Consumerism is what drives the self storage industry. The more people acquire, the more room they need for their stuff. And as people downsize, the availability of space in a typical household shrinks. But a love of shopping might be slowing down in America today as compared with consumer-giants China and India, according to a new survey. [More]

As changes to lien laws sweep across the country for the self storage industry, Colorado is the latest state to enact changes to streamline the legal process. Last week, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed into law Senate Bill 11-039, “A Bill for an Act Concerning the Consequences of Default in Payments Due for Storage of Personal Property in a Self-Storage Facility” which improves the state’s lien laws for self storage operators. [More]

Bringing together the power of internet technology and customers who want to rent self storage online is the goal of USSelfStorageLocator.com, a self-storage locator and rental search engine. The website is offering a free premium listing for 90 days to any self storage business that activates an account prior to the Inside Self Storage (ISS) World Expo on March 16, 2011. [More]

With popular self storage auction shows, Storage Wars and Auction Hunters, more people are
flocking to bid on abandoned storage units and more self storage operators are seeing their doors
flooded on auction days. But can facility operators handle the hordes of bidders and are they up-
to-date on knowledge of lien laws? [More]

The strength of the self storage industry has stood tall through the windy storms of the recession. As a result, it has attracted a lot of attention from investors looking for a solid avenue to place their money. But how to negotiate and close the deal on a self storage acquisition is a step-by-step endeavor, experts say. Taking a systematic approach to negotiating is the best way to smooth the path to acquisition. [More]

Commercial buildings, self storage among them, consumed roughly 20 percent of all energy in the U.S. economy last year, said President Obama during his Jan. 25th State of the Union address. In an effort to curb this energy-draining trend, Obama laid out this week a clean-energy agenda that includes investing in innovative clean energy technologies and doubling the share of electricity from clean energy sources by 2035. Part of this push is the “Better Buildings Initiative” that gives energy-saving, retrofitting incentives for commercial developers, builders and owners. [More]

Whenever you go into business you have to be concerned about the law, not necessarily that you might be involved in something illegal (hopefully), but that you may inadvertently violate someone’s rights. That would in turn open you up to a lawsuit that would not only prove costly in legal fees and restitution, but in potential or existing customers when word leaks of your ‘questionable’ business practices. [More]

Getting a self storage facility built to the highest eco-friendly rating by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) http://www.usgbc.org/Default.aspx is no easy feat. And it takes a commendable dedication to the preservation of the environment to achieve. But the energy savings down the road are in the range of 20 to 30 percent. A facility can save thousands of dollars each year on its energy bill. A newly constructed ezStorage http://www.ezstorage.com/ facility located in Elkridge, Md., announced today that their facility received a Gold LEED certification. [More]

In the second half of 2010 investors swarmed to the self storage industry, buying up businesses like they were on the clearance rack. And the 2011 outlook for the domestic self storage market has “bullish” written all over it. Niche investors and lenders are increasing movement to this sector as In the second half of 2010 investors swarmed to the self storage industry, buying up businesses like they were on the clearance rack. And the 2011 outlook for the domestic self storage market has “bullish” written all over it. Niche investors and lenders are increasing movement to this sector as capitalization or CAP rates continue to decline and new investors join the buying game. [More]

During the booming 1980s and 1990s and up until 2006, the most common path into the self storage business has been to build, however, the tides are beginning to change and from a financial standpoint, buying has become the safer bet. [More]