Self Storage Income

How do you know your first or next self storage investment is worth the money?    This is how you do self storage analysis in six steps, even if you’ve never invested in storage before. With the most basic of numbers, you can analyze a self storage facility to see if it’s a worthwhile deal. And you don’t need any experience in commercial real estate or self storage underwriting models to do these calculations—you just need some time.   We’ll take you all the way from defining your “buy box” (know what you want to buy) to estimating expenses and revenue, running the numbers, and the extra “margin” we add in every single self storage deal to ensure it’ll be profitable.   Plus, what a good self storage investment looks like and how to secretly get your competitors’ rent prices so you’ll know just how much your facility can bring in.   Your first or next self storage deal is close—let’s make sure it’s a home run!   What you’ll learn in today’s show: How to analyze a self storage facility from scratch, even if you have no prior experience The secret way to know your competitors’ pricing and how occupied they are  Why you must design your “buy box” before you analyze a single storage deal When to go from quick to full underwriting vs. pass on a so-so deal  The two biggest self storage expenses that you cannot ignore (or you’ll get burned!)    🌳 Live Oak Bank: https://www.liveoak.bank/      📉 TractIQ: https://tractiq.com/     📑 Our Self-Storage Feasibility Studies will help you speed up the process in understanding markets, potential risks, and analyzing the facility itself. https://cedar.cc/feasibility-studies/   📖 Get AJ's book that teaches you everything he knows about self-storage https://a.co/d/aRSKcSq 📉 Take advantage of today’s market conditions and invest with us: https://cedar.cc/invest 

This is the biggest thing to happen to the self storage industry in years.    Last week, the Fed made their much-anticipated decision to cut rates. In the weeks leading up to the decision, interest rates fell sharply, reigniting the homebuying process for hundreds of thousands of Americans sitting on the sidelines. Rate cuts and mortgage rate declines will have momentous effects on the self storage market, and, I believe, will usher in a new cycle for self storage investing and wealth creation.   We, up until recently, have been going through a self storage recession. What most self storage investors don’t know is that some 40% of our customers come from moving alone. Raise interest rates, stop home purchases, and you cut off the lifeblood of the storage business. But now, that’s changing—and it’s changing in a major way.   In this episode, I’m going to explain why the Fed made their decision now (and whether they were too late), what lower interest rates mean for the self storage industry as a whole and your facility’s occupancy, and what I’m doing to prepare for this next cycle.   This is going to be HUGE.   What you’ll learn in today’s show: Interest rate update and the Fed’s recent decision to (finally) cut rates  What happens to self storage when rates fall (even by a small margin) How lower interest rates could bring back rent increases for storage facilities  My investing plan if rates continue to trend downward  Why the Fed changed their tone and what their new verbiage means  — Sign Up for the Self Storage Income Newsletter! - https://www.selfstorageincome.com/  📑 Our Self-Storage Feasibility Studies will help you speed up the process in understanding markets, potential risks, and analyzing the facility itself.  https://cedar.cc/feasibility-studies/ 

This one small-town storage facility has made today’s guest over $500,000. And if you’re interested in buying your first storage facility, there’s no better inspiration than this. With one self storage investment, Braedon Haertling has added another 9-5-sized income stream and increased value by close to $1,000,000, all while working a full-time job. He had no experience, but a lot of drive, and didn’t do anything you can’t.   Braedon tried the rental property route, but scaling to 100+ doors didn’t seem like the best bet. Why buy 100 rentals when investing in storage units can get you to 100 doors with just one purchase? Thankfully, Braedon knew of someone who may be too busy to run their storage facility anymore. He gave them a call, scored a $0-down self storage facility, and the rest is history.    Got a 9-5? You can invest in self storage. Got kids and a family to take care of? You can invest in self storage. Think you need to know everything before getting your first facility? You couldn’t be more wrong. Thanks to simply taking action, Braedon now has a six-figure-producing self storage investment, $500,000+ in equity, and is hungry for his next deal!   What you’ll learn in today’s show: How to use the “seller carry” strategy to buy a self storage facility for $0 down Creating massive value ($1,000,000!) with simple improvements to your storage facility  Is your town too small for self storage? How Braedon gets 90%+ occupancy in a 3,200-person town  One big mistake Braedon made, but later turned it into a substantial payday  Why you should NOT quit your job to invest in self storage (unless…) — Grab AJ’s Book, _Growing Wealth in Self-Storage 2.0_: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/book  Braedon’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestoragemat/ Braedon’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thestoragemat 🌳 Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank! https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/ 📑 Our Self-Storage Feasibility Studies will help you speed up the process in understanding markets, potential risks, and analyzing the facility itself. https://cedar.cc/feasibility-studies/ 

