Trees are a valuable product; some woods can be worth several thousands of dollars per acre and if managed properly earn you hundreds of dollars per acre per year.  If you own woods, you should manage them properly. Part of management is selling timber; these are basic things you should know if you ever sell timber.

1.  ONLY SELL TO A TIMBER BUYER THAT IS LICENSED, INSURED AND BONDED.  Illinois has a bonded timber buyer's law that requires anyone that buys timber within the state must be licensed and bonded.  Colson Timber Acquisitions is licensed, insured and bonded.  Evidence will be furnished upon request. 

2.  ONLY SELL IF EVERYTHING IS IN WRITING.  A good timber contract can go a long ways to ensure that you have a good experience selling timber.  The contract should state how the trees are marked, how many trees, the purchase price, time period to remove the timber, what logging conditions are acceptable (dry or frozen), and who is liable for damage to the property etc. Colson Timber Acquisitions has created a standard triplicate contract, that can be filled in with your specifications.

3.  DECIDE IF YOU WANT YOUR TREES MARKED.  If the trees to be harvested are marked there is no question as to which trees should be harvested.It is also advisable if you are planning to solicit comparable bids on the timber when each company is bidding on the same item.  After the bid process has begun, don't add or exchange trees, remember trees vary considerably in value, by changing things the whole bid process can be ruined. Colson Timber Acquisitions will work with you to determine which trees are right for harvest, our standard is "Quality cutting with less Quantity promotes a healthy timber future."

4.  DECIDE IF YOU ARE READY TO SELL YOUR TIMBER. Think about what you are doing. Once you sign the contract or accept the money there is no going back. Colson Timber Acquisitions has worked very hard to maintain a superior rating with our past clients.  We want to make sure that your experience with our company is just as rewarding.  We do not want any hard feelings or misunderstandings about the process of the harvest.  In some cases the harvest will not begin until the marketability is strong for your type of timber, this could be several months after the initial contracting. So you must be willing to wait on the harvest or alert us if you need your harvest to be completed sooner for financial reasons so we can plan accordingly.

5.  UNDERSTAND THE HARVESTING BASIS FOR CHOICE OF TREES.  The size of the tree's diameter shouldn't dictate if that tree should be harvested, the condition or potential of the tree should. The woods contains many different species, each maturing at a different age and size, when selling on a diameter basis vs. select cutting, you run the possibility of over-cutting the woods and selling many trees that would increase significantly in value in the near future.  Colson Timber Acquisitions standard as previously stated is "Quality cutting with less Quantity promotes a healthy timber future."

6.  YOU MAY NOT WANT TO SELL ONLY YOUR BEST TREES.  Trees vary considerably in value, often only from a few dollars to hundreds or on occasion thousands of dollars.  Selling only the best trees is called "high grading" and can hurt the long term productivity of the woods.  When selling timber sell the trees that are declining in value, sell the less desirable or weeds trees and mix in the best trees when they've reached their peak value.  The best trees are probably earning you at least 10% per year and Colson Timber Acquisitions has your best interest in mind with the suggested timber to be harvested.  Many times the logging will reveal that the timber is dying from the inside out.  Our experience and market opinion with such trees will prove beneficial to your decisions.

7.  CONSIDER IF YOU WANT TO SELL BY CUT AND SCALE, SHARES OR LUMP SUM CASH PAYMENT.  Our company has established a relationship with the top timber mills in our area.  The cut and scale process is done right on your property, and you as the land owner will know your footage and value of the timber prior to it leaving on the trucks. Naturally, we would want to get the highest dollar for the timber with the most accurate scale, because we are paid of the same numbers as you the land owner.  With the market changing with the supply and demand needs of the building industry, it is an ongoing challenge to make sure we are selling within a market demand. You are most likely will make more on your logs with a percentages agreement that will enable you to see first hand what the logs are scaling and the amount the timber mills are willing to pay for the different grades of logs. Although, Colson Timber Acquisitions is capable of buying your timber on a lump-sum, up front payment for a agreed upon price for marked trees if this is the method of payment you choose.

8.  DON'T BE TEMPTED TO ACCEPT CASH FROM OTHER LOGGING COMPANIES.  Illinois has a 4% timber sales tax that is due on the sellers proceeds you receive from the sell of your timber.  Many times we will share in that cost as a service to you.  Quarterly the licensed timber companies are required to file a report with the State of Illinois reporting the name, legal description and the amount of timber that was sold by the land owners, and the amount of tax that is to be submitted with the filing.  Colson Timber Acquisitions has designed an accounting form that details out the footage, type of timber, 4%sales tax amount deduction etc., a copy is submitted with the check at time of payment.  Colson Timber Acquisitions pays you the seller immediately upon receipt of funds from the sale of the timber and typically will enclose a copy of the tally sheet and or copy of the mill's check that purchased the logs for your satisfaction that you were paid in a just and timely manner.
9.  DON'T ENTER INTO A MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT GIVING A COMPANY EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO YOUR TIMBER. A management agreement may sound good, but there is usually a cost.  The buyer has a conflict of interest if he works for the mill and they want your timber. Colson Timber Acquisitions will work for both mutual best interest's  in negotiating the best sell price for the timber.  CTA has expended the labor and the expenses to harvest the timber and will work hard to make sure the highest market price will be obtained.
10.  BEWARE OF OTHER LOGGING COMPANIES DAMAGING CROPS, THROUGH WAYS AND OTHER TREES DURING THE LOGGING.   We take pride with the years of experience to provide you with the most orderly and "cleanest" harvest possible.  Colson Timber Acquisitions will remove the tops from the edges of the fields and work hard to ensure your satisfaction with the end result of the logging operation.  Colson Timber Acquisitions takes pride in our work and depends on your satisfaction to continue to be one of the top timber companies in our area.