by Mark Helm | Mar 6, 2026 | Buy Self Storage
A few weeks ago, we had a three-part series on Revenue Strategies designed for 2026. Now let’s focus on the expense side today. In reality, we are really focused on the Net Operating Income (NOI) (income minus operating expenses before debt and reserves). I am not...
by Mark Helm | Feb 20, 2026 | Buy Self Storage
I am in some partnerships that will be taking over some facilities and doing some expansions (a conversion actually). So I have been thinking through some of the spaces our team will have to go through as we prepare to bring these projects online. Given the purpose of...
by Mark Helm | Feb 13, 2026 | Buy Self Storage
Two weeks ago I started this series (Episodes 487 and 488). I think it is critical for this year given what we see in the current self-storage landscape. Effective revenue strategies are going to make the difference between well-performing assets this year and ones...
by Mark Helm | Feb 6, 2026 | Buy Self Storage
Last week I started this series, which I think is critical for this year given what we see as the current self-storage landscape. Effective revenue strategies are going to make the difference between well-performing assets this year and ones that fall behind due to...
by Mark Helm | Jan 28, 2026 | Buy Self Storage
I get it. In today’s competitive world of self-storage, reducing rates to match or beat your competition can feel like the smart move. There’s a lot of supply, and pricing algorithms are adjusting rates to keep up with what’s happening in a trade area. And consumers...
by Mark Helm | Jan 23, 2026 | Buy Self Storage
In 1995, I had an Acquisition Director for Storage Trust, a REIT at the time, tell me “Basically, self-storage is a boring and slow industry. Not many changes.” That is certainly not the case in 2026. This industry is evolving and evolving at a fast clip. If there was...
by Mark Helm | Jan 9, 2026 | Buy Self Storage
Virtual Training • January 16–17 Join Mark Helm’s Virtual Self-Storage Bootcamp and learn how deals are being done right now—in today’s market. Register for the Bootcamp Schedule a Call Live online • Fri–Sat • 10:00 AM–5:00/5:30 PM Eastern If you’ve been thinking...
by Mark Helm | Jan 2, 2026 | Buy Self Storage
An Uncomfortable Reality I hesitated to make this video. I don’t want to sound alarmist or like I am trying to scare people. I’ve seen multiple market cycles over the years. But what I believe is approaching now is very different from anything we’ve seen before. For...
by Mark Helm | Dec 19, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
I was glad to see Ron Matejko’s article online about the Slate article on self-storage pricing tactics. I read the same article. Ron is an associate editor for Inside Self Storage. I have been on and off my soapbox over the years about self-storage pricing strategies....
by Mark Helm | Dec 5, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
A friend of mine was telling me about an experiment that was conducted in the 1950’s using rats the other day. I did some research and was absolutely fascinated from what I learned from it. Let me share it with you and some of the takeaways I think may be applicable...
by Mark Helm | Nov 28, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
I want to share a brief look at the real history of Thanksgiving. We all grow up hearing the simplified story of the Pilgrims and the Indians sharing a harvest feast in 1621. There is truth in that story. When the Pilgrims arrived, about half of them died the first...
by Mark Helm | Nov 14, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Intro & Disclaimer Welcome to The Creating Wealth Through Self-Storage Show with Mark Helm. Nothing shared here guarantees your success in the self-storage business. This content is for informational purposes only. Nothing said or implied is a call for investment,...
by Mark Helm | Nov 7, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
One of the best things about owning investment real estate is the tax advantages, especially self-storage. Let’s discuss some of the benefits today. Now, I am not a tax specialist, and if anything I say goes against what your CPA or accountant says, always go with...
by Mark Helm | Oct 24, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
So, if you are getting into the self-storage business, or if you have found a deal you are excited about, congratulations. But what if you don’t have enough to fund the down payment? You may be asking, how can I raise money to do this deal? Well, basically, you have...
by Mark Helm | Oct 17, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
When I first got started in the self-storage business, you could realistically get in the game with as little as 10% to 15% down if you used SBA financing. That was one of the key advantages of starting back then — the low down-payment loans with SBA financing made...
by Mark Helm | Oct 3, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Every now and then one can find an existing self-storage facility with a lot of potential upside and be able to negotiate a price that allows you to realize it. But you need to be able to see it when it is there and know what your upside can be to negotiate it...