Buying a storage facility? Make sure you spot any of these 12 self storage investing red flags. If you’re able to avoid them successfully, you could be buying a killer next investment, with high occupancy, high rates, and steady cash flow. After investing in dozens of self storage facilities, with millions of rentable square feet, we’ve nailed down the 12 deadly self storage red flags that can prevent a facility from taking off.  There are two types of red flags: the ones you can fix, and the ones you can’t. The fixable ones might mean you have a serious opportunity within your market, and you can flip that red flag to a green one. The unfixable red flags…that’s another story. Don’t worry, we’re going to spell out each so you know which red flags to run from, and which could make you money.  We’re talking about red flags like: declining populations, too much supply, high vacancy, weak local economics, poor visibility (online and on the street!), and more. Do you think you know which you can fix? Think again, we’re giving you the exact list of self storage red flags.  What you’ll learn in today’s show: The 12 self storage investing red flags every investor should be aware of  Is a declining population always a bad thing for storage? How to stop your competitors from building near you and boosting supply The “secret” way to find out how occupied other facilities are in the area  How much should your self storage customers make? We’ll share the perfect income range  Which red flags can be flipped to green flags so you can profit! — Register Now for SSI Live - https://www.selfstorageincome.com/live-event  Get 1-on-1 Coaching from Conner! - https://www.selfstorageincome.com/coaching   Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank! https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/ Do you have a great story to share on the SSI or AJ Osborne podcasts? You can now apply here! https://form.asana.com/?k=TGU88eU0bFTFW1iHcckuTA&d=1203571084143207 Get AJ's book that teaches you everything he knows about self-storage https://a.co/d/aRSKcSq Take advantage of today’s market conditions and invest with us: https://cedar.cc/invest 

The final wave of wealth creation in self storage is here. After this, smaller investors will have a very tough time breaking into the industry.   I already missed out on the first wave, but successfully rode the second. Now, the self storage swell is starting again, but this time, small, medium, and large self storage investors will all benefit. Are you ready to ride? I’ve been investing in self storage for two decades. I bought during the crash when everyone said I was crazy, called the self storage bubble before it ballooned, and am now warning you about the new “wave” of wealth coming for self storage. Many mom-and-pop storage facilities have already been bought up during the second wave, taking us from 90% small investors in the market to only 50%. That number is shrinking every day, and your first or next self storage investment is being bought up.   How do you get in the game so you can profit heavily from what’s to come? I’m giving you the complete game plan, outlining the first two “waves,” how to take advantage of the third one coming, and even sharing a free resource you can use to get in the know before 99% of other investors. Self storage investors could be wealthier than ever before, but if you don’t own, you won’t catch the wave.   What you’ll learn in today’s show: The final wave of self storage wealth that’s coming very soon  The old vs. new self storage model and how to create wealth with a small or struggling facility  How to run your storage facility like a business (and make it worth much more) Why “consolidation” is coming, and only owners will profit from the change  The new technology that is about to change self storage investing forever   — We’ll be hosting a live webinar in September diving into how AI is changing the self-storage industry. Make sure you don’t miss it—sign up for our newsletter today and you’ll be the first to get the official date and registration link! https://ajosborne.com/newsletter  Register for the Self Storage Income Live Event: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/live-event Grab AJ’s Book https://www.selfstorageincome.com/book  NowMetrics https://nowmetrics.co/ 

