Self Storage Income

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:

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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:

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:

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:

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:

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- 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/ 

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📌 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 

Thinking of buying a self storage facility? If you’re like most people, you’ve been thinking about it for a while. You see self storage deals come up in your emails or on listing sites. You get close to pulling the trigger, but haven’t quite gotten there yet. What’s the deal? Why does it seem so hard to finally buy your first self storage facility? 

You’re not alone. In today’s episode, we’re describing why this “analysis paralysis” happens, how to break through it, and finally buy a self storage investment.  

We break down why so many investors never close that first facility—and how to move past fear, doubt, and analysis paralysis. Whether you’re unsure about risk, buried in underwriting, or just can’t pull the trigger, this episode gives you the mindset, framework, and tools to finally buy a storage facility the right way.

We’re not talking fluff. We’re talking tactical risk management, how to build your buy box, what really holds people back from buying their first self storage facility, and how to cut through the noise to take action. Plus, an exercise you can do RIGHT now to prove to yourself a deal is worth buying and that you can handle getting it done! 

What you’ll learn in today’s show:

Useful links! 

Buying your first facility- https://www.selfstorageincome.com/blog/buying-your-first-self-storage-facility 

Storage investing 101- https://www.selfstorageincome.com/blog/self-storage-investing-101 

Underwriting 101- https://www.selfstorageincome.com/blog/self-storage-underwriting-101 

The self storage industry is going through a significant shift. A few years ago, sellers were in complete control—asking wild prices and still landing buyers willing to overpay for facilities that weren’t worth it. Fast forward to today, the stock market has crashed, a recession looks likely, and those same sellers aren’t as confident. This is good news for you, a self storage buyer, because the deals are coming back with big discounts. 

Today, we’re giving a self storage market update, plus sharing the steps self storage investing beginners should take to separate the “signals” that lead you to wealth from the “noise” that puts you in hot water. We’ve been through this exact scenario multiple times, 2008 and 2020. Both times, the markets had crashed, and people were begging us not to buy. But we ignored the “noise”—and benefited handsomely. 

The current shift affecting the self storage industry could get even more intense. New development could drop off a cliff, and that has enormous effects on self storage owners. Is your demand going to rise or fall? What’s the best way to make more money in a time like this? And why would a recession turn out to be good for storage? 

What you’ll learn in today’s show: 

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Self Storage Income Newsletter  https://www.selfstorageincome.com/ 

The Bubble has Popped - Self Storage Market Update | SSI Podcast #203 https://youtu.be/4hci2laBTGk?si=X7r3NEmRwxFgNgNj 

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! We seriously love them. https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/ 

 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 

When we started Self Storage Income, there were just two of us. We were quickly burning through tens of thousands of dollars a month, giving out as much free information as possible to anyone investing or looking to invest in self storage. And today, we’ve upgraded…now it’s costing us hundreds of thousands to keep this podcast and platform going. So… why keep doing it? In this episode, we’re sharing the entire backstory of Self Storage Income.

But we’ve also got a very special guest: George Mortimer, the brains behind Self Storage Income and AJ’s first hire to run the entire operation! AJ, Connor, and George are sharing how Self Storage Income started, why we give so much information away for free, how the podcast grew so rapidly (thank you for listening), and how making your competitors better ends up helping you.

If you’re a long-time listener of the podcast, we want to thank you for helping us build the self storage industry that we’re proud of today! If you love the show, please give us a review on your favorite podcast platform so we can reach more self storage investors and operators!

What you’ll learn in today’s show:

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Growing Wealth in Self-Storage 2.0   https://www.selfstorageincome.com/book 

The Inner Circle  https://www.selfstorageincome.com/inner-circle 

Get our 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/

🖊️ Enter our survey for a chance to win a signed copy of AJ’s Book: https://form.asana.com/?k=da0pR8v74pC8OEgx9dgKRQ&d=1203571084143207

🌳 Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank! We seriously love them. https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/

Partnerships can be a huge net positive for your self storage business, especially if the partner brings something different to the table. Unfortunately, they’re also the number one reason self storage deals fall through, and when partnerships fail, it’s messy. Good news—today, we’ll show you how to set up your partnership for success.

What’s the key to a long and profitable partnership? You need to prepare for the worst first—divorce, death, and dissolution—and work back from there. In this episode, AJ and Connor will show you how to do just that. You’ll learn about some costly mistakes to avoid and some major red flags to watch out for when teaming up with other investors, and AJ will even share his biggest wins and losses from past partnerships.

If you’re new to self storage investing, maybe you don’t possess the knowledge, experience, or capital to take down a self storage facility on your own. But you might have the one thing wealthy investors don’t have—time. Hunt down the right deal and investors will flock to YOU. Don’t believe us? Stick around and find out why!

What you’ll learn in today’s show:

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Get the AJ Osborne Newsletter https://www.selfstorageincome.com/newsletters/aj-osborne-playbook 

Join the SSI Community https://www.selfstorageincome.com/learn 

Join the Inner Circle https://www.selfstorageincome.com/inner-circle 

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📌 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! We seriously love them. https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/ 

🖊️ Enter our survey for a chance to win a signed copy of AJ’s Book: https://form.asana.com/?k=da0pR8v74pC8OEgx9dgKRQ&d=1203571084143207

Self storage has been a “goldilocks” asset for the last 15 years, but it’s a little harder to find opportunity today. If you’re willing to get your hands dirty, though, you can create massive value with self storage conversion projects, and just one or two of these deals could make you VERY wealthy!

Today, we’re chatting with Chris Genard and Ronald Fremin—college friends turned self storage investors and co-founders of Safe Space Companies. By combining Chris’ acquisitions expertise and Ronald’s construction background, the duo has built a portfolio of 12 self storage facilities, nine of which were converted from old buildings—including bowling alleys, hospitals, and big box retail stores. In this episode, you’ll learn how buying these properties at a deep discount and repurposing them for storage can be a highly profitable strategy! 

If you stick around, Chris and Ronald will show you the pros and cons of ground-up construction and conversions, how to find and analyze conversion deals, and the secrets to maximizing your square footage and increasing revenue. Whether you’re looking to buy your first facility, develop new facilities, or convert old buildings into storage, there’s something in this episode for you!

What you’ll learn in today’s show:

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Safe Space Companies - https://www.safespacecompanies.com 

📌 Make self storage management easier than EVER with our podcast sponsor Tenant Inc. - https://www.tenantinc.com/

🖊️ Enter our survey for a chance to win a signed copy of AJ’s NEW Book: https://form.asana.com/?k=da0pR8v74pC8OEgx9dgKRQ&d=1203571084143207

🎙️ 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 for $1 teaching you everything he knows about self-storage https://a.co/d/aRSKcSq

📉 Take advantage of our current self storage deals HERE: https://cedar.cc/invest