Archive for January, 2010

If you are thinking about getting a self storage unit, then you are going to want to be sure that you are fully exploring all of your options.  Indeed, while a traditional self storage unit might work out well for you, you are not going to want to forget that there are other types of units out there as well.  If you have never shopped around before, then you are going to want to be sure that you have a firm knowledge of the options that are at your disposal before you commit to anything in writing.

First of all, you are going to want to know that there are many climate controlled units out there that you can take advantage of.  Now, you may not think that you are going to need a special climate controlled unit, but you may be surprised.  If you know that you are going to be storing antiques, then you are certainly going to want to be sure that you are looking into your climate controlled options.  Indeed, most antiques are going to deteriorate rather quickly if you do not keep them in an environment that is between sixty and seventy degrees year round.  Also, if you know that you are going to be storing electronics, then you are going to want to be sure that you are looking into your local climate controlled options.

Now, there are other types of units that you may be interested in as well.  If you know that you are not going to want to bother with the hassle of loading up a traditional unit or moving truck, then you might consider looking into portable self storage units as well.  If you rent yourself a portable unit, then you know that you are not going to have to deal with the hassle of moving your belongings very far.  Typically speaking, these units are going to be dropped off in your driveway, and you are going to be able to load them simply by bringing your belongings out there.  When you are done loading your portable self storage unit, the company will show up with a trailer and tow it off for you.  They can either deliver the unit to your new home, or they can store it safely at their own warehouse.  Either way, you know that your belongings are going to be in good hands.

Finally, here, you might consider looking into drive up units.  These units are going to allow for you to pull right up to your door.  Of course, if you do not want to deal with dragging all of your belongings through a hallway, then a drive up unit is going to be exactly what you need.  You can simply pull your moving truck right up to your door and quickly load your self storage unit with all of your belongings.  These units are going to be much more convenient than their indoor counterparts, and you can usually find them in climate control as well.

At the end of the day, you are going to have many options at your disposal when it comes to renting a self storage unit.  So long as you understand these options, though, you are not going to have to worry about a thing.  You can simply figure out what your needs are going to be, and call around knowing exactly what you are looking for.  When you find facilities that are not going to be ale to meet your needs, you will know to take your business elsewhere.  As you can see, the self storage industry is becoming more and more accommodating with each and every passing year.

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

If you think that you are not going to need a self storage unit in the near future, then perhaps you should again.  Indeed, chances actually are that you can use a self storage unit in some way and you simply have not thought of it yet.  Of course, this is going to be the subject of this very article.  If you are wondering how customers typically make use of the units that they rent, then you are going to find this article rather eye opening.  Sit back, reader, and take a few notes as you make your way through this article.

The most common reason that a customer ends up renting a self storage unit is because he or she has a crowded basement or garage.  Sure, you might think that they could simply have a garage sale and save themselves some much needed money, but that is not always the case.  More often than not, people do not want to get rid of the items that are cluttering up their house.  That, after all, is why they ended up keeping them in the first place.  By renting self storage units ,these customers guarantee themselves that they are going to be able to have a clean home without getting rid of too many of their belongings.  No compromises are necessary when you are able to get your hands on a great self storage unit.

Of course, other people use their self storage units for radically different reasons.  It is not uncommon for people rent these units to store their cars.  Indeed, when you get a nice, safe self storage unit, you know that you are going to be able to use it to keep your vehicle nice and safe.  Once you pull your car into your unit, all that you are going to have to do is stick a powerful lock on the door and call it a day.  You are not going to have to worry about a thing when you are storing your car in a secure self storage unit.

Now, you are going to find that many people need to store the contents of their entire home when they are calling around for a rate.  This is not abnormal at all.  Of course, self storage units are a great thing to rent when you know that you are going to have to keep your belongings safe for several weeks or months at a time.  In fact, what you are typically going to see, here, is that storage customers rent for about six months when they finally decide to rent.  Imagine that.  A self storage unit can keep your belongings safe for as long as you need them to be kept safe.  Truly, that is convenience.

Also, you are going to come across a lot of self storage customers who use their units to store seasonal items that they simply do not need to keep around the house all year long.  Holiday decorations are a great thing to keep in your self storage unit, and you probably will not even have to rent a large one to make enough room for them.  If you have a lot of seasonal decorations in your basement or garage, you might want to begin looking into your local self storage options.

You can see, here, that many people use self storage units for many different reasons.  If you think that you might need to use a self storage unit in the near future, simply call around to a few of your local properties and see if any of them can meet your unique needs.