With so many investment options—single-family homes, duplexes, the stock market—it’s easy to overlook self storage. But the truth is that a self storage facility is one of the best first investments, and you’re about to find out why. Whether you’re just starting your investing journey or looking to diversify your portfolio, storage could be a supercharger for your wealth.    In this episode, AJ and Conner break down why you don’t need to “work your way up” to self storage investing. What if we told you that these facilities offer better cash flow, more tenant diversification, and even lower barriers to entry in many cases—all for the same cost as a regular rental property? Even better: tenants aren’t calling you about backed-up toilets in the middle of the night!   Self storage is one of the lowest-defaulting assets in the US, meaning it’s much more profitable and less risky than you probably think. We get into the advantages these facilities have over residential real estate, as well as how direct investments compare to public markets (like stocks). We’ll also discuss the massive value-add opportunities that institutional investors are leaving to you, the small investor!   What you’ll learn in today’s show: Why a self storage facility is one of the best first investments in 2025 How to buy a self storage facility for even less money than a single-family home Why self storage gives you higher returns with less risk than many other investments The small, value-add facilities institutional investors overlook (and leave to you!) The most common fears and myths about self storage investing (debunked!) — Register Now for SSI Live https://www.selfstorageincome.com/live-event  🌳 Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank! https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/

Today we’re giving a complete financial walkthrough of our newest self storage investment. From purchase price to rental income, return numbers, and how we’re funding it, this is a complete breakdown of a facility that could very well be bringing in $1,000,000/year in the near future. This was not only a deal but a steal, and proves that there are profitable facilities in the market just waiting to be bought up.   But this storage investment is a little special. We’re not just acquiring a facility, upgrading it, and waiting for the rents to roll in. We’re expanding on this self storage investment, adding over 200 units to an already profitable investment. The best part? We’re planning to massively increase not only the cash flow, but the tax benefits by doing so, allowing us to cash-out a substantial tax-free sum in the next few years.   This facility is in what we call a “Goldilocks Zone.” There are hundreds of markets around the country that are stuck in these sweet spots that YOU can be buying in right now. Want to see how we conservatively underwrite self storage deals so they’re primed to overperform? We’re sharing all the numbers (and our methods) in this episode!   What you’ll learn in today’s show:   Our plan to increase this facility’s revenue by hundreds of thousands The “Goldilocks” markets that every self storage investor should be looking into How we underwrite and analyze self storage investments (conservatively) The massive tax incentive for investors to build new units and expand their properties  The solid returns we’ll make WITHOUT factoring in market appreciation Register for the Self Storage Income Live Event: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/live-event Get our FREE self storage starter pack to learn how to analyze, underwrite, and operate your next storage investment: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/youtube Self Storage Demand 101: Know WHAT to Buy (Full Guide): https://youtu.be/5GYZbRXkODk?si=ihzn_Qnn26r_C4yj 🌳 Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank! https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/ 📖 Get AJ's book that teaches you everything he knows about self-storage https://a.co/d/aRSKcSq 📉 Take advantage of today’s market conditions and invest with us: https://cedar.cc/invest 

Self storage demand—quite frankly, the most important factor when buying a self storage facility. Get it wrong, and you could lose tens or even hundreds of thousands when you sell. Get it right, and you’ve got cash flow, huge value-add potential, and the formula for a winning facility. This is the make-or-break of self storage, and even the newest investors can get rich with strong enough demand, while experienced investors can go broke getting it wrong.   So, you’re about to buy your first or next self storage facility—how do you measure demand before you buy? How do you tell what nearby facilities are charging and how full they are, and whether they’re even your competition? Today, we’re giving you a complete guide to self storage demand.   We’ll teach you how to measure your local demand and even predict future demand so you don’t buy in a declining market. Plus, who is the “ideal customer” for your storage facility? Other units in the area may not serve them, allowing you to fill a gap in the market. This is crucial for self storage investing, and we’ve already made the mistakes, so you don’t have to.    What you’ll learn in today’s show:   How to estimate current demand (and future demand) in your self storage market Why occupancy doesn’t matter and how you can still get high revenue with vacancy  Why square footage per capita measurements are often wrong (and can throw you off track) The customers who need self storage the most and don’t have enough space Pinpointing your “ideal customer” so you can target them better than your competitors  Buying in a declining or small market? Get this right before you buy  — Check out this previous episode: SSI 259. Turning Apartment Storage Lockers into Full-Blown “Micro” Storage Facilities https://www.selfstorageincome.com/podcasts/self-storage-income-2/episodes/2148839451  Get my FREE self storage starter pack to learn how to analyze, underwrite, and operate your next storage investment: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/start-podcast  Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank! https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/  Take advantage of today’s market conditions and invest with us: https://cedar.cc/invest  Sign Up for My Newsletter Here: https://ajosborne.com/newsletter    

