Selling Standing Timber in New York: What Landowners Need to Know First

Selling Standing Timber in New York: The Sequence That Protects Landowners

Every year in Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster counties, landowners sell standing timber for significantly less than it is worth — not because their timber isn’t valuable, but because they sold it before they knew what it was worth.

The mistake is almost always the same: a timber buyer makes a direct offer, the landowner accepts without an independent appraisal or competitive bidding, and the harvest proceeds on the buyer’s terms. By the time the logging is done, the landowner has no way to know what they left on the table.

This guide explains the correct sequence for selling standing timber in New York — and the specific steps that protect landowners from the most common and costly mistakes.

Before you talk to any buyer: Call Henry Kowalec at (845) 754-8242 for an independent appraisal first.

Step 1: Timber Cruise and Appraisal Before Any Offer

The first step in selling standing timber is establishing what you have and what it is worth — before any buyer makes an offer.

A timber cruise is a field measurement of the merchantable timber on your property: the species, diameter, estimated height, log grade, and volume of trees that could be harvested. A timber appraisal uses those measurements, current regional stumpage prices, and an assessment of access, terrain, and harvesting conditions to establish an estimated market value for your timber.

This appraisal serves two functions. First, it gives you a baseline — you know what your timber is worth before anyone makes an offer, so you can evaluate any offer against an objective standard. Second, it gives timber buyers the information they need to make a competitive bid, which drives prices toward market value rather than a single buyer’s preferred price.

Henry Kowalec conducts timber cruises and appraisals for private landowners throughout Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster counties. The appraisal is conducted for the landowner — not for any buyer — and the results belong to the landowner.

Step 2: Competitive Bidding Among Qualified Buyers

A single timber buyer making a direct offer has no incentive to pay market value. Competition creates that incentive.

Once the timber appraisal is complete, Henry prepares a prospectus describing the timber offering — species, estimated volumes, access conditions, harvest requirements — and solicits sealed bids from multiple qualified timber buyers and logging contractors in the region.

Sealed bidding prevents buyers from coordinating their offers, which would undermine the competitive process. Each buyer submits their best offer independently, knowing they are competing against others whose bids they cannot see.

The results are consistent: competitive bidding on timber sales managed by an independent forester recovers 20% to 50% more than the direct offers the same landowners typically receive on the same timber. On a $40,000 timber sale, that difference is $8,000 to $20,000.

Step 3: Bid Evaluation and Buyer Selection

The highest bid is not always the right choice. Bid evaluation considers the offered price, the buyer’s logging standards and references, their equipment and capacity, their financial reliability, and their track record for complying with contract terms and restoring harvest sites.

A buyer who bids 10% more than the next highest offer but has a history of cutting over-boundary, damaging residual trees, or failing to install required erosion controls may cost the landowner more in the long run than the bid difference.

Henry reviews bids with every landowner and explains the trade-offs before any selection is made.

Step 4: Timber Sale Contract That Protects the Landowner

The contract is where landowner protections are either established or lost.

A strong timber sale contract specifies exactly which trees are included in the sale — by marked tree, location, species, or minimum diameter — so there is no ambiguity about what the buyer has permission to cut. It designates extraction routes, buffer areas around streams and sensitive features, and site restoration requirements. It establishes a payment schedule with significant payment due before harvesting begins. And it includes penalty provisions for non-compliance.

Contracts that lack these specifics leave landowners without recourse when disputes arise. Henry prepares and reviews timber sale contracts for every harvest he manages, and he remains involved throughout the harvest to monitor compliance and address problems as they occur.

Have questions about a specific contract or offer? Call (845) 754-8242 — Henry reviews situations like this regularly.

What Your Timber Is Worth in Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster Counties

Timber values vary by species, quality, market conditions, and access. As a general reference for this region:

High-value hardwoods: Red oak sawlogs — $150 to $400+ per MBF stumpage Black cherry sawlogs — $300 to $800+ per MBF for high-grade material Sugar maple — $150 to $350 per MBF Yellow birch — $100 to $250 per MBF

Mid-value hardwoods: Red maple sawlogs — $40 to $120 per MBF White ash (healthy) — $80 to $200 per MBF White oak — $150 to $350 per MBF

Lower-value material: Pulpwood (most species) — $5 to $30 per cord Low-grade hardwood — $15 to $60 per MBF

These are approximate current ranges — actual values depend on log quality, haul distance to markets, and current mill demand. Henry provides current stumpage price data as part of every timber appraisal.

The Cost of Skipping the Appraisal

The most common conversation Henry has with landowners about a completed timber sale is: “How much did I get?” followed by: “Was that a fair price?”

Most landowners who accepted a direct offer without an appraisal have no way to answer that question. They do not know whether they received market value, 60% of market value, or 40% of it.

The cost of a timber appraisal — typically $500 to $1,500 depending on property size and complexity — is recovered many times over on any sale with competitive bidding. It is the single investment with the highest return in private timber management.

→ Service: Sell Standing Timber — Environmental Forest Products → Service: Timber Harvesting → Guide: How Much Is Timber Worth Per Acre? → Guide: Hardwood Timber Value in New York

Call (845) 754-8242 to schedule a timber appraisal. Henry walks every property personally before any valuation is issued.

Henry Kowalec — Certified Consulting Forester — Environmental Forest Products, Westbrookville, NY