Done Deals: Edge Capital Markets and Sealy Real Estate Services announce sale of 41,000 acres of timberland in Southeast Texas

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Edge Capital Markets and Sealy Real Estate Services announce sale of 41,000 acres of timberland in Southeast Texas

Micha van Marcke

DALLAS, TX –– Edge Capital Markets ("Edge") and Sealy Real Estate Services ("Sealy") successfully brokered the sale of approximately 41,139 acres of timberland in Southeast Texas' Piney Woods. The price was not disclosed.

Mart Martindale

This large-scale transaction, which spanned 96 tracts across Trinity, Polk, San Jacinto, and Montgomery Counties, featured over 2.3 million tons of merchantable timber consisting mostly of managed pine plantation.

The buyer, SE Texas Opportunity Fund, LLC, led by Managing Partner Christopher Boone, secured the portfolio after a highly competitive national bidding process, which attracted substantial interest from a diverse pool of investors.

Mart Martindale, Managing Principal at Edge, described the sale as a “once-in-a-lifetime acquisition opportunity” and acknowledged the challenges inherent in such a monumental disposition.

Stapleton Group was the receiver for the land, which had been held for generations and was actively managed by F&W Forestry Services and American Forest Management.

Joe Fleming

Joe Fleming of Sealy noted "the market's valuation of the raw land exceeded our expectations and emphasizes the growing momentum of timberland as an asset class, particularly in East Texas."

The national interest was considerable, culminating in a best-and-final bidding round. "The level of attention this property received was remarkable, and it stands as one of the largest transactions Edge has brokered to date," added Edge Principal Micha van Marcke.

In a separate transaction, the seller also completed the sale of 411 acres on FM 1097 in Montgomery. This parcel, located near scenic Lake Conroe and across from the Bentwater master-planned community, was sold to J. Alan Kent Development for a planned residential development of 1,000 to 1,200 lots.

Charles Blaschke

Charles Blaschke and Logan Havel of Edge Realty Partners represented the seller, Forest Timber, Ltd., while David Alexander and Josh Cheatham of Newcor represented the buyer.

“With Conroe nearly built out, Montgomery has become the hub of residential growth north of Houston,” said Blaschke, Vice President at Edge. “Residents in these communities can live, work, and play without the stress of long commutes or overcrowding.”

About Edge Realty Partners

Founded in 2009, Edge Realty Partners is a leading commercial real estate firm providing strategic brokerage, investment sales and development services across the nation.

Logan Havel

With offices in Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin/San Antonio and Phoenix, the platform exclusively represents more than 300 tenants and over 16.5 million square feet of commercial space.

Edge has closed more than $7.5 billion in investment sales and has over $2.4 billion in development experience.

About Sealy Real Estate Services (SRES)

Sealy Real Estate Services, a division of Sealy & Company in Shreveport, Louisiana, is one of the leading commercial brokerage firms in North Louisiana.

David Alexander

Since 1946, the firm has been providing expert sales, leasing, and consulting services, specializing in industry sectors, such as commercial, industrial, and investment real estate. Backed by over 300 years of combined experience, the company remains dedicated to enhancing client investments.

In addition to traditional commercial real estate sectors, SRES has brokered over 250,000 acres of rural land transactions across the Southeast U.S., focusing on investment-grade timberland and large agricultural properties.

Their clients include individuals, TIMOs, and institutions. SRES maintains industry affiliations with organizations like LFA, NAR, NWLAR, LACDB, LAR, FLA, TFA, and SAF, and regularly collaborates with national corporations and forest service agencies.