by Mark Helm | Sep 26, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
When entering the self-storage business, you are choosing to become an entrepreneur. In other words, you are starting your own business. This may sound like a simple statement, but if you have never been a business owner or if you have always had a “job” working for a...
by Mark Helm | Sep 12, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
A few years ago, I wrote an episode and a download called the five KPI’s (key performance indicators). These are the five things I always said: if you keep your eye on them, you will have a great self-storage business. If interested, you can download it here. That...
by Mark Helm | Sep 5, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Five Beginner Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a Self-Storage Facility Let’s talk about five mistakes people are making when getting into the self-storage business today, especially people new to the business. Now I have made every one of them myself, so I will talk from...
by Mark Helm | Aug 29, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Even seasoned storage people sometimes get focused on the wrong metric when analyzing self-storage. If you’re new to self-storage, it can be hard to understand all the financial metric slang and acronyms and what one should really be focused on. Which one...
by Mark Helm | Aug 15, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Last week, we started a conversation about what I’m seeing in the economy, what may be coming next, and how that changes our self-storage strategy, based on research I dug into after hearing Michael Litt speak. As a CCIM in commercial real estate, our state chapter...
by Mark Helm | Aug 8, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Some dots have connected in my mind recently that are reshaping how I evaluate self-storage trade areas moving forward. Surprisingly, this insight came from digging into the lives and current work of the people who shorted subprime financial instruments during the...
by Mark Helm | Aug 1, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
The biggest issue I see today when leasing up new self-storage space is overspending for online marketing that doesn’t produce results. I see it happen far too often and have experienced it myself. If you’re a larger operator, you can hire a full-time marketing...
by Mark Helm | Jul 25, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Let’s talk about converting potential self-storage renters into customers. Recently, I have written a lot about chatbots and high-tech stuff, but in the end, everything is only as good as a human sets it up. All, website hits, inquiries—they’re all great. But what...
by Mark Helm | Jul 18, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Let’s talk about the new tax implications for self-storage owners and take a look at the good, the bad, and the potentially ugly parts of the massive tax bill recently signed into law and championed by the current administration, at least from my perspective. Now,...
by Mark Helm | Jul 11, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
I hate to do this, but we are going to need to get political today. We will need to discuss insurance and self-storage. Part of our job as owners and entrepreneurs is to look at what is going on now, extrapolate some data, and then make predictions about the future to...
by Mark Helm | Jul 4, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Let’s discuss what features, what bells and whistles to add to your new facility or one you may be purchasing. But first, let me tell you a story. About half the time on workday mornings, I still head to the office. On other days, I work from home, travel, or play...
by Mark Helm | Jun 27, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Let me share what I’ve gathered about the state of the self-storage industry halfway through 2025. This is based on the latest Yardi Matrix data, Radius insights, REIT shareholder reports, and—just as importantly—my own observations and experience in the trenches....
by Mark Helm | Jun 13, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
We are all familiar with the standard add-ons for self-storage projects, such as tenant insurance, retail items, and truck rental. Let’s discuss some new possibilities for the modern project today. EV Chargers Interestingly enough, by 2026, all brands of electric...
by Mark Helm | Jun 6, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Last week, we started a conversation about how to organize management operations for your small, automated self-storage facility. This week, we’ll wrap it up. If you missed Part 1, here is a link. I’ve been reinventing how we manage properties—both automated and...
by Mark Helm | May 30, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Recently, I’ve been working closely with several people who are either purchasing or developing automated self-storage facilities. Naturally, the conversation quickly turns to one thing: how are we going to manage them? I am also reinventing how I will manage...
by Mark Helm | May 16, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Two weeks ago, we began a series outlining the five phases our construction company uses when developing self-storage projects in today’s unpredictable environment. This is the same process we use ourselves—and you can use it too, especially if you’re...
by Mark Helm | May 9, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Last week, we started a series outlining what our construction company uses as a general outline for developing self-storage projects in today’s uncertain world. This series aims to bring in a development project, or an expansion or conversion, in a manner that...
by Mark Helm | May 2, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Given the continued high cost of existing self-storage facilities for sale and the challenges of getting into the business, let’s discuss the development steps for smaller investors. Or at least my take on the development process for the smaller player in the...
