08 Apr 2020
Story originally appeard on CommercialPropertryExecutive.com
In the past couple of years, the self storage sector was defined by heightened development cycle activity. And as new players continue to enter the business, the industry is becoming increasingly more competitive. Commercial Property Executive discussed where the business is heading with Michael Johnson, principal of Bellomy & Co. In the interview below, he provided insights on the impact of heavy deliveries over the past few years and the challenges of the self storage financing landscape, and also listed a few pieces of advice for those starting out in this business. 
Johnson: Over the past four years, the self storage industry has experienced a very active development cycle. The self storage market in the U.S. did not see significant development from 2008 to 2014. During this time, several cities and states experienced residential, population and job growth, creating demand for self storage. Almost all major markets across the country are dealing with supply issues due to the development cycle. This is causing operators to soften rental rates and offer significant discounts to get occupancy. The most attractive markets in the U.S. tend to be the ones with the highest barriers to entry.
Johnson: The development cycle is still winding down, as several projects are still getting completed. However, new projects and the amount of calls from developers looking for sites is almost non-existent. Self storage is a submarket business. You get your tenants from 1, 3, 5 miles. There will be several submarkets that will suffer for 3-5 years due to overbuilding.
Johnson: Self storage financing has been readily available for many years. We are starting to see lenders get more selective on construction loans because of the development activity across the country. In certain scenarios, where a property has been open for six, 12, 18 months in submarkets impacted by new supply and softened rental rates, owners are struggling to meet the requirements of their lender.
Johnson: The self storage borrowers market has been very active on acquisitions and construction over the past few years due to the financing landscape. Some important terms borrowers tend to look for is an interest-only period up to 10 years and non-recourse.
Johnson: Self storage facilities that are stabilized and well located have seen the most interest in this market. It is an income-based business, so properties with higher income and historical cash flow tend to get the most attention and sell for a premium.
Story: Evelyn Joza
Thumbnail: Photo by EJ Yao on Unsplash
