While it’s not always a home business, some homeowners have added them to adjacent lots so they can keep an eye on their investment…
The clientele includes people who need temporary storage while their new home is being built; local sales representatives for out-of-town companies who need room for their inventory; college students who don’t want to lug everything home for the summer; attorneys with boxes full of lawsuits and depositions and no place to put them; and homegrown pack rats who can’t squeeze another widget into their basement.
With the changing needs, growing demand and stricter zoning, the facilities have become more sophisticated. Besides climate-control, many units today have security cameras, individual door alarms and computerized gate-entry. They are also being designed to blend in aesthetically with existing businesses and are often shielded by landscaping.
“There’s a misconception of, you throw up these metal boxes and you sit back and these checks rolls in,” he said. “It requires a lot of work, a lot of effort. Maintenance. Collections. We take a lot of pride in ours.”
And, like with every landlord, there are occasionally tenants who fall behind on their rent or simply stop paying. Although McGraff and others said it’s not a big problem for the industry, it certainly is one of the headaches for owners. The Morrises have had people disappear without a trace, leaving behind their worldly possessions.
Auctions are sometimes needed to clear out the inventory of delinquent tenants.
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