Webinar Replay: Mini Case Studies of Finding Self-Storage Land
- garrett581
- 13 minutes ago
- 3 min read
By Garrett Byrd
Most investors believe that finding self-storage land is about “the one right source.” Marc Goodin and the Storage Authority Team make it clear: it’s really about consistent, targeted activity—using simple tools, relationships, and follow‑up to turn “throw-away” parcels into million‑dollar assets.
Why Most People Never Find a Site
Many would‑be owners stall out because they outsource the hunt to a broker and wait. The case studies show that most winning deals came from:
Driving roads in defined target corridors every week, not once a quarter.
Talking directly to owners of parcels that are NOT listed.
Revisiting “imperfect” sites others passed on—wetlands, odd shapes, rear lots—and solving around constraints with better design.
In other words, the problem usually isn’t “no land exists,” it’s “not enough qualified activity focused in the right places.”
Enjoy the Webinar replay of Mini Case of:
Two Methods That Actually Work
Across the examples, two channels produced the bulk of real deals:
Word of mouth: relationships with local officials, planners, economic‑development staff, business owners, and friends who know you are actively buying 5–8 acres for self‑storage.
Driving the roads: methodically checking main and secondary arterials in growth corridors, calling on every for‑sale sign (including hand‑painted ones) and every under‑used parcel that “looks like storage.”
A key nuance: brokers can be helpful as a bonus source, but almost none of the best case‑study sites came from a traditional listing. The winners were off‑market, long‑ignored parcels unlocked by hustle and creativity.
Turning “Problem Parcels” Into Profit
Several deals looked like losers at first glance: wetlands, rear lots, town‑owned land, or zoning that didn’t clearly allow self‑storage. What turned them into winners was:
Creative site planning: using one large climate‑controlled building on a small pad, adding a single two‑story building in back, or redesigning an old approval to double rentable square footage.
Negotiation tied to due diligence: using wetland flags, buffers, or utility constraints to justify significant price reductions while preserving enough buildable area for 60,000–90,000 net rentable square feet.
This is where having a strong civil engineer, architect, and lending team matters; the “deal” is often created on paper, not found on LoopNet.
De‑Risking With Offers and Options
A critical takeaway: no one in the webinar is gambling on raw land without protection. Every offer is structured with:
Contingencies for zoning, site‑plan approval, and satisfactory due diligence (environmental, utilities, access).
A defined option period (often around a year) plus paid extensions, giving enough runway to obtain approvals before closing.
This structure lets you swing at more pitches—look at 100 sites, write 3 solid offers, close on 1—without ending up stuck with a parcel that can’t be entitled for storage.
Activity Targets for Serious Buyers
If you want to turn this replay into action, build a simple 90‑day “land machine” around its core principles:
Block 8–10 hours per week dedicated only to land (map work, calls, and windshield time).
Identify and drive your top 3–5 growth corridors weekly; log every viable parcel, owner, and follow‑up date.
Personally call 40–50 local brokers, planners, and business owners in the first two weeks, telling them exactly what you’re looking for and that you can close once entitled.
The webinar proves the pattern: those who maintain structured activity, follow up for months on the same owners, and are willing to solve “hairy” sites are the ones who end up selling for eight figures a few years later.
The Storage Authority Team: Your Partners in Self-Storage Success
📩 Questions? Contact me at: Garrett@StorageAuthority.com
📞 Schedule a 1-on-1 Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/garrett-storage-authority
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