TomD
If you aren't species specific. Most areas have woods available cheaply in great quality, but you have to be willing to take what you can get. I really don't much like red oak. But it grows on my NB farm. And a lot of it blew over last summer. Of course in Tennessee, I guess local is a dreamy collection of stuff. And availability doesn't change all the other issues you mention. But I am willing to be limited to beech maple, cherry, and red oak. I wish walnut fell across my path more often...

Here is about 1-9K of wood when it was originally knocked over. Just across the road from me. A trunk about 20 feet long and 3 feet in diameter, and perfect hard rock maple. That is one of the original cottages down here by the lake. Just outside Toronto. I could have sawn it up, but these tree removal services hit like a surprise attack, and you get no warning to talk to your neighbours, how many full width benches were in that baby.