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Your guide to self storage
So
you need a self-storage place in Albuquerque because you're about
to drag everything you own in from Boston? Not to worry. This is
going to be a whole lot easier than landing the job that's forcing
the move.
Self-storage facilities are
doing business on the Web. If you can read this, you can stow that
sofa Aunt Tillie bestowed upon you just about anywhere a rental
truck will take it.
eStorit.com,
selfstorage.net
and Storage
Locator can help get you started. They list facilities all over
the country and, in some cases, allow you to make a reservation
online.
Rentals are usually month-to-month.
If you know you are going to need the space for an extended period
of time -- say, six months or more -- and have a lot of cash in
your pocket, ask the owner if he will give you a discount if you
pay the full amount upfront.
There is a list of forbidden
items, and it sounds a lot like the list of things you can't mail.
No flammables, living creatures or illegal items. You'll need to
board Rover and drain the lawn mower.
You'll also need to insure
your own property. Your homeowner's or renter's policy may cover
your things while they are in storage, or you can ask if the facility
owner can steