354. This Self Storage Risk Is Also Its Biggest Wealth-Building Opportunity in Years

The next three years will make or break self storage investors. This isn’t hyperbole. The self storage industry is shifting, and the biggest players—like Public Storage and Extra Space Storage—are telling us exactly what’s about to happen. Their 2026 playbook is all about locking in fixed-rate debt, moving away from variable-rate debt, and lending to private operators in distress. On the surface, it appears that they’re simply mitigating risk, but that’s not all. They’re also filling their deal funnel for when smaller operators start to crack. Then there’s the bond market. The yield curve is flattening, signaling short-term headwinds. Floating-rate debt, bridge loans, and markets with supply pressure are all landmines for investors. But the higher the risk, the greater the opportunity. 2026 and 2027 could represent one of the greatest wealth-creation opportunities self storage and commercial real estate have seen in decades. And if you pay attention to the signs today, you’ll find yourself on the right side of things when the self storage industry shakes up.   What you’ll learn in today’s show:   The three-part playbook self storage institutions are using in 2026 Why major players are lending to small self storage operators  What the bond market is telling us about commercial real estate risk Three “danger zones” self storage investors should avoid through 2027  The two primary ways to create wealth through self storage   Grab AJ’s Book, Growing Wealth in Self-Storage 2.0 : https://a.co/d/aRSKcSq 👥 Join the Self Storage Income Community to learn how to buy, build, and scale your self storage portfolio: https://www.selfstorageincome.com/learn-yt?el=yt-episode-354 ✍️ Sign Up for AJ's Newsletter! He shares news and advice weekly about: self storage, business, entrepreneurship, economics, finance, and more! https://ajosborne.com/newsletter?el=pc-ssi-ep364