Not all self-storage facilities are created equally. Well, they may be built the same, but there’s a whole lot more to a storage property being “investment grade” than just metal walls and roll-up door. And the entire self-storage “media” often point you in the wrong direction regarding what you should be buying and what you should avoid. So what makes up an “investment grade” property? Let’s explore that issue.

One of the greatest tools in self-storage investing – the most powerful of them all – is leverage. The simple existence of sensible leverage on a storage property can spike the return up significantly as well as to allow the buyer the ability to own something far beyond their typical budget. So how does leverage work as a beneficial tool to make money with a storage facility?

One aspect of self-storage facilities that gets little attention is the fact that it’s made up of tens or hundreds of little customers. This is not a source of frustration but actually an asset for those who own them. So what’s so great about having a ton of tiny customers?

The purchase contract is the document that spells out the deal you’ve cut with the storage facility owner. But there’s certain things it should always contain – and others it should never contain. In this Self-Storage University podcast we’re going to review what these items are and what potential benefits – or pitfalls – they bring to the table when trying to properly structure your deal.