Amid a Multifamily Boom, This Self-Storage is the Gift That Keeps on Giving

BiggerPockets Blog
Published: October 13, 2025
Getting Started

Summary

This article discusses the growth of self-storage as a potentially lucrative investment, especially in Sunbelt cities. With apartment sizes shrinking, the demand for self-storage is increasing. Hosts can consider self-storage as an alternative investment.

Key Insights

  • 1 in 3 Americans now rent a storage unit, and a further 18% plan to do so in the future.
  • The U.S. self-storage sector has expanded by over 500 million square feet over the past decade, closely linked to the rise in Sunbelt multifamily housing development.
  • Houston apartments built from 2015 onward have shrunk by 44 square feet on average, while 5.3 million square feet of storage were added locally.
  • In Q1 2025, self-storage transaction volume climbed 37% year over year to $855 million due to renewed investor appetite.

Action Items

  • Consider self-storage as a potential investment to diversify your real estate portfolio, particularly if you're looking for an alternative to residential rentals.
    Effort: medium
    Impact: medium

Tools & Resources

  • Mike Wagner’s Storage Rebellion, AJ Osborne’s SelfStorageIncome.com: Gurus with courses and training programs, such as Mike Wagner’s Storage Rebellion and AJ Osborne’s SelfStorageIncome.com.
  • CRE Daily: CRE Daily reports.
  • Cushman & Wakefield: Commercial brokerage Cushman & Wakefield.
  • CubeSmart, Public Storage, Extra Space Storage: REITs such as CubeSmart, Public Storage, and Extra Space Storage.
  • Yardi Matrix: Data from Yardi Matrix.
  • CBRE: Commercial brokerage CBRE.
  • StorageCafe: Analysis from national storage space marketplace StorageCafe.
  • loopnet.com, crexi.com: Commercial listing sites like loopnet.com or crexi.com.

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