Makin’ It Perty: Enhancing Your Self-Storage Curb Appeal to Attract and Retain Tenants

Curb appeal plays a key role in attracting customers to your self-storage facility—and in making them want to stick around as renters. Here are a few tips for easily enhancing your site appearance and drawing in more business.

Michelle Dean, Senior Regional Manager

November 1, 2019

2 Min Read
Anchor Self Storage Vallejo.jpg
Anchor Self Storage, Vallejo, Calif. (Courtesy of Cubix Asset Management)

Curb appeal is the attractiveness of your self-storage property and its surroundings from the street view. When enhanced, it can attract new tenants and help you maintain current ones. In fact, the appearance of your property is a key component to growing and sustaining your business. Here are a few easy ways to improve curb appeal at your facility and provide a more inviting experience for customers.

Landscaping

  • Maintain a manicured appearance by mowing the lawn, keeping the edges trimmed, and sweeping or blowing clippings from your property.

  • Trim shrubs to keep overgrowth down and ensure they don't hide the facility or signage from view.

  • Planting flowers around signage or the property entrance and placing potted flowers by the office door adds an inviting touch and a pop of color.

  • Regularly spray or pull weeds.

  • The mailbox should look new, with the street number big enough to be visible from the street. You might also consider placing a street number on the property road sign.

Building Exterior

Routine maintenance will cut costs in the long run and aid in sustaining the appearance of your building. Here are a few simple to-do items:

  • Keep gutters clear of debris.

  • Pressure-wash dirt and grime away.

  • Add a fresh coat of paint when peeling or cracking occurs.

  • If possible, cover HVAC units, trash cans or dumpsters with fencing or lattice to hide them from street view.

  • Clean office doors and windows regularly. If windows are large, think about hiring a professional cleaning service.

Drive Aisles

  • If the asphalt is in good condition, seal-coating every three to five years will lengthen the life of your drive aisles. It’ll also give your facility a fresh appearance.

  • Consider patching potholes or cracks in the asphalt for a smooth pathway.

  • Bollards should be painted when necessary, or consider adding slipcovers, which come in a variety of colors. Replace any broken bollards.

Lighting

  • Check the property lighting frequently. It’s important to replace all non-working bulbs immediately.

  • Consider changing bulbs or damaged fixtures to LED lighting, which can enhance brightness and safety and will pay for itself over time in energy-savings.

Help Them Choose You

The saying “You only get one chance to make a first impression” has never been truer than in the self-storage industry. The current market offers prospective tenants a multitude of choices for storing their cherished belongings. Improving your property’s curb appeal can make a big impact on whether a potential tenant walks through your door or goes to a competitor.

Michelle Dean is a senior regional manager for Absolute Storage Management Inc., which operates 116 properties in 15 states. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., it has regional offices in Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Jackson, Miss.; and Nashville, Tenn. For more information, call 901.737.7336.; visit www.absolutemgmt.com.

About the Author(s)

Michelle Dean

Senior Regional Manager, Absolute Storage Management Inc.

Michelle Dean is a senior regional manager for Absolute Storage Management Inc., which operates 116 properties in 15 states. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., it has regional offices in Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Jackson, Miss.; and Nashville, Tenn. For more information, call 901.737.7336.; visit www.absolutemgmt.com.

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