How Much Do Storage Unit Owners Really Make? (Should You Start One?)

How much does a self-storage facility really make? We break down the real numbers: what it costs to build, why these places are popping up everywhere, the hidden secret that makes storage profitable, how owners find customers, and what the owner actually takes home. ⏱ Chapters 0:00 How much does a storage facility make? 0:56 Meet Diane 2:04 What it costs to build 3:04 Why they’re everywhere 3:52 The real secret 6:12 Could one work in your town? 6:56 How storage facilities get customers 7:40 Is it passive? 8:10 What it really makes 10:04 Who should start one 11:28 Diane, three years later 📊 Key numbers in this video • Typical 500-unit facility: close to $1 million a year in revenue • Build cost: about $5.5 million • What the owner keeps: around $215,000 a year at 90% full • Break-even: about 70% occupancy • Average tenant stay at one public operator: about 3.5 years