by Mark Helm | Apr 18, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
The Inside Self Storage Expo 2025 is coming up next week in Las Vegas, and I’ll be there. I make it a point to attend at least one self-storage convention a year to stay sharp—tracking trends, seeing new products, and deepening relationships in the industry. Events...
by Mark Helm | Apr 11, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Let’s talk about charity work and your self-storage business. Everything I’m going to say here is just my opinion. But as business owners—especially those of us making a living in a particular trade area, city, or region—I believe we owe something back. We should...
by Mark Helm | Apr 4, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
As I work with people getting into the self-storage business and use some benchmark terms we use in our business and commercial real estate, I realize that not everyone really understands what the terms really mean. For example, CAP rates. I have done a couple of...
by Mark Helm | Mar 28, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
I hate to say I told you so… but… I told you so. This headline popped up in my news feed dashboard: Now, I’m sure the storage industry will fight this, and they might even succeed—for now. But make no mistake: this is probably just the beginning of a wave of states...
by Mark Helm | Mar 14, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
In episode 451, we discussed how uncertainty in Washington, combined with mixed economic signals, is causing some investors to sit on the sidelines. But for those who can make quick decisions and move fast, this could create a window of opportunity. One thing I can...
by Mark Helm | Feb 28, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
I am hosting a virtual online Bootcamp in March on the 21st & 22nd and have been revising some of my content for the event. This is the second episode of three, where I will be sharing some of the things I am going to be bringing up that I haven’t necessarily...
by Mark Helm | Feb 21, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Get a partner. I am hosting a virtual online Bootcamp in March on the 21st & 22nd and have been revising some of my content for the event. I thought I would do a couple of episodes sharing some of the things I am going to be bringing up that I haven’t necessary...
by Mark Helm | Feb 14, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
The last three episodes have covered my deep dive into the previous 35 to 40 years into exploring how creating goals and achieving them can work. Let’s talk about one of my most crazy experiences in this world of creating a self-storage business and what it can look...
by Mark Helm | Feb 7, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
If you are in the self-storage business and trying to grow it, or if you have been trying to get in the business and it is slow-going, this episode may be for you. But I will take a very different approach than most in the next couple of episodes concerning how to get...
by Mark Helm | Jan 31, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
If you are in the self-storage business and trying to grow it, or if you have been trying to get in the business and it is going slowly, then this episode may be for you. But I will take a very different approach than most in the next couple of episodes concerning how...
by Mark Helm | Jan 24, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
If you are in the self-storage business and trying to grow it, or if you have been trying to get in the business and it is slowly going, then this episode may be for you. But I am going to take a very different approach than most in the next couple of episodes...
by Mark Helm | Jan 16, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Often, we are dealing directly with the owner of a self-storage facility we are looking at buying. It is hard to get financials, unit mix, or anything to go on in the first few meetings or conversations to help us see a potential value or where any upside is. So, when...
by Mark Helm | Jan 10, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
I have worked with several self-storage investors who are now considering and undertaking mixed-use projects of self-storage and flex space. Flex space is the new shiny object for many smaller self-storage developers. As strange as it may sound, I worked for a...
by Mark Helm | Jan 3, 2025 | Buy Self Storage
Until the 2020s, as a self-storage owner and developer of smaller projects (i.e., not large multi-story projects), I never used the design-build process many people apparently use to start a development project or even an expansion. A “design-build”...
by Mark Helm | Dec 20, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Let me share with you my experience of being a self-storage owner and operator in the year 2025. Remember that I sold off most of my portfolio (2 different brands) between 2019 and 2021. I am expanding again, but smaller than before (beats retirement). If I had to sum...
by Mark Helm | Dec 19, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
How many times have you found a self-storage expansion deal, calculated the expansion amount you can add to the facility, and run the numbers, but it still does not work because you can’t get enough new square feet in the project? This has happened several times to...
by Mark Helm | Nov 22, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
I just saw a news article, “Self-Storage Manager Accused of Embezzling $53K From ______ Mini Storage.” I also remember buying a facility showing $73,000 or so a month in income. During the due diligence period, I couldn’t understand because I was estimating we would...
