Let's talk about self storage.

This year we expanded our facility to 680 units. We are wondering how many employees other comparable self storage facilities have on site during the work day. We own the one facility. Do you have employees specifically for cleaning the property, for answering phone calls, for taking care of past due tenants, etc.? Or does one employee handle all jobs? Any feedback would be welcome. Thank you!!

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Bryan Sanderson
East Pebble Hills Self Storage, LLC
El Paso TX
(915) 584-5527
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I own 1 facility of 44,000 sq ft containing 230 units. No on-site office. My manager lives about 1 mile away and is responsible for killing weeds, bugs and answering the phone. He spends 20 - 30 hours per month total and I pay him $1,000 / month. We have a few clean outs, removal of property each year which he also does (if he wishes to do so). If not, I have someone else come in and monetize the units that need to be cleaned out. I take the roll over calls when he is busy or can't resolve the issue - maybe 20 calls each year. We are currently at 99% occupancy and have been 95 - 100% for the last 4 years. He is also a "Techie" so computers, audio / visual, gate controller are also taken care of by the mgr.








Texas law requires all real estate licensees to give
the following information about brokerage services to prospective buyers, tenants, sellers and landlords.



Information About Brokerage Services
Thomas Kent





Parker Properties|Realtor
Cell: 972-672-2120

www.unitedstoragebowietx.com

Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 9:22:00 AM
From: Scott Smith
Subject: RE: Number of Employees for Facility

It really depends on what your goals are and how you want to run your business. With that number of doors, It seems like a challenge to run it remotely (which is our goal). 

Do you want to work IN the business or ON the business? Are you trying to make as much as possible and willing to do a lot of work yourself? If so, you can take calls, do cleanout, etc. 

Our goal is to run the facilities remotely. We do this with our out of state facilities and with the one nearby - we run both the same. 

1. This means hiring someone to take the calls: call center (can be local people answering the call or someone in another state). Also, as we have seen here, it can be in the Philippines. 

2. BOTG- someone to do cleanouts, change locks, cut locks, spray for bugs, etc. 

3. Someone to handle day to day operations, marketing and manage the maintenance, etc. day to day overseeing (right now this is my wife and I). We oversee all of this. 

4. My wife oversees the call center and day to day operations, and I oversee the marketing and maintenance. We enjoy working together. 

Everyone does it differently depending on interests and involvement. We probably spend 2-3 hours a day working and overseeing things. We don't work on the weekends. We could

make more if we did more, but we value our time over making more money. 

--

Sincerely,

Scott Smith | Managing Partner
Visionary Asset Management, LLC

Self Storage Investments, Owner/Operator 

                    

 

I have a "Company" cell phone (That stays in my house) is forwarded to his phone number. IF he is going to be out or unavailable for a day or two, I forward that number to my cell phone.








Texas law requires all real estate licensees to give
the following information about brokerage services to prospective buyers, tenants, sellers and landlords.



Information About Brokerage Services
Thomas Kent





Parker Properties|Realtor
Cell: 972-672-2120

www.unitedstoragebowietx.com


Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 9:52:00 AM
From: Kathy Gonzales
Subject: RE: Number of Employees for Facility

I'm curious how you pay a local person to answer phones? And what hours to you require them to be available to answer?  For purposes of a fully automated facility with nobody on site, so this person answers where they are, from home or what have you. Anyone who operates this way, please jump in. 

Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 9:57:00 AM
From: Thomas Kent
Subject: RE: Number of Employees for Facility

I have a "Company" cell phone (That stays in my house) is forwarded to his phone number. IF he is going to be out or unavailable for a day or two, I forward that number to my cell phone.








Texas law requires all real estate licensees to give
the following information about brokerage services to prospective buyers, tenants, sellers and landlords.



Information About Brokerage Services
Thomas Kent





Parker Properties|Realtor
Cell: 972-672-2120

www.unitedstoragebowietx.com



Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 9:52:00 AM
From: Kathy Gonzales
Subject: RE: Number of Employees for Facility

I'm curious how you pay a local person to answer phones? And what hours to you require them to be available to answer?  For purposes of a fully automated facility with nobody on site, so this person answers where they are, from home or what have you. Anyone who operates this way, please jump in. 

Answering the phone is just part of the job overall. His total work hours are less than 30 hours per month. Weed kill, bug kill, phones, clean outs etc. he and his wife are retired. So the $1,000 / month I pay them makes them happy. He says it's better than sitting at home all the time.








