Category: Sponsored

In the highly competitive self-storage industry, mastering your sales funnel is crucial for turning inquiries into loyal customers. A well-structured sales funnel guides prospects from awareness to action with intentional messaging, follow-up, and service strategies. Start by understanding who manages your funnel—on-site teams, off-site reps, or a hybrid model—and tailor your process to ensure each lead is nurtured effectively. Clear communication is essential. Train your team to build rapport quickly during phone calls, capturing key details early, and ensuring your phone systems, call tracking, and coaching tools are functioning flawlessly.…

Over the past decade, the influence of Private Equity investing in all aspects of the self-storage industry has been profound. Up until late 2002, when NCREIF (National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries) started tracking self-storage as an asset class, there were the REITs and private sources of capital, with very few sources in between. Private Equity started investing in the industry in earnest in the mid-2010s and now accounts for almost half of all self-storage investing (Preqin, Yardi, Nareit). Hold Period A few of the impacts include a more…

We’re seeing an increasing number of self-storage deals closing with the seller being the lender and financing the deal. Any facility we list for sale with seller financing available always attracts higher levels of buyer interest, which results in more offers and an eventual sale price 15-20% higher than the market. As an added benefit, the seller doesn’t have to figure out how to invest the sale proceeds, and they receive monthly interest payments during the loan term. Loan terms are always negotiated between buyer and seller, and the most…

Storage of America has officially selected White Label Storage to manage their portfolio of 27 facilities across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri. This partnership expands White Label Storage’s presence in the Midwest and cements its position as one of the fastest-growing third-party management companies in the industry. Storage of America’s facilities offer a range of storage options, from climate-controlled units to boat, RV, and vehicle storage to drive-up rentals. The portfolio includes a range of property types, including multi-level facilities with over 1,000 units. The collection of facilities includes…

If you want to maximize your facility’s revenue, occupancy, and customer satisfaction, you’ve got to have the right unit mix. It’s not just about how many units you have—it’s about having the right types and sizes that fit the needs of your market. Whether you’re opening a new facility or reassessing an existing one, understanding how to tailor your unit mix to meet demand can transform your profitability. Start With Market Demand, Not Assumptions Matching your unit mix to local market demands is an exercise in product-market fit. This concept…

As the self-storage sector continues to evolve, technology has become an essential tool for improving operations, enhancing customer service, and streamlining processes. One of the most critical aspects of managing your self-storage investment is accurately assessing what creates value. However, despite the advantages that technology brings to self-storage valuation today, the importance of human insight and touch remains crucial. The role of technology in self-storage valuation has always been important, but experience, expertise, and local knowledge are critical today to ensure an accurate valuation of your self-storage investment. Self-storage valuation…

Many self-storage facilities hit a “middle plateau” after lease-up, with occupancy stalling between 60–80%. My Space Self Storage was facing this common challenge—occupancy had stabilized in the low 80s, but there was still meaningful room for growth. To push past this plateau and unlock the facility’s full earning potential, the owners began looking for a management partner with proven expertise in marketing, lead generation, and revenue optimization. White Label Storage was selected in October 2024 to take over management. With more than 650 units at the property, the objective was…

Whether you are thinking of selling, refinancing, or just want to optimize the income your property generates, here are a few tips I’ve learned from the 18 years helping owners sell their self-storage facilities. There are many, many ways a self-storage owner (or operator) can improve their bottom line, and I’m sure I’ve left out a few ideas that others have uncovered. OPTIMIZE RENTAL INCOME – The most obvious way to increase the net operating income of your self-storage facility is by increasing the monthly rental collections. But how? The…

The SBA recently released their changes to their SOP rulebook that will go into effect June 1, 2025. Below is a summary of impactful changes. Franchise Directory is returning. Franchises will be required to be listed in the directory. If a borrower operates under more than one franchise agreement, all franchises must be listed on the directory, not just the critical ones Need 100% ownership, including indirect ownership of the business, to include SSN, address, % owned, and DOB.  All must be citizens or LPRs and primarily reside in the…