Investing in small self storage facilities is how almost everyone gets started. It’s where we began investing and probably where you did (or will), too. But sometimes small is a little too small. With too few doors, your expenses can quickly outweigh your revenue. Too big and you need to hire a manager. What’s the “sweet spot” in square footage that makes a great beginner self storage investment that’s easy to automate? We’re sharing it today.   Did you know that, even after investing hundreds of millions in self-storage, we still buy small facilities? It’s true. But, because we own so many, we know the pitfalls of running one, and how to automate it so you can work less—without hiring a full-time manager. How much do these facilities usually cost? What’s their profit and expense ratios? And what tech do we use to let customers rent without a single interaction from us?   If you’re about to buy, or currently own, a small self storage facility, this is your guide to running it right. Plus, if you’re a new investor, we have some cash flow tips that could save you when onboarding a new facility and all those expenses hit you at once—while you’re also chasing down rent payments. This could save your sanity next time you buy a small facility!   What you’ll learn in today’s show: The square footage “sweet spot” that is big enough to profit but small enough to automate  Why you should always (ALWAYS) look into a line of credit before closing on a facility  The different types of hidden costs you’ll incur once you buy a self storage facility  How small is too small (it’s NOT worth the investment) The actual expense ratio of a small self storage facility (it’s not what you think)     Get my FREE self storage starter pack to learn how to analyze, underwrite, and operate your next storage investment: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/start-podcast  🌳 Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank! https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/  🎙️ Do you have a great story to share on the SSI or AJ Osborne podcasts? You can now apply here! https://form.asana.com/?k=TGU88eU0bFTFW1iHcckuTA&d=1203571084143207 📉 Take advantage of today’s market conditions and invest with us: https://cedar.cc/invest   

The self storage industry is changing once again. A new cycle has already emerged, and we’re back to a familiar era of lower occupancy—but with it come better deals to be found. The market is drastically different from when we first started in the 2000s. Still, whether you’re a brand-new self storage investor or a massive private equity firm, the fundamentals remain the same.  AJ and Conner are walking through the evolution of our self storage business. From a couple of partners and a few small facilities to hundreds of employees and huge self storage projects. We scaled from nothing to over $300M in self storage, but the processes we used can be applied and repeated even by the smallest operator!  We’ll reveal the business “ecosystem” that makes up our self storage holdings, how self storage is changing, what’s coming down the pipeline, and answer YOUR questions on the show with topics like how to lease-up fast, uncover competitor occupancy rates, and get financing. For more on finding, buying, and running storage facilities, check out AJ’s new book Growing Wealth in Self-Storage 2.0.  What you’ll learn in today’s show: The new stage of the self storage cycle we’re entering Buying opportunities as many ill-prepared self storage investors leave the market  The “ecosystem” of a successful self storage business (what we’re doing) How to raise occupancy at your self storage facility, even if it’s brand new Why we always “secret shop” at other self storage facilities before we build/buy  🌳 Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank! https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/  🎙️ Do you have a great story to share on the SSI or AJ Osborne podcasts? You can now apply here! https://form.asana.com/?k=TGU88eU0bFTFW1iHcckuTA&d=1203571084143207 📉 Take advantage of today’s market conditions and invest with us: https://cedar.cc/invest   

