hasn’t happened since the mid 90’s.

Unless you find an old lady with no family and she doesn’t know what she has
Posted by cave canem
pullarius dominus
Member since Oct 2012
12186 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 3:52 am to
Meh, the collapse of timber prices has more to do with it than anything else.
Posted by johnnyrocket
Ghetto once known as Baton Rouge
Member since Apr 2013
9790 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 5:12 am to
People use to do it.

Land off Choctaw extension before the Central Thrwy was bought by a guy that did not know this who was friends with Frank Sullivan who owned FG Sullivan contractors.

He went bankrupt and Frank Sullivan bought the land. He then sold the timber rights to pay a lot of the land off.

I own timber land in Mississippi that the timber is sold for bridge poles and telephone poles. The trees are managed for long growth compared to other lands for lumber short growth. This land was in my grandmothers family for years and it was paid off except for taxes. This more side income than becoming rich or paying off land.
This post was edited on 5/20/19 at 5:16 am
Posted by LSUCouyon
ONTHELAKEATDELHI, La.
Member since Oct 2006
11335 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 5:54 am to
I know of several tracts back in the 90s that were bought like this.
A friend bought over 1000 acres that was almost paid for when he sold the timber the same day.
Posted by LSUCouyon
ONTHELAKEATDELHI, La.
Member since Oct 2006
11335 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 6:09 am to
There is a law in La., 2589, called Lesion Beyond Moeity, which states a Seller can rescind the sale of land or property if he sold it for less than half the fair market value.
I know of a case in NELa in the 80s or 90s where two guys bought a large tract for a ridiculously cheap price, then sold all the timber.
Someone told the Seller about the law and he sued for rescission and the buyers lost.
I don’t remember how it was settled but it cost like hell.
Some lawyers in here might be able to look up how this was settled.
This post was edited on 5/20/19 at 6:12 am
Posted by Riolobo
On the lake
Member since Mar 2017
4965 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 6:38 am to
Timber prices are very low now.
Posted by GeeOH
Louisiana
Member since Dec 2013
13376 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 7:37 am to
Ask thebowners in FL how that works. I know many that have many many acres covered by fallen trees from the hurricane.
Its unusable. Cant even walk thru it. And the money it will cost to clean uonis staggering, especially if you dont have your own equipment
Posted by Swampman
North La.
Member since Feb 2016
238 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 7:39 am to
Still can happen but not as easily as once was due to people becoming more intelligent of land/timber values. You would need a cruise of timber before buying the land/timber and then make sure you can get a logging contractor to cut it. If it is a very small acreage then usually they wont fool with it due to cost of moving machinery, etc to sight.
Posted by Bow08tie
Louisiana
Member since Oct 2011
4491 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 7:55 am to
Know of roughly 600 acres that was purchased by a timber/land company
That company cut and sold the timber then tried to sale the complete 600 acres but potential buyers were slim. So this company has decided to break the 600 acres up in 40 acres pieces and are trying to sale.

One big issue with purchasing one of these 40 acres pieces is the cost to deal with the left behind debris and stumps versus the company asking price
Posted by KemoSabe65
70605
Member since Mar 2018
5513 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 9:51 am to
My family did same in the late 90's on a timber/row tract they had been farming for 30 years. Fella that owned it was ready to die and gave them right of first refusal. It's probably 800 ac+- with 475 ac in row. Paid for itself after the hardwood was cut and sold. Small tract next to my farm that's for sale now but it never will due to logistics and cost to cut such a small area.
Not sure if TMDL has any affect on these properties since i have not heard much talk lately.
Posted by White Bear
Yonnygo
Member since Jul 2014
16370 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 10:00 am to
quote:

Unless you find an old lady with no family and she doesn’t know what she has
A noble profession, indeed.
Posted by dstone12
Texan
Member since Jan 2007
35557 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 10:18 am to


I think timber owners need to get more creative and earn more than just 1 or 2% j....easier said than done.

I always felt that timber owners that were on rivers have a great dual-use I come opportunity.

Have you timber cutters cut roads from canoe pickup to put-in. Clear out primitive camping spots. Make roads to deliver fast food, beer and wood. It doesn’t make it primitive anymore but you’re trying to make a profit.

Triple land use would be to also allow hunting with free wake up calls to campers in the morning from the hunters.
Posted by Huntinguy
Member since Mar 2011
1809 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 10:22 am to
It happens, but not as readily and easily as is often described, especially with cheap timber prices.
Posted by lsu13lsu
Member since Jan 2008
11713 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 10:59 am to
quote:

I’ve heard people say “I bought x acres, sold the timber, then fixed up the land and resold for a profit”.

Is this common? I


It is very common.

Look for terms like "Turn-Key". They usually have food plots planted a few new box stands thrown up. To make it look like "hunters paradise".

When determining what to buy always make sure your realtor knows timber values etc. The best land realtors will usually also be timber cruisers. People are getting smart and getting land and timber valued separately. That should expose a lot of this scam.

I figured with places like GP closing timber prices would be hurt. No clue on where those stand at the moment.
This post was edited on 5/20/19 at 11:02 am
Posted by LSUCouyon
ONTHELAKEATDELHI, La.
Member since Oct 2006
11335 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 1:11 pm to
Reminds me of a good friend that is a forester.He went hunting with a friend on his grandmother's place.
They started hunting before daylight on one end of the property, then about daylight, heard equipment start up and saws running.
He went to the logging job and was asking questions when the foreman came over and when asked who had bought the timber he said his boss and he had gotten it at a bargain and was going to make a killing. There was almost a killing right then, but better sense prevailed and my buddy left.
Granny had been sweet-talked out of her timber and he didn't even know it.
Posted by FelicianaTigerfan
Comanche County
Member since Aug 2009
26059 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 1:28 pm to
Think this was more common 20-30 years ago. Now land listings include land value and timber. First noticed it here on a 400 acre tract near me listed for 7500/acre. Started asking around and that’s what they had done

ETA: I see everyone else was on the same timeline as me
This post was edited on 5/20/19 at 1:39 pm
Posted by gumbo2176
Member since May 2018
18078 posts
Posted on 5/20/19 at 2:56 pm to
quote:

One big issue with purchasing one of these 40 acres pieces is the cost to deal with the left behind debris and stumps versus the company asking price


Not only that, but dealing with the possible/probable erosion issue after the trees are clear cut.

I saw some beautiful hilly land around Picayune, Ms. back in the late 80's that a timber company was selling, but they wanted to retain the timber rights. I passed and went back out there several months later and it looked like a bomb went off on that land.

Besides all the mess they left, erosion had cut huge gouges in the soil since there was no ground cover or trees to help protect the land.
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