Texas law requires all real estate licensees to give
the following information about brokerage services to prospective buyers, tenants, sellers and landlords.



Information About Brokerage Services
Thomas Kent





Parker Properties|Realtor
Cell: 972-672-2120

www.unitedstoragebowietx.com


Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 10:06:00 AM
From: Kathy Gonzales
Subject: RE: Number of Employees for Facility

Thanks Thomas.  Do you pay hourly or per phone call or how do you work that? Is the sole job of this person to answer phones and if action needs to be taken, do you do that or does your employee? 

Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 9:57:00 AM
From: Thomas Kent
Subject: RE: Number of Employees for Facility

I have a "Company" cell phone (That stays in my house) is forwarded to his phone number. IF he is going to be out or unavailable for a day or two, I forward that number to my cell phone.








Texas law requires all real estate licensees to give
the following information about brokerage services to prospective buyers, tenants, sellers and landlords.



Information About Brokerage Services
Thomas Kent





Parker Properties|Realtor
Cell: 972-672-2120

www.unitedstoragebowietx.com

Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 10:11:00 AM
From: Thomas Kent
Subject: RE: Number of Employees for Facility

Answering the phone is just part of the job overall. His total work hours are less than 30 hours per month. Weed kill, bug kill, phones, clean outs etc. he and his wife are retired. So the $1,000 / month I pay them makes them happy. He says it's better than sitting at home all the time.








Texas law requires all real estate licensees to give
the following information about brokerage services to prospective buyers, tenants, sellers and landlords.



Information About Brokerage Services
Thomas Kent





Parker Properties|Realtor
Cell: 972-672-2120

www.unitedstoragebowietx.com



Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 10:06:00 AM
From: Kathy Gonzales
Subject: RE: Number of Employees for Facility

Thanks Thomas.  Do you pay hourly or per phone call or how do you work that? Is the sole job of this person to answer phones and if action needs to be taken, do you do that or does your employee? 

Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 9:57:00 AM
From: Thomas Kent
Subject: RE: Number of Employees for Facility

I have a "Company" cell phone (That stays in my house) is forwarded to his phone number. IF he is going to be out or unavailable for a day or two, I forward that number to my cell phone.








Texas law requires all real estate licensees to give
the following information about brokerage services to prospective buyers, tenants, sellers and landlords.



Information About Brokerage Services
Thomas Kent





Parker Properties|Realtor
Cell: 972-672-2120

www.unitedstoragebowietx.com

Easy Storage








Texas law requires all real estate licensees to give
the following information about brokerage services to prospective buyers, tenants, sellers and landlords.



Information About Brokerage Services
Thomas Kent





Parker Properties|Realtor
Cell: 972-672-2120

www.unitedstoragebowietx.com


Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 12:47:00 PM
From: Kathy Gonzales
Subject: RE: Number of Employees for Facility

Good to know, thank you! Out of curiosity, what software system do you use to rent online? 

Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 10:11:00 AM
From: Thomas Kent
Subject: RE: Number of Employees for Facility

Answering the phone is just part of the job overall. His total work hours are less than 30 hours per month. Weed kill, bug kill, phones, clean outs etc. he and his wife are retired. So the $1,000 / month I pay them makes them happy. He says it's better than sitting at home all the time.








Texas law requires all real estate licensees to give
the following information about brokerage services to prospective buyers, tenants, sellers and landlords.



Information About Brokerage Services
Thomas Kent





Parker Properties|Realtor
Cell: 972-672-2120

www.unitedstoragebowietx.com



Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 10:06:00 AM
From: Kathy Gonzales
Subject: RE: Number of Employees for Facility

Thanks Thomas.  Do you pay hourly or per phone call or how do you work that? Is the sole job of this person to answer phones and if action needs to be taken, do you do that or does your employee? 

Hi Bryan,

We have 780 units and have a fulltime Manager in the office taking care of renting units, answering the phone, past dues, marketing, etc. We also have a fulltime Maintenance man who cleans/maintains units, hallways, and grounds. Then we have a part time person that comes in when the Manager is off on Mondays and has vacation/sick days. Hope this helps! 

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JoLea Conn
OnSite Manager
ALL*STAR STORAGE
Richmond TX
(281) 341-7867
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