What goes into a self storage development deal? You’re about to find out! Today, we’re breaking down the first self storage facility we ever built—everything from the property’s financials and the construction timeline to how we ultimately turned a $4.3-million project into a $13-million self storage business that generates over $350,000 in annual cash flow!   In this episode, AJ and George will show you how to take an initial concept and turn it into a fully stabilized self storage facility, step by step. The truth is that many developers approach self storage from the wrong angle, so we’ll show you what to focus on before getting started—like narrowing down your target customer and building with them in mind to the dangers of cutting corners on quality and focusing more on upfront costs than revenue potential.   But that’s not all. We’ll also share some of the things we wish we knew before building our first facility and the biggest lessons learned that saved us thousands on future projects. Whether you’re curious about the development side of the self storage industry or seriously considering your own development project, you don’t want to miss this one! What you’ll learn in today’s show: The step-by-step process of developing a self storage facility from scratch How we turned a $4.3M facility into a $13M+ business A complete breakdown of the self storage development timeline How to build a self storage facility that attracts premium customers Creating a competitive edge without low rent prices or cheap construction Why investing more money upfront leads to higher rents and less risk   Helpful Articles:  https://www.selfstorageincome.com/blog/10-crucial-tips-when-running-a-self-storage-business  https://www.selfstorageincome.com/blog/the-keys-to-stabilizing-a-self-storage-facility-don-t-miss-these  https://www.selfstorageincome.com/blog/the-self-storage-industry-a-brief-overview  🌳 Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank! We seriously love them. https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/

Want to increase revenue at your self storage facility? Want tenants who will stay the longest and pay the highest rents? Today’s guest owns over 20 self storage facilities and has managed more than 100. He’s so good at what he does that we’ve even brought him on to help with our bigger facilities. In this episode, he shares his playbook for attracting the best self storage customers—and raising rents on tenants least likely to leave.  Kenny Pratt has over two decades of experience in commercial real estate. He was the Director of Operations at LifeStorage, responsible for maximizing income growth. He knows the secrets of the REITs and proved it by starting from scratch with Crescendo Properties and Crescendo Self Storage Management. Now, he owns 25 self storage facilities and runs all of them successfully, even with REITs nearby. What’s the optimal self storage customer? How do you get tenants to stay for longer? What are the “pain points” you can solve immediately to increase occupancy and revenue? And why should you never let your facility manager be the one making the sales? Kenny shares two decades of self storage secrets to put you on the financial freedom fast track with your portfolio!    What you’ll learn in today’s show:   Secrets that BIG facilities use to know who to raise rates on  The “rate lock” strategy that keeps customers renting for longer  The optimal self storage customer that will pay more and stay for years  A common “pain point” you can solve to get even more rentals at your facility  Creative financing is back! How Kenny is picking up self storage facilities in today’s market  Why you should NOT have your facility manager be in charge of sales  — Crescendo Self Storage Management - https://propertymanagement.storage/  Kenny’s LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennypratt/  Reset: How to Change What's Not Working - https://www.amazon.com/Reset-How-Change-Whats-Working/dp/1668062097  Want to increase revenue at your self storage facility? - https://www.selfstorageincome.com/blog/how-to-increase-revenue-in-self-storage-investing 

Want to know how to value a self storage facility? Stick around and we’ll show you! In this episode, seasoned appraiser Tim Garey breaks down the entire valuation process—and shows you how to get the right valuation. With more than twenty years of experience, Tim oversees a team of thirty appraisers nationwide at Cushman & Wakefield’s Self Storage Advisory Group. He has appraised all types of properties, from shopping centers and golf courses to industrial buildings and, of course, self storage facilities. In this episode, Tim will share how and why he got into the self storage industry before walking you through the entire appraisal process, step-by-step. Whether you’re a buyer or seller, Tim offers all kinds of helpful tips for working with appraisers—like the types of information you need to provide to ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible and why it’s in your best interest to build a relationship with your appraiser. But that’s not all. He’ll also share why ordering your own appraisal could hurt your deal, and why self storage has seen a recent influx of private money! What you’ll learn in today’s show: How the self storage appraisal process works (step-by-step!) Why a property’s sale price and market value don’t always align What you must do to get the right valuation for your self storage facility Why more private money is moving into the self storage industry What you need to know before ordering your own appraisal Why it’s always in your best interest to cooperate with appraisers — Cushman & Wakefield Email Tim: tim.garey@cushwake.com Make self storage management easier than EVER with our podcast sponsor Tenant Inc. - https://www.tenantinc.com/  🎙️ Do you have a great story to share on the SSI or AJ Osborne podcasts? You can now apply here! https://form.asana.com/?k=TGU88eU0bFTFW1iHcckuTA&d=1203571084143207  📖 Get AJ's new book that teaches you everything he knows about self-storage https://a.co/d/aRSKcSq  📉 Take advantage of today’s market conditions and invest with us: https://cedar.cc/invest 

