Overview StorTrack data shows steady activity in the self-storage sector in the second half of 2024, with 110 transactions completed across the United States. To date, multi-operators and REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) each represented over 40% of the total transaction volume, with investment activity largely concentrated in the Southeast. Multi-operators were especially active in the Midwest, completing five transactions involving Storage Rentals of America facilities in Michigan and Illinois. Meanwhile, REITs focused their efforts primarily on the Southeast, with Florida standing out as a key market. Transaction Breakdown by…
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Development in Self Storage: A Lesson in Delayed Gratification
Self-storage development has emerged as a compelling opportunity in the real estate market, offering steady returns and economic resilience. However, success in this sector often requires embracing the principle of delayed gratification – the ability to forgo immediate rewards for greater long-term benefits. The delayed gratification comes in the form of appreciation, depreciation, cash flow, and the ability to use amortization, which provides several key advantages: Equity growth: In an example of a $10M new development, your initial $1.5 million (15% down) investment using a SBA loan could grow to…
Q3 2024 Self-Storage REIT Report Insights: Key Challenges and Opportunities Ahead
Join StorTrack’s Christine Wachsman and James Breunig, along with Andrew Jones of JustStorage, as they discuss key takeaways from the REITs’ Q3 reports. The conversation covers industry resilience amid revenue dips, demand shifts, and challenges from severe weather events like Hurricane Milton. They also examine rising competition, strategic third-party management, West Coast development costs, and strategies for adapting to a dynamic market. About StorTrack StorTrack is the leading provider of self-storage market data and analytics, providing operators, investors, and developers with actionable insights. Our tools help clients understand pricing trends,…
6 Safety and Security Issues That Should be on Your Radar
As an industry, we’ve been focusing, rightly so, on security measures to protect facilities from rising break-ins, theft and other vandalism. But there are other areas of safety and security in self-storage that are often overlooked. Read on for 6 that you don’t want to miss—and how you can easily remedy them. Delayed Repairs: Whether it’s tenant damage from backing into a door or natural disasters like the recent hurricanes, delaying repairs for damaged units leaves your units at risk because it can create a ripple effect of further damage…
JLL Capital Markets Led the Sales Effort for the Self-Storage Portfolio in Philadelphia and West Florida
JLL Capital Markets announced today that it has completed the sale of a six-property self-storage portfolio totalling 468,266 rentable square feet in the Philadelphia MSA and the Tampa, Sarasota and Fort Myers areas of West Florida. JLL’s National Self-Storage team represented the seller, a partnership between Metro Self Storage and Heitman, and procured the buyer, Andover Properties. The properties were operated and managed under the Metro Self Storage brand at the time of sale and will be rebranded to Andover’s Storage King USA brand. The portfolio consists of three properties…
Combating Crime: 5 Tools To Protect Your Property And People
Ask anyone in the self-storage industry what their biggest concern is today, and most of us will list break-ins at or near the top of the list after seeing a rise in criminal activity at facilities over the last 5 years. In fact, according to a recent survey by Janus International, 85% of self-storage owner-operators say that theft and break-ins are top of mind, and 57% report that they’re dealing with repeated break-ins. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With cutting-edge technologies and services, you can address vulnerabilities…
SBA 504 Refinance Rule Changes
The SBA’s rule changes, effective November 15, 2024, will help loan clients in a number of ways, including making it easier to refinance debt. Also, the new rule change broadens the way businesses can use funds through refinancing, especially when they’re looking to expand. 1) For Stand-Alone Debt Refinance (Without Expansion): The loan-to-value limit is now up to 90% in all cases including requests for ‘cash out’ for other business expenses and special use properties. In addition, the 20% LTV cap on cash out for other business expenses is GONE!…
For What it’s Worth – MAI versus BOV
There are countless reasons why a property owner is looking for a current market value of their real estate asset(s) – many involving life events such as death, divorce, partnership disputes/dissolutions, retirement, wealth or estate planning, debt settlement, default, recapitalization and more. Sometimes it is simply when an owner has decided to sell. Determining a current fair market value can be achieved by working with a specialized real estate broker familiar with the type of property involved or may require engaging a licensed real estate appraiser to prepare a detailed…
StorTrack’s National Transactions Report: August 2024
In recent months, investment activity in the self-storage market saw a sharp decline, with just 25 transactions totaling $131 million, a significant drop from the 1,203 deals and $6.77 billion seen in Q4-2021. This downturn, driven by rising interest rates, inflation, and oversupply concerns, has shifted investor focus to larger, high-value properties. By Q3-2024, transaction volume had plummeted by 93% compared to last year. However, the average building size per deal rose by 51%, and the average sale price surged by 171%, indicating more selective investment in high-quality assets. A…
The Challenge of Valuing Lease-Up Deals in Today’s Market
Lease-up deals have always been challenging to value compared to stabilized storage properties, but that challenge has become even greater in today’s market. With numerous macro and micro-economic variables, forecasting how a property should be expected to perform five years from now is a tough call. Below, we highlight the three most pressing questions when valuing a lease-up property. What Are Street Rates? Street rates have declined following their peak in 2020 and 2021, which presents a challenge when underwriting a lease-up property. Lease-up deals are typically underwritten with the…