by Mark Helm | Nov 15, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
I see a common mistake today as I work with people who are getting into the self-storage business. Especially people getting in their first deal. They will underwrite a deal using the downpayment amount a bank quotes. Often, this will change them, and they are left...
by Mark Helm | Nov 8, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
When I first entered the self-storage business, when I thought about “marketing,” the question was, how big a yellow page ad can you afford? People often named their facilities with an “A” in the first part of the name because it would show up early in the yellow...
by Mark Helm | Oct 25, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
I am sitting here in the last quarter of the year in 2024. There are some really exciting aspects of our business as I look into the future, and there are some real risks. I am planning out my next few years for myself and working on what I can tell people I coach and...
by Mark Helm | Oct 18, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
I have made many mistakes in my self-storage career, but one of the biggest I made early was when I purchased an existing facility with a record storage business. I am writing this because I have seen and worked with a lot of people buying self-storage projects with...
by Mark Helm | Oct 11, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Let’s talk again about algorithmic self-storage pricing strategies used by many in the industry today. I also want to share a warning about pricing strategies in the aftermath of some natural disasters like Hurricane Milton or the most recent hurricane, Helene. As the...
by Mark Helm | Sep 27, 2024 | Self Storage Business Planning, Self Storage Management
Congratulations. You now own at least one self-storage facility. In the old days, we would just set up shop, get our operating system up and running, and turn on the lights. Voila. Soon, our facility would be rented up, or if we just took over an existing one, we...
by Mark Helm | Sep 20, 2024 | Buy Self Storage, Financial Analysis of Self Storage
Although I did not attend the most recent Self Storage Association convention in Las Vegas, I have been studying many of the sessions that occurred there. One thing I found very interesting was the presentation that showed the results of StorageMart’s Compound Annual...
by Mark Helm | Sep 13, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
If you had asked me in the 1990s or early 2000s how technology is impacting the self-storage business, I would have asked “What technology?” “Storage is a concrete floor, a steel wall, and a roll-up door. Yes, I guess we have telephones and fax machines, and a...
by Mark Helm | Aug 30, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Go with me for a minute. We will discuss self-storage brand loyalty, self-storage revenue management, and customer value. But let’s start with Netflix. I saw Netflix on my credit card statement yesterday, and it got me thinking. Netflix is a monthly subscription...
by Mark Helm | Aug 16, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
If you took a loan or purchased your self-storage facility around 2018 and it is time to refinance, you better understand where you will stand with a bank. I suggest doing this before calling a lender. I was working with someone recently, and they were actually quite...
by Mark Helm | Aug 2, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
In the self-storage world, there is a lot of momentum towards fully automated facilities, no matter what the size of the project. I am not here to say that is the wrong direction. I even am involved in one myself as a partner. But today let me talk about a reason to...
by Mark Helm | Jul 26, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
It seems like once a year or so; I get on a soap box and rail about sq. ft. per capita as the primary measurement for self-storage supply demand calculations. Just some of the episodes are: Episode 313 – 10-29-2021 Is Sq. Ft. Per Capita Still the Best...
by Mark Helm | Jul 19, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
I was thinking the other day, asking myself the question, “If I could only do one more type of self-storage deal, what would it be?” I have been taught that it is the questions we ask ourselves that determine the quality of our lives. It is also the questions we ask...
by Mark Helm | Jul 12, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Perhaps one of the best advantages of self-storage is the very few ongoing capital expenditures that are required. It is one of the main reasons I was initially attracted to this asset class. As a property manager and commercial broker, I saw how capital costs...
by Mark Helm | Jun 28, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
As many of you know, I helped start a small construction company in order to Resolve a problem I was having, construction cost being extremely high today. I wish I could take credit for the name, but Smitty, one of my partners, came up with it. So far, we have brought...
by Mark Helm | Jun 21, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
It seems like there is a lot of wringing of hands and mashing of teeth when we talk about buying self-storage today. As I have said recently, it really takes something to buy self-storage or create a storage opportunity today. Usually, it’s a lot of work. Yet,...
by Mark Helm | Jun 14, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Often, we deal directly with a seller when buying self-storage. Often, with listed property, we see a shiny OM (offering memorandum), and everything looks great. Then we see the other due diligence documents, and the facility can lose some of its luster. I have often...