Building a storage facility may be easier now than it has been in the past five years. With so much of the competition out of the market, top-tier building companies are completing projects faster. And with higher tariffs on pause, now may be one of the best times to lock in pricing before they rise again. But maybe this is your first storage facility construction project or your first facility in general. What should you know BEFORE you start in 2025?    We brought Forge Building Company, the experts in self storage development, back on the show to give a 2025 update. They’re sharing the biggest opportunities for building in the 2025 market, the pitfalls that only experienced developers know to avoid, how to get your project passed by the city, and what’s happened to material costs since the latest round of tariffs.    Development demand has shrunk by a whopping 20% - 30%, so this could be the perfect time to get into the game before rates drop and demand skyrockets back up. Plus, Hamish Bell and Melissa Anderson from Forge even share the new types of “space” modern self storage facilities are adding to increase revenue AND make the city happy.    What you’ll learn in today’s show: Why the drop-off in self storage development demand could be a good thing for investors  Build now or wait? How to decide when tariffs could boomerang back  Signs that a self storage market is worth building a new facility in  How to get your plans approved by the city and get your inspection passed  Choosing the right unit types for YOUR specific market (do NOT blindly divide your unit mix) —   Attend the Self Storage Income Live Event!  https://www.selfstorageincome.com/live-event    Forging Ahead: Construction Resilience and Opportunity in 2025 - https://forgebuildings.com/forging-ahead-construction-resilience-and-opportunity-in-2025/    Forge Building Company - https://forgebuildings.com/    Interested in Building? Email: Sales@forgebuildings.com    📌 Make self storage management easier than EVER with our podcast sponsor Tenant Inc. - https://www.tenantinc.com/ 🎙️ Do you have a great story to share on the SSI podcast? You can now apply here! https://form.asana.com/?k=TGU88eU0bFTFW1iHcckuTA&d=1203571084143207 📖 Get AJ's book that teaches you everything he knows about self-storage https://a.co/d/aRSKcSq 📉 Learn about our current investment opportunities at Cedar Creek Capital: https://cedar.cc/invest 

Want to invest in self storage but feel like you're on an island? You don’t have to do this alone. Whether you’re buying your first self storage facility or looking to scale your portfolio fast, we have tools, resources, and, most importantly, a community to tap into—stick around and we’ll show you how to find everything you need!  In today’s episode, Conner and George share what Self Storage Income is all about: community, action, and growth. We dive into how the Inner Circle was born and how it has evolved into a one-stop shop for investors looking to fast-track their success. Complete with bookkeeping, virtual assistants (VAs), feasibility studies, coaching, and connections to self storage loans, deals, and brokers, this level of access is the game-changer most investors miss! Huge changes are coming to the self storage industry. Large operators are buying up mom-and-pop facilities, and the window of opportunity is shrinking fast. If you want the secrets to finding, funding, and running a profitable self storage business in 2025, you won’t want to miss this one!   What you’ll learn in today’s show:   Fast-tracking your self storage journey through the power of community Unlocking consistent deal flow through the industry’s “one-stop shop” The easiest way to find brokers and lenders for your next self storage deal Scaling your portfolio fast with access to top industry connections Real self storage success stories from investors just like YOU — Schedule a Call with Our Team - https://www.selfstorageincome.com/learn    Need Money? How to Buy a Self Storage Deal with Partners (ep 293) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYlCTzQQykg 

