More and more self-storage owners are beginning to “think green,” and there are myriad ways to add sustainability to a facility. Get an inside look at how one self-storage developer created an eco-friendly site and made it work for his bottom line. Our presenter will share details about his planning process including the facility layout and the materials he used to build. He’ll talk about items that can help qualify a project for LEED certification and secondary benefits of green building, such as marketing and public-relations mileage. You’ll get concrete, actionable ideas for making your facility simultaneously earth friendly and cost-efficient.

Building a new facility? Buying an established one? You’ll quickly discover it’s essential to have a detailed feasibility report for yourself, your lender and potential investors. This session will lead you through the critical decision points in the feasibility process, helping you determine if a particular site or project will meet your investment objectives. Our speaker will present a detailed project case study to demonstrate the feasibility method and teach you the questions you should ask about any prospective property.

You asked, and here it is: an overview of self-storage valuation for the non-appraiser. Forget the REITs, Wall Street, and institutional investors with their $10 million facilities. This seminar is intended for individual facility owner/operators. You’ll learn proper methods for valuing your facility so you can be prepared to evaluate your lender’s appraisal. Our presenter will teach you what to do before the appraiser arrives and what to give/tell him to ensure a fair valuation. You’ll also hear about operating-performance trends, investment parameters (who is paying and how much), the income approach to value, a sales-comparison approach to value and more!

Today’s depressed commercial real estate market has created ideal conditions for taking an existing building and turning it into a profitable self-storage facility. Vacant big-box retailer stores, factories and warehouses can be ideal sites, but which will work best? This seminar will guide you through a process to evaluate conversion feasibility from a demand and financial standpoint, and outline steps for getting the city’s approval to build. Our presenter will talk about developing an optimal unit mix and the potential of other business uses for space. Finally, you’ll get details about the conversion-construction process.

In today’s volatile economy, it’s important to understand that even if your self-storage facility continues to perform, its value may be at risk due to various market factors. Our presenter will outline where the self-storage real estate market has been and where it may be going, as well as the elements that can add to or detract from property value. He’ll lay down the facts and help you understand how to maximize your facility’s worth in today's financial climate. Learn how interest rates, cap rates and overbuilding really impact your bottom line.

It’s weighing on the minds of facility owners: how to finance a maturing loan, market pressure on occupancy and rental rates, issues of facility value, the preservation of investment equity. Financing terms and availability are forcing investment decisions on the buy and sell side. Our panel of industry exp0erts will focus on the impact of the capital markets on your current investment as well as the acquisition and disposition of self-storage properties. They’ll talk about baseline financing structures, how lenders are reaching resolution with borrowers, trends in sales and valuation, strategies owners can use to protect their individual or portfolio investment, and the bifurcation of the market between distressed and stabilized sales. Get the info you need to protect or maximize your investment!

As markets become increasingly competitive, self-storage developers must be able to efficiently locate quality sites. This session will walk you through the acquisition process, teaching you how to use GIS-mapping technology to refine your search and train your broker and acquisition team to deliver the best sites. You’ll learn about pre-development due diligence including how to analyze individual sites, conduct market research, and complete financial modeling. Understand the information-collection processes you must be able to navigate when vetting particular sites!

If you’re a self-storage owner or developer interested in the financial and environmental opportunities associated with solar-electric systems and renewable energy, this is the session for you. Our presenters will explain how a solar-electric system works, its basic components, and how it can be adapted to various projects. You’ll learn about federal, state and local tax incentives, utility rebate programs, and financing and grant opportunities. Case studies of existing projects will be used to demonstrate the costs and potential revenue streams involved. You’ll see a detailed breakdown of costs vs. incentives, as well as a return-on-investment analysis for each project. Reap the benefits of going solar!

Maximizing the return on your self-storage investment is always important, but even more so in today’s challenging market. In this session, you’ll learn how to put together and manage the best of the best in a design and construction team, ensuring project success. You’ll learn about the tools you need to get the most for your money, time and effort, from project inception through opening day. If you don't take charge of the construction process, someone will. Make sure you know how to negotiate the construction contract, control construction costs and get what you pay for.

Self-storage projects can’t be built without capital. However, loan underwriting has changed dramatically, and you must know how certain changes affect your loan request before you submit it to the bank. This seminar will cover the most up-to-date and critical success factors for closing a loan in today’s market. Our presenter will discuss the loan products available, the information banks must have to make a loan, and how the bank sees you as a candidate. You’ll get valuable insight on how to assemble and present your loan for approval and tips for negotiating with a lender. A sample loan package will be available for review.