by Mark Helm | Jun 7, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
The cost of capital is high today to do a Self-Storage or Boat & RV development today. Let’s look at a creative way to reduce this cost of capital and perhaps solve another problem for us smaller developers if we are using other people’s money and/or syndicating a...
by Mark Helm | May 31, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
So, is the decade-long self-storage party over? Yes, I am finding it harder to put deals together, and I have seen no relief in interest rates for a while. The 10-Year Treasury Yield is at 4.47%, still above 4% (click the image below for a link to Fred’s...
by Mark Helm | May 17, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Smitty is my partner in a self-storage company designed to take the small investor through the entitlement process for self-storage projects in an affordable way and then bid on the construction of the project in a competitive environment, ensuring clients get the...
by Mark Helm | May 10, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Self-storage tends to attract lone wolves who want the freedom and independence this business can offer. But here’s the deal: no one can be successful by themselves. It takes a village. Or a team, in this case. Let’s discuss who I think are the players on your...
by Mark Helm | Apr 26, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
I had a few aha moments at the recent Inside Self Storage Convention (ISS) a few weeks ago, One of them was about the future of Boat & RV developments as a niche in the storage space. I heard a statistic. I already heard it a few times, but this time it clicked. I...
by Mark Helm | Apr 19, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
As many of you know, I attended the Inside Self Storage (ISS) Convention two weeks ago in Las Vegas. Not everyone could go, so here are a few takeaways in no particular order. Consolidation of The Self-Storage Space It’s not really surprising considering the amount of...
by Mark Helm | Apr 12, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Let’s talk about the physics of self-storage today. One of my passions is studying physics. Particularly theoretical physics at the quantum level. It’s mind-blowing, fascinating, and can also be very spiritual. Sir Isaac Newton really began much physics as we know it...
by Mark Helm | Mar 29, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Over the years, working with a lot of people who need to “raise investment money” from “investors.” I have seen many not succeed. I struggled some when I first got started, as well. It’s not always a bad thing to learn how to fail. Success could be called what happens...
by Mark Helm | Mar 22, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Two main organizations put on seminars in the self-storage space in the US. One is the Self-Storage Association (SSA), and the other is Inside Self Storage (ISS). I love the SSA; it is a vital organization for self-storage owners. I find the ISS helpful for people new...
by Mark Helm | Mar 15, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
I have been on a soap box for years, preaching that square feet of storage per person is not always the most accurate way to determine the viability of a self-storage project in a given trade area. Many of you have suffered through my rants before. No rant today. Yes,...
by Mark Helm | Mar 1, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
This episode will be more self-promoting than normal, but I will cover material that will be important to you regardless of whether you are joining us in this upcoming QuickStart Self-Storage Boot Camp on March 8th & 9th, 2024. Many things are changing in the...
by Mark Helm | Feb 23, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
In my world of self-storage acquisition, there are two significant obstacles today. One is financing challenges, and the other is construction costs. Now, it is true construction costs have leveled off somewhat, but they are still high. And when these two items...
by Mark Helm | Feb 16, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Introduction In the world of self-storage investments, few concepts are as widely discussed and misunderstood as capitalization rates or CAP rates. I don’t think I have really seen an accurate one in an offering memorandum since…well….ever. I’ve seen...
by Mark Helm | Feb 9, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Have you been trying to get a loan today for self-storage? It doesn’t much matter who you are trying to borrow from. Bank, national SBA lender, CMBS, Life Company; it has most likely been challenging. Are you trying to refinance? I am sure you are experiencing...
by Mark Helm | Feb 2, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Given I am writing this in early Jan. 2024 and focusing on a back-to-the-basics series for getting into the self-storage industry because we have a lot of new people in the community and because I have just put out two detailed episodes on how to analyze, I thought I...
by Mark Helm | Jan 26, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Let’s take a look at a video I did on how to analyze Conversion in Episode 211. Conversions are a great way to get into the self-storage business. But a lot has changed since I first recorded this episode. And yet, a lot remains the same. Let’s take a look...
by Mark Helm | Jan 19, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Here is a video I did on how to analyze expansions in Episode 210. Expansions are still a major way I, and the people I work with, are using to get into the self-storage business. But a lot has changed since I first recorded this episode. And yet, a lot remains the...
