Buying lumber

[Engineer]

The question begins, "What's a pile of air-dried lumber worth?" but it's not that simple: 

Got a lead from a neighbor last week about a lady, who lost her husband last year, who was trying to get rid of some lumber and tools.  He also had a "bandsaw mill" but not sure what kind, but that's been sold already.  Anyway, from the brief conversation, she has many hundreds or even thousands of board feet of pine, and a barn full of hardwoods, that she has no use for and would like to get rid of.

Turns out I could use a few thousand BF of 4/4 pine for siding my new garage.  My dilemma is, I really am not sure what to offer for it.  I can get roughsawn green pine all day long from several local mills for between 50 and 60 cents a board foot, delivered to my yard.  I think it would actually help her out to buy as much of the lumber as possible (clean up the yard, so to speak) but I'm also afraid that offering too low a price would be considered an insult.  I haven't seen the lumber yet; my neighbor is supposed to help by setting up a time to look at it. 

So lets assume for the sake of discussion that we have several piles of roughsawn 4/4 pine, stacked and stickered and maybe sitting for a couple of years or more.  I think the worst problem it would have would be some rot at the stickers, but still salvageable for siding.  Was probably going to plane one side anyway to keep a consistent thickness.  What would you offer for it?  I was thinking somewhere around 20-25 cents per board foot and I'd find a way to haul it off.

The hardwoods stored in the barn, I really don't need, but if there's some nice cherry or maple, I was thinking around $2 a board foot or $1.50 if I had to buy a whole pile of several hundred board feet.

Just curious what you guys might think.

[47sawdust]

I think your prices are in line with what is fair.You will have a better idea when you see what condition the lumber is really in and how hard it will be to move.You are an honest man and your conscience will guide you.
You still thinking about a mill ?
http://www.woodmizer.com/usedsawmills/details.aspx?id=978

[mesquite buckeye]

Someone willing to buy the whole shebang should get a better price than someone just picking and choosing. A lot better price. You are also clearing out a mess...

[GAB]

Partial quote - "I was thinking somewhere around 20-25 cents per board foot and I'd find a way to haul it off."
That is close to the cost of sawing.
Not knowing the quality of the material I would not dare to guess a proper value.
Gerald

[Clark]

I think the real problem here is that you don't know what she values the lumber at and her number could vary considerably. If she has a guaranteed income beyond SS (I'm presuming she's retired) then she might value it higher. If she really wants the mess gone it will be lower.

I think I'd ask her what she wants for all of it. That gives you a place to start that she feels is fair. Be upfront about what you want for lumber quality and what you two will do if you run across a pile of wood that is half rotten, bowed, or has large, loose knots.  If she's unwilling to take less for obvious defects then it might be time to consider her offer more carefully and/or walk.

Clark