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

This may be a few days late for Auld Lang Syne and a bit early to be making a Christmas wish list for next December, but the self storage industry has behaved well and kept off the naughty list. Perhaps a New Year’s wish list is more appropriate a title, but if self storage owners could have their druthers, this may be a little of what they hope for in 2010:

Self Storage Investors

A rocky few years of commercial and residential real estate market has no doubt left the field of investors looking like a dried up river bed. And not only investors, but lenders closed their doors to new loan opportunities and tightened the noose for outstanding liens.

While the residential real estate market saw foreclosure and interest rates rise to a crippling high, the commercial real estate market likewise felt the same heat. However, self storage must have held an immunity idol somewhere inside a 5×10 storage space surrounded by tenants who kept renting.

Yes, self storage operators felt the loss of a few percentage points in revenue, but compared to other REITs over the past year, the storage industry was one of the only industries showing a profit and still able to draw lenders, however few and far between they might have been.

Charts and statistics can now support the past few years of the storage industry’s success, despite wavering real estate markets. This is promising and serious investors have their eye on self storage investment opportunities.

So, take heart, self storage owners. You may get your wish for 2010 and find a few more investors swimming in the pool this year. 

No New Taxes 

Some financial analysts and plenty of political bloggers predicted unfavorable tax changes for REITs after an Obama administration took office. Of course, on the other end, plenty of analysts and bloggers predicted tax relief for self storage owners and the like.

Only time will tell, but last year there were new tax benefits for self storage owners who could employ some savvy cost segregation methods to label their assets. But this technique was nothing new to storage owners looking to save on their taxable income and maximize credits.

Home Sweet Home Will Stay That Way

Residential real estate experts, or anyone with a search engine, can see that the band aid over a fallen economy has to be ripped off, and soon. A failed loan modification program has over 700,000 Americans in limbo with only 31,000 of the applicants successfully through the program and back on track, for now.

Banks will soon have to start processing foreclosure notices and the reaction could be dire for the self storage industry if tenants have to leave or become delinquent on their rental space.

On the other hand, Americans may react by holding their family memories together and keeping all the keepsakes and furniture that make a house a home in a storage unit until the are back on their fee.

Either way, families will be more aware of pennies leaving their pockets and self storage owners will be forced to pay attention to pennies flowing in and out of their office.

Self storage owners can expect change in 2010 and there is plenty of silver lining to the cloud, but a cloud there definitely is. However the self storage industry has a lot to hope for and wish for in the coming year.

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

If you are looking into getting a Hillside storage rental, then there are a few things that you should know. First and foremost, you are going to have to know how to read through your lease, as you do not want encounter any nasty surprises down the road. Of course, you are also going to want to know how your facility operates with respect to its access hours and security features. Granted that you are willing to do a little bit of this research before you launch yourself into a commitment, you are not going to have a bad experience with your Hillside storage rental.

Before you commit yourself to a Hillside storage rental, you are going to have to be sure that you are reading through your lease carefully. Indeed, many customers and oncoming tenants neglect to read through their lease with an eye for details, and they usually end up upset in some way by the time their lease is up. Of course, by reading through your lease ahead of time, you can guarantee that you are not going to encounter any nasty surprises. As you are reading it, be sure that you are keeping your eyes open for late fees. While you may not plan on making any late payments, you never truly know what is going to complicate your budget in the future. As such, be sure that you know what your fees are going to be ahead of time. Likewise, be sure that you are familiar with all of the auction policies that your facilities use. Once again, you may not plan on having your unit go up for auction, but you are going to want to be sure that you fully understand the contract that you are signing, and all of its possible repercussions. Finally, here, you are going to want to get a solid feel for how your billing is going to work. Make note, here, if you are going to have to provide a certain amount of notice in order to have your final month of rent prorated. Likewise, make note of any clauses pertaining to security deposits and mandatory cleaning fees, as these are usually going to sneak up on you when you plan to move out.

Moving on, you are going to want to get a good feel for how your Hillside storage rental is going to operate. Be sure that you are familiar with your access hours, as you are not going to want to waste any trips to your property. Likewise, be sure that you are familiar with how your security features are going to work. If you have to input your gate code to deactivate your door alarm, make note of this before you accidentally trigger said door alarm. Likewise, make note of any and all emergency policies. If you ever end up stuck behind your gate, you want to be sure that you know who to call.

At the end of the day, your Hillside storage rental should not pose a serious threat to your mental well being. So long as you have read through your lease before you sign it, you are not going to have to grapple with any unexpected obstacles. With all of this in mind, go forth, reader, and rent a great unit.

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.