Hi ya'll

Hubby and I are struggling with the weather and trying to get open- our first facility - phew... what a chore! We are building our new real estate office and putting in our storage units behind... but we are behind due to rain rain and more rain....

I see some of you are managers of existing sites... any adivce?

thanks

Mary in Texas

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Opening our very first facility- are we nutz?

www.sentryplazaselfstorage.com

As a manager I have to ask -- will you have a resident manager?

Most of our tenets love that fact that we live on site and are here most of the time in case of emergency (or other problems).

If you are building a residence do not scrimp (like some do ;-( ). If your manager likes where they live they will stay longer and do a better job. I personally take a lot of pride in the compliments I get for how my lot is maintained. After all - this is MY backyard!!! I am constantly paying attention to the small stuff as I want it to be pleasing to the eye. I do not tolerate trash at all - I am out everyday picking it up and polishing everything.

Our owners are the BEST!!! They provide a 1600sq/ft 2 bedroom house and pay us well. I would do anything for them, and know that they would do the same for me. I would have no problem being here for the next 10 years or more (unless I win the lottery )

We seem to get a lot of tenants because our gate access is from 6 am to 10 pm, and we give free 24 hour access to commercial tenants. That is much better then our competitors in this area and doesn't really cost anything to provide. Most of our competitors don't let you access the property after 7 pm...so it's a big selling point.

So my tip to you would be to learn as much as you can about your competition, and then find out what you can offer to your customers that would make you stand out from the crowd.

Hi Mary,
No you are not nuts! This is a great industry. I am sure you will be very successful. Make sure to find out about the unique self-storage insurance coverages necessary to properly protect your investment! Also, it is important for you to provide a tenant insurance program to your customers. Are you planning on using the TSSA lease?

Look forward to hearing more about your endeavor.
Best,
Randy

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Randy J Tipton, CIC
President
Universal Insurance
3300 N Central Ave, Suite 1520
Phoenix, AZ 85012
randyt@univins.com
800-844-2101 extension 1153

Hello there fellow Texan. WOW you did a great job on your website, I had to check it out we have a little piece of property up that way but we are down here in Galveston now.

I really like what someone said about making sure you do have managers on site, they are very correct with that people love to know that someone lives on site. And good managers, such as others I can tell and ourselves will take that extra effort because that is not only your property it is someone's home and we all like a nice home.

I feel the same way about my property and our owners, we will do anything for them as they will for us it does work both ways. They do understand that we (the managers, all of us) make the money.

Hang in there with the weather, it is Texas you know. Got to love it. This place went up during a hurricane and the biggest thing is if they haven't finished the construction you got to stay after them. I have had to deal with contractors for years and trust me they will try anything once and twice if they got by with it the first time. There are some good ones out there hopefully you did get lucky and you don't have that problems as well

GOOD LUCK

My century 21 real estate office (which we are building now and will be in front of the project) has a separate-lockable leasing office. We got about 110K less money from the bank than we needed to even complete this phase one so hubby is the elec., plumber, sheetrocker, painter and worrier.... we are about 3 weeks behind schedule.... now looking for a sliding gate (he will be the intalled) and trying to squeek by with the funds we were given. It is so muddy up here right now that my 300x15' 30 unit bldg is finished but you cant get to it......

we want to have a digital access gate so I dont have to get up so early and stay so late... we are in rural east texas and on the main highway (190) between woodville and huntsville.. my competition is a climate control/conventional boat and jetski distributor who has 24 hr access and and a conventional strg fac. with just a gate and rental office. Hubby is a merchant mariner so he will be leaving for sea again... so we are hurrying to get this open....

thanks for all the moral support.!! We are gonna need it.. !!

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Opening our very first facility- are we nutz?

www.sentryplazaselfstorage.com