Author: Shinil Krishnan

Self-Storage Industry Trends Summary

The self-storage industry entered 2025 focused on stability after several years of volatility. National reports from Cushman & Wakefield, CBRE and other sources showed that rents and occupancy began to stabilize mid-year. At the same time, operators leaned heavily on technology and automation to control costs. Storage Commander’s proprietary research confirms these themes, capturing how real operators experienced the year and what they expect next. The Year in Review EFFICIENCY WAS THE BIGGEST WIN. More than a quarter of operators identified operational efficiency as their greatest success, driven by automation,…

Why On-Demand Support Is Becoming a Must-Have in Self-Storage

Today’s consumers don’t wait on hold. They get instant answers from their bank, their airline, and their favorite retailer. They track packages in real time, reset passwords in seconds, and resolve billing issues at midnight without ever speaking to a person. Self-storage tenants are those same consumers, and they bring the same expectations with them. A prospective renter comparing unit prices at 9 p.m. wants answers at the moment they’re ready to commit. A tenant locked out on a Sunday morning wants to retrieve a gate code without waiting until…

Self-Storage Market Review | Second Quarter 2026

Executive Summary The U.S. self-storage market entered the second quarter with clearer signs of improvement, but the recovery remained uneven. National walk-in rates for non-climate-controlled (NCC) benchmark units increased 6.4% from the first quarter, the strongest first-to-second-quarter gain over the past four years. Still, pricing remained 1.7% below 2Q 2025, and only 19 of the Top 50 MSAs finished the quarter above prior-year levels. The result shows a market that is gaining momentum without yet showing a broad-based pricing recovery. Existing supply continues to help explain why performance varies so…

StorTrack Market of the Month: Northern New Jersey

*10-mile radius from Bloomfield, NJ, used to define the analysis area in Explorer. Includes self-storage and vehicle, RV, and boat storage facilities. Market Overview Space comes at a premium in Northern New Jersey, where high population density, a large renter base and household incomes above $110,000 create a natural backdrop for self-storage demand. More than 58% of households rent their homes, supporting the need for additional space in communities where living space can be limited. StorTrack identifies approximately 13.3 million net rentable square feet (NRSF) across 217 facilities, or 5.17…

Weekly Self Storage Transaction Roundup: 9/22/26 – 9/25/26

Last week’s transaction activity covered eleven deals spanning 19 facilities, with buyers pursuing several paths to value. Lease-up featured prominently, including StorQuest Express in Kissimmee, which sold for $6.9 million, or about $128/SF, at 82% occupancy, and the four-property Houston portfolio at roughly 76%. Expansion potential also factored into the Newberry, Belmont, and Churchville deals, while Waukegan offered operational upside. Market conditions varied considerably, with supply ranging from 6.3 square feet per capita (SF/capita) in Waukegan to 16.7 SF/capita in Casper. Pricing also varies widely: online discounts range from more…

SmartStop Announces $140 Million in U.S. and Canada Strategic Investments

SmartStop Self Storage REIT (NYSE: SMA) has announced approximately $140 million in strategic investments spanning the U.S. and Canada. The largest component is a USD $54 million investment in a Canadian joint venture encompassing 14 properties and 9,600 units, which positions SmartStop as Canada’s third-largest self-storage operator. Separate U.S. acquisitions in Las Vegas and Asheville account for approximately $37 million. The company also disclosed a preferred equity investment partnership and a noncore disposition program targeting $75 to $125 million in property sales starting in early 2027. Full-year 2026 FFO guidance…

Featured Broker: Dave Knobler

Dave Knobler, based in Houston, is Senior Managing Director Investments and Director of Marcus & Millichap’s National Self-Storage Group. Over the past decade, he has closed over $1 billion in real estate transactions, primarily self-storage properties. Backed by strong teams and a creative marketing approach, Dave consistently ranks among the firm’s top Self-Storage agents nationwide, earning sales recognition ten straight years and top-ranked Houston agent honors from 2018-2023. He holds a Bachelor’s in Speech from UT Austin and previously worked as an award-winning TV sportscaster. Outside work, Dave enjoys sports,…

Norfolk Mover Southside Moving Grows Into Virginia Beach and Chesapeake

Southside Moving and Storage, a Norfolk, Virginia-based moving company, has expanded its service area to cover Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and the broader Hampton Roads region. The company provides residential and commercial moving, packing, local and long-distance relocation, military moves, and senior moving assistance. Hampton Roads is a high-turnover relocation market due to its significant military population, making moving and storage demand in the area closely linked. Read the Full Article Source: Yahoo!Finance

Load and Lock Climate Controlled Storage Opens in Greenville, Ohio

Load and Lock Climate Controlled Storage has opened at 395 Martin Street in Greenville, Ohio. The facility offers indoor, heated units ranging from 5×10 to 10×17 feet, with two truck docks, cart access, keypad entry, and daily access from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Owners Bill Coomer and John Baumgardner say it is the only indoor climate-controlled storage facility in Greenville with a fire sprinkler system. The opening introduces a weather-protected storage option to a smaller Ohio market with limited prior availability of this facility type. Read the Full Article…

Talonvest Arranges $87M in Bridge Loans for 1784 Holdings Maryland and New Jersey Sites

Talonvest Capital has arranged two bridge loans totaling $87 million for 1784 Holdings, covering ground-up self-storage developments in Bethesda, Maryland and Monmouth Junction, New Jersey. The $63 million loan, structured as a pre-Certificate of Occupancy bridge, supports a 1,560-unit climate-controlled facility near Washington, D.C. The $24 million loan covers a 964-unit New Jersey facility that also includes RV and boat parking. Both carry interest-only payment structures. The deals bring Talonvest’s reported self-storage financing activity to more than $461 million over the past 90 days. Read the Full Article Source: Multi-Housing…