Occupancy is often regarded as one of the most crucial metrics for self storage operators—but that’s a mistake. While we’d love for our facilities to be 100% full with the highest-paying customers in the area, this is rarely the case. In fact, higher self storage occupancy rates could be slowly killing your facility, making you less money and lowering your facility’s value by tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Jonah Hall, President and CIO of Cedar Creek Capital, knows (arguably) more about self storage occupancy than anyone in the industry. He’s the reason why while occupancy rates were dropping over the past few months, our income was going UP. That’s right, fewer customers, fewer storage rentals, and more revenue. How is that even possible? If you own a self storage facility or are planning on buying one, this is crucial information that could help you earn tens of thousands more every year. We’re talking about how to raise rents even when occupancy is low (and not lose customers), the biggest mistakes we made when taking over facilities, and the different types of “occupancy” plus which you should pay attention to most. We’ve tested these strategies across dozens of facilities, so you don’t have to. What you’ll learn in today’s show: Why occupancy rates don’t matter nearly as much as you think they do  How to increase your facility’s revenue even as occupancy rates are falling  A self storage industry update from our own portfolio (are downward trends reversing?) How to “train” your customers to lower your facility’s costs  The biggest mistake we made with rent raises at new facilities  How to know which unit sizes will have the most demand in your area  — Watch This BEFORE You Buy a Storage Facility | SSI Ep. 271 w/Jonah Hall - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQlF3qzVeJ4  Invest with AJ and Jonah! - https://cedar.cc/  Connect with Jonah on LinkedIn!  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonahmhall 

Whether you’ve got one self storage facility or twenty, you own a self storage business. And, if you’re like most of us, you want to keep growing. But you can’t be the one changing the locks, picking up the phone calls, answering the emails, and repairing the units while building your portfolio. If you’re doing this, you’re on track to have just another job instead of a fully fledged, profitable business. So, you’re tired of doing all the work. Who do you hire first? Today, we’re talking about teams. These are the people who will take your storage facility business to the next level. You might have zero employees or just a handyman and virtual assistant. Or, you could have full-time staff on the backend. Wherever you’re at, we’re sharing how you can scale faster, smarter, and WITHOUT making the same mistakes we did so you can work less, make more, and build your business faster. When we started, we were the ones shoveling the snow, repairing the units, changing locks, and answering calls. This quickly became too time-consuming, so we were forced to hire. Now, with $300M+ in self storage, our business has radically changed, but the steps we took have not. Follow these “levels” of leadership, and you’ll be able to make self storage your full-time business, or at least a more passive income stream that takes care of (much of) itself. What you’ll learn in today’s show: Who should be your first hire when running a self storage facility  The three “levels” of leadership you’ll go through as your business expands  How to ensure standards don’t start slipping when you leave the day-to-day operations  Start firing yourself! If you’ve got a full-time job, you need to STOP working on your facility  The biggest mistakes AJ made when taking on team members and leading employees  How to STOP working in your business and start working ON your business  Leave a Review for AJ’s New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Wealth-Self-Storage-2-0-Post-Pandemic/dp/1735258865

The self storage industry has a data problem. How do you narrow down self storage deals? Which metrics matter when analyzing markets? How do you even find self storage data? These are just a few questions new investors have asked but have long gone unanswered…until now. Today’s guest is tipping the scales toward small investors and giving them the tools to compete with institutional players!   Today, we’re chatting with Noah Starr, CEO of TractIQ, a self storage platform that arms everyday investors with the information they need to make better, faster decisions. Noah quit his corporate job to start a self storage business, only to realize that it was difficult to find the data he needed to buy with confidence. Even in 2025, new investors still rely on surface-level metrics—through no fault of their own.   But now, Noah is democratizing the data that institutional buyers have used for decades so YOU can analyze deals properly and stop taking chances on your investments. Tune in as he shares how to identify high-opportunity markets, which signals drive self storage demand, and how TractIQ helps investors find profitable self storage facilities in seconds! What you’ll learn in today’s show: How to unlock better self storage deals using institutional-grade data Noah’s journey from corporate burnout to big-time self storage investor How to identify undervalued markets with low competition and HUGE upside The number one way new investors can compete with REITs (and actually win) The metrics that matter most when analyzing self storage markets Your secret weapon for finding profitable self storage facilities in seconds Self Storage Income Live Event 2025 https://www.selfstorageincome.com/live-event  TractIQ https://tractiq.com/ssi  Noah’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-starr  Get my FREE self storage starter pack to learn how to analyze, underwrite, and operate your next storage investment: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/start-podcast  📌 Make self storage management easier than EVER with our podcast sponsor Tenant Inc. - https://www.tenantinc.com/