by Mark Helm | Jan 12, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
Let’s use Jan. of 2024 as a back-to-the-basics on how to get into the self-storage business or grow one in these challenging times; I thought I would talk again about what makes a good site for self-storage. I have written about it in episodes 303 and 381, but I will...
by Mark Helm | Jan 5, 2024 | Buy Self Storage
As I write this in Jan 2024, I get asked a lot “What and where are the best self-storage opportunities today.” Another version of this question may be, “How in the world can I get into self-storage today with interest rates where they are now and construction costs so...
by Mark Helm | Dec 29, 2023 | Buy Self Storage
Most of us who are in the self-storage business or own our own businesses set yearly goals. I recently went through the process I use prior to setting my goals with the members of our Inner Circle community, and it seemed to make an impact, so I thought I would share...
by Mark Helm | Dec 15, 2023 | Buy Self Storage
It has been an interesting year for many of us small investors in the self-storage space. I have definitely been involved in fewer deals. It is much harder to make them pencell out. I also have some that I had to walk away from. First, I am not sure what we are going...
by Mark Helm | Dec 1, 2023 | Buy Self Storage
Many of us get into self-storage because we are looking for freedom. Both financially and in terms of the freedom to manage our time as we see fit. And yet, when we successfully close on our first deal, we are often busier than ever. At first, we don’t notice it...
by Mark Helm | Nov 10, 2023 | Buy Self Storage
In today’s self-storage industry, one of the biggest challenges we have today as small self-storage entrepreneurs is the rising disconnect between the rates quoted by Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and the actual rental prices in the market, including...
by Mark Helm | Nov 3, 2023 | Buy Self Storage
Why in the world would someone ever consider a hard-money loan for refinancing a self-storage facility? Well, for a few, it may not be as far-fetched as it sounds. Many Could Face This Let’s say you did a value-add project in 2017 or 2018. I am going to totally make...
by Mark Helm | Oct 27, 2023 | Buy Self Storage
In the ever-evolving landscape of self-storage business, owners and operators are bracing themselves for a challenging year ahead as insurance premiums continue to surge, outpacing most other operational expenses. The days of predictable, marginal increases are behind...
by Mark Helm | Oct 20, 2023 | Buy Self Storage
“Is now the time to get in self storage?” I get asked that multiple times a week. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to that question. I have an opinion. But my opinion is based on my experiences and history in the space, as well as my history in commercial real...
by Mark Helm | Oct 6, 2023 | Buy Self Storage
It was 2007, and I realized I needed to get back into the self-storage business. I had put a small portfolio together in the early 00s but ended up selling it to a fund. I did OK, but my investors at the time did great. On that 2007 morning, the economy was blowing...
by Mark Helm | Sep 29, 2023 | Buy Self Storage
“Self-storage rents have dropped 20% to 30% since the start of the year.” “Sales transactions are down 57%.” “Interest rates are rising.” “Construction costs are up 40%.” These are just some of the headlines we see today in much of the self-storage news. And all of...
by Mark Helm | Sep 22, 2023 | Buy Self Storage
I am starting to have fun again as I work on getting my next self-storage project. Nothing has really changed that much in the market…but I am beginning to notice a shift. I am still writing LOIs that would equate to 7+ CAPS on my numbers (not Seller’s or Seller’s...
by Mark Helm | Sep 15, 2023 | Buy Self Storage
Interest rates are going up! No… they’re flattening out and going down. No, wait…they are going up. There will be no more increases… Hold on… It looks like one more. No, make that at least two more .25% hikes. Life can be in flux often. But as a small buyer and...
by Mark Helm | Sep 8, 2023 | Buy Self Storage
As I write this episode in 3ed quarter of 2023, we live in the shadow of many big self-storage facilities. Lots of it. Over the past eight years or so, there have been a lot of: REITs have expanded their foothold in the self-storage space. Since 2015, REITs have...
by Mark Helm | Aug 25, 2023 | Buy Self Storage
Yes, I have a facility where there is no manager. Automation has allowed that. But, for the most part, projects I have been involved in have managers. I like managers. I like the level of customer service a good store manager can provide. So, for the most part, I...
