Auction PR Publicity Announcements News and Information
Auction PR Publicity Announcements News and Information

Indiana and Kentucky Timber Land Auction

Officials of Kimball International are hoping that their upcoming auction of 27,212 acres – primarily timberland – in Indiana and Kentucky will attract investors who have sold equities and begun looking for a less volatile long-term haven for their money.

“After weeks of heavy selling in all sectors, there’s a lot of cash looking for alternatives,” said Marty Vaught, spokesperson for Kimball. High-quality timberland has a long history of providing returns of 10 and even 20 percent, without the volatility of stocks and bonds.

Recent land auctions have begun drawing increasing numbers of bidders from investment firms, according to Rex Schrader, of Woltz & Schrader Auctions, which will conduct the auction of Kimball’s land in three events Nov. 6-8.

“Well-managed timberland produces long-run returns as the timber increases in size and improves in quality. And overall, timberland has generally appreciated faster than the inflation rate. On top of that, many owners operate hunting operations or sell hunting leases, as Kimball has done, especially on its 11,759-acre property in Kentucky’s Crittenden and Union counties, which has become famous as the Game Trails hunting property,” said Schrader.

“This land is a virtual pure play in timber,” said Vaught. “Except for 2,640 acres of tillable cropland and 940 acres of pasture and hay fields, it’s virtually all high-quality timberland that has been held as a reserve for Kimball’s furniture operations,” he said.

With land being sold in 224 different tracts, bidders who are not able to buy thousands of acres will have the opportunity to purchase land in small quantities, according to Schrader. “If someone wishes to bid on, say, 25 or 100 acres, there will be opportunities for that,” he said.

Detailed tract maps, schedules and information on the properties are available at www.schraderauction.com. Individuals seeking additional information may also call 800-451-2709.

Schrader Auction Company, based in Columbia City, Ind., is one of the nation’s largest auctioneers of agricultural land. The company’s auction calendar and results are available at www.schraderauction.com.