Got an Unsolicited Offer?
One offer in the mail is one data point, not a market.
If you've received a letter or postcard offering to buy your mineral or royalty interest, you're not alone, and you're not obligated to respond to it, positively or at all. Mailbox offers are a routine part of this industry, sent in bulk to owners of record pulled from county tax rolls and division order lists, often before the sender has done any real diligence on your specific interest, current production, or the activity happening around it.
That doesn't make every unsolicited offer bad. Some are perfectly fair. But a single offer, arriving with no context for how it was calculated, is not something you can evaluate in isolation. We provide a second, independent quote so you have a real comparison before deciding anything.
Why mailbox offers vary so widely
The company sending you a letter may be a serious buyer doing careful county-level research, or may be sending the same offer to every owner on a purchased mailing list with minimal individual review. Some offers are priced conservatively because the sender is buying in bulk and doesn't want to spend time evaluating each interest closely. Others reflect a genuine, researched number. Without a second opinion, there's no way to tell which category the letter in your hand falls into.
This is precisely the situation where getting an independent quote earns its cost, which is nothing. Comparing two real numbers tells you far more than evaluating one number against a guess.
What to check before responding to any offer
Confirm the offer references your correct legal description and fractional interest, not a generic figure. Check whether the offer is time-limited with pressure to respond quickly, which is worth treating as a caution flag rather than a reason to rush. And ask what the offer is based on: recent production, comparable sales, or simply an acreage figure with no context.
A serious buyer should be able to explain their number. If a sender is unwilling to walk through their reasoning, that alone is useful information about how much diligence went into the offer.
Getting a comparison quote
We'll review your interest, the same production history, lease status, and county activity any serious buyer should be looking at, and give you a documented number you can hold up against the one you already received. There's no obligation to sell to us, and no cost to get the comparison. If the original offer turns out to be fair, you'll know that with more confidence. If it's underpriced, you'll have a real alternative in hand.
Send us the offer you received along with the legal description or division order information from your file, and we can usually turn around a comparison figure quickly.
You're not required to respond by any deadline
A common tactic in unsolicited mineral offers is an artificial deadline meant to discourage you from seeking a second opinion. In nearly every case, there is no real urgency that requires you to sign within the window stated in the letter. Taking the time to get a comparison quote does not put your ability to sell at risk; the interest isn't going anywhere, and a serious buyer's number will still be there next week.
Questions to Clear Before Closing
Each answer removes ambiguity from the property schedule, conveyance, curative list, funding condition, or delivery record.
Is it safe to just accept the offer I received in the mail?
It might be a fair offer, but there's no way to know without a comparison. Getting a second, independent quote costs nothing and takes the guesswork out of the decision.
Why would I get an unsolicited offer if my interest is small?
Mailbox offers are frequently sent in bulk from county ownership records regardless of interest size, sometimes with limited individual review of the specific fraction or production.
The letter says the offer expires soon. Should I respond quickly?
Treat urgency in an unsolicited letter with caution. There's rarely a real reason you can't take a few days to get a comparison quote before responding.
What should I send you to get a comparison number?
The offer letter itself if you have it, plus your deed, division order statement, or legal description, whatever identifies the specific interest so we can quote it accurately.
Am I obligated to sell to you if I ask for a comparison quote?
No. There's no obligation either way. Many owners use our quote purely as a benchmark and decide to keep the interest or sell to the original party instead.
What if I've already signed and returned the unsolicited offer?
Depending on your state and how recently you signed, there may be a rescission window. Contact the sender directly and, if you have concerns, an attorney, since we can't advise on undoing a contract you've already entered with another party.
How often do unsolicited offers turn out to be significantly underpriced?
It varies by sender, but it's common enough that we recommend a comparison as standard practice rather than an exception, particularly for interests with any recent lease or drilling activity nearby.
Clear the next closing condition
Owner, tract, fraction, lease, production, and exception records carry straight into these related closing reviews.
Want this checked against your deed, statements, lease, or written offer?
Send the county and state, owner name, operator or payor, recent statement, deed reference, lease, probate document, division order, or written offer you have.