If a lot has merchantable timber on it, how do I find out what it's worth before I buy?

A professional timber cruise, performed by a forester, is the standard way to estimate both the volume and the value of standing timber on a parcel. This is not something that can be reliably estimated from satellite imagery or general online tools, since accurate valuation depends on details a forester actually assesses on site:

• Species mix: different tree species carry very different market values
• Age and size class: timber value depends heavily on maturity, not just the presence of trees
• Accessibility for harvest: how easily equipment can get in and out affects what a harvest is actually worth net of logging costs

Timber value is separate from land value, and the two should not be assumed to move together. A parcel with substantial mature timber can be meaningfully more valuable than a similar cleared parcel nearby, and that difference matters both for what you should expect to pay and for how you might plan to use the property, whether that is holding the timber for future harvest, harvesting shortly after purchase, or simply leaving it as is.

If timber value is a meaningful part of why a parcel interests you, or a meaningful part of what a seller is asking for it, getting an actual timber cruise done before finalizing an offer is worth the cost relative to the uncertainty it removes.