Is buying self storage facilities a surefire path to building wealth? In this episode, we’ll show you why buying a small, mom-and-pop operation might be the perfect alternative to residential real estate. For those who don’t want the tenant headaches of long-term rentals or the unpredictable income of short-term rentals, this episode is for you!   Today, AJ and George are sharing self storage success stories from everyday investors who are increasing their facility’s value by six figures (while working full-time), using 10%-down SBA (Small Business Administration) loans to buy facilities, and scaling their income without the stress of other asset classes. The best part? These aren’t unicorn stories. They’re repeatable models rooted in solid deal analysis and smart operations.   Whether you’re just getting into real estate investing or you’re tired of tenants and toilets, we’ll show you why self storage gives you more control over your property’s revenue and value. We’ll break down the operating expenses you’ll need to consider when analyzing deals, what to make of cap rates, and how to quickly scale from small operations to much larger, high-value investments! What you’ll learn in today’s show:   The pros and cons of buying self storage versus other asset classes AJ’s simple, three-pronged business model for new self storage investors Unearthing HUGE opportunity with under-optimized, mom-and-pop facilities Buying facilities with 10%-down SBA (Small Business Administration) loans Cap rates explained and how to (properly) analyze a self storage deal Why self storage gives you more control over expenses, pricing, and valuation Self storage operating expenses you can’t afford to overlook   Check out our Inner Circle:  https://www.selfstorageincome.com/inner-circle    Check out the video podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@AJOsborneOfficial/videos 

How much does it pay to have a cell tower on your property? Most self storage owners don’t realize that cell tower leases can be extremely profitable. But they can also bind you to a long-term agreement that might not be in your best interest. How do you get the best of both worlds: an extra income stream plus a cell phone tower lease that gives YOU flexibility to sell, refinance, or develop your property? Hugh Odom from Vertical Consultants is here to help.  Hugh has probably looked at more cell phone tower leases than anyone on the planet. He’s been helping storage facility owners get the best bang for their buck on cell tower space for years by negotiating contracts with tower companies and providers. Today, he shares how to get top dollar for your space, WITHOUT locking yourself into a bad lease. Plus, what do cell phone towers pay in rent? $500/month? $5,000/month? And how do you know how much your facility could charge for a cell tower on your land? Or maybe you’ve bought a facility with a cell tower lease already in place—can you renegotiate for more? Yes! Today, Hugh is showing you how! What you’ll learn in today’s show: How much cell phone tower leases make, and whether it’s worth it for self storage owners Renegotiating with cell phone tower companies if you’ve inherited a lease on a new property  Pitfalls to watch for before you sign a lease with a cell phone tower company  New AI cell tower lease tools to help YOU get the most rent possible  One MASSIVE fee cell tower companies can charge you (watch out for it!)    — - Self Storage Income 34 - The In’s and Out’s of Cell Towers with Hugh Odom | How to do them Right https://www.selfstorageincome.com/podcasts/self-storage-income-2/episodes/2147769088  - Self Storage Income 233 - Can you Make Money from Cell Towers on your Storage Property? https://www.selfstorageincome.com/podcasts/self-storage-income-2/episodes/2148549342  - Vertical Consultants. https://www.celltowerleaseexperts.com/  - Cell Tower AI https://celltowerai.com/  __ 📌 Make self storage management easier than EVER with our podcast sponsor Tenant Inc. - https://www.tenantinc.com/ 🌳 Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank! https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/ 🎙️ Do you have a great story to share on the SSI or AJ Osborne podcasts? You can now apply here! https://form.asana.com/?k=TGU88eU0bFTFW1iHcckuTA&d=1203571084143207 📖 Get AJ's book that teaches you everything he knows about self-storage https://a.co/d/aRSKcSq 📉 Take advantage of today’s market conditions and invest with us: https://cedar.cc/invest