How to Find and Close Lucrative Off-Market Self-Storage Deals

If you’ve been paying attention to real estate trends, you already know that self-storage investing has become one of the most attractive niches in commercial real estate. Unlike multifamily or retail properties, self-storage facilities can provide strong cash flow, long-term appreciation, and the ability to scale quickly. But here’s the catch, most of the best opportunities never hit LoopNet, CREXi, or a broker’s desk. They’re found off-market.

At StorageLife, a self-storage investing mentorship program founded by Cameron Barsanti, we believe that the lifeline of any storage investor comes down to one thing: the ability to find opportunity. And that means going off-market.

In this blog, we’ll break down how you can consistently uncover and close these hidden gems. Whether you’re figuring out how to start a self-storage business, looking to scale with self-storage syndication, or simply want a higher self-storage return on investment, these strategies will help you build a pipeline of deals others never even see.

Why Off-Market Self-Storage Deals Are the Gold Mine

Let’s start with the obvious question: why focus on off-market?

When a deal is listed with a self-storage broker, competition drives up the price. Bidding wars eat away at your returns, and terms often favor the seller. Off-market, however, you’re talking directly to owners—often mom-and-pop operators who may not even realize the current market value of their property. These are the deals where you can negotiate favorable terms, uncover value-add opportunities, and lock in strong equity from day one.

Cameron Barsanti, who has closed 19 facilities across nine states and even Guam, puts it this way: “The lifeline of a self-storage investor hinges on one thing only, and that is the ability to find opportunity.”

That opportunity is almost always off-market.

Step 1: Expand Beyond the Buy Box

One of the biggest mistakes new investors make is limiting themselves to a “buy box”, only looking in certain cities or states with perfect demographics. While metrics like population growth, median income, and crime index are important, they shouldn’t be deal-breakers.

Some of StorageLife’s best wins have come from facilities in towns with around 20,000 population, where competition is low and demand is still steady. The key is to analyze the deal, not just the market.

Tip: Don’t just hunt in big metros. Look in tertiary markets, small towns near major cities, or overlooked pockets where REITs aren’t playing. These areas are ripe for opportunity.

Step 2: Build a Target List of Facilities

Forget LoopNet and CREXi. That’s where every beginner goes. The real game is direct-to-owner outreach.

Here’s how StorageLife students do it:

• Google Maps scouting - Virtually “drive” through towns and pin every self-storage facility you find.

• GoFish Leads(gofishleads.com) or similar tools - These scrape Google Maps, pull facility details, and even identify unclaimed Google Business listings (often mom-and-pop owned).

• Skip tracing - Get the actual owner’s contact information, not just the front desk number.

The goal is to create a database of potential sellers. If you want to know how to buy a self-storage facility, this database is your starting point.

Step 3: Leverage Virtual Assistants to Scale Outreach

Cold calling hundreds of owners a week sounds impossible if you’re working full time. That’s why StorageLife built a sister company that trains self-storage virtual assistants (VAs). These VAs are trained specifically to make calls, skip trace owners, and set up appointments so you can focus on negotiating.

A common target is 300 calls per week, either by you or your VAs. The volume matters because deals come from consistency, not luck.

Step 4: Master the Follow-Up Game

Here’s where most investors fail. They make a few calls, send a letter or two, and give up when they don’t hear back. The reality? Owners are busy. They may not be ready to sell today.

The money is in the follow-up.

One of StorageLife’s students, Joe, went from zero facilities to closing over 100,000 square feet in 12 months because he was relentless. He followed up every two days with owners, never letting conversations go cold. That persistence turned into closed deals.

Lesson: The best operators aren’t necessarily the best negotiators—they’re the best at follow-up.

Step 5: Stand Out When Talking to Owners

Once you get an owner on the phone, you have a short window to make an impression. Cameron teaches a simple framework:

• Market familiarity - Show you know their area. Mention nearby facilities, trends, or demand.

• Capital in place - Assure them you’re a serious buyer, not just testing the waters.

• Seasoned investor posture - Even if it’s your first deal, lean on your mentors, partners, or community. (“My partners and I are looking to close three facilities this year.”)

• Respectful but serious tone - Friendly, but clear that you can close.

If you’re not confident yet, leverage your network. This is where being part of a self-storage mentorship or self-storage mastermind pays off. You get instant credibility by partnering with experienced operators.

Step 6: Make Offers Quickly - Even Without Full Financials

One mistake beginners make is waiting for perfect financials before making an offer. By the time you do, someone else already locked up the deal.

Instead, use a range offer calculator. With just gross revenue, you can make a ballpark offer based on cap rates. For example:

“Based on your numbers, we can probably get you somewhere between $1.8M and $2.2M depending on terms. Are we in the ballpark?”

This starts the conversation and gets the seller talking numbers, even if they were hesitant at first.

Step 7: Use Creative Financing to Solve Seller Problems

Not every seller wants an all-cash deal. Some want to defer capital gains taxes, others just want steady monthly income. By offering multiple options, you increase your chances of getting to “yes.”

At StorageLife, we use the 3-Option Offer Strategy:

1. All-cash offer at a discounted price.

2. Seller financing with better terms.

3. Hybrid option combining both.

This approach not only solves problems for sellers but also positions you as a creative problem solver, not just another investor.

Step 8: Track Your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)

Treat your self-storage business like a real business. That means tracking your numbers:

• How many calls per week?

• How many owners contacted?

• How many offers made?

• How many follow-ups per lead?

By tracking KPIs, you’ll know exactly what’s working and where to improve. For example, if 300 calls = 30 conversations = 3 offers = 1 deal, you can reverse-engineer your success.

Why Action Beats Education Alone

Reading books and listening to podcasts about how to invest in self-storage is helpful, but action is what moves the needle. Cameron himself started broke, even in debt, before closing 19 deals worth over $70M. The difference wasn’t more theory, it was relentless execution.

As he tells students: “Don’t just learn the game. Play it.”

Risks of Self-Storage Investing

Of course, no investment is risk-free. Some risks to be aware of include:

• Overpaying if you don’t underwrite correctly.

• Market saturation in areas with too many new facilities.

• Management challenges, especially if remote.

• Financing risks, such as high interest rates on a self-storage SBA loan.

But with the right mentorship and systems, these risks are manageable, and far outweighed by the upside.

Final Thoughts: Your Next Move

If you’re serious about building wealth through self-storage as an investment, the path is clear:

1. Stop relying on brokers and listings.

2. Build a database of off-market opportunities.

3. Leverage VAs to scale your outreach.

4. Follow up relentlessly.

5. Make creative offers that solve seller problems.

At StorageLife, Cameron Barsanti and our team teach students how to find, analyze, and close deals step by step. We believe anyone can learn how to underwrite a self-storage deal, source it directly, and build long-term wealth.

The only thing standing in your way is taking action.

So, are you ready to find your first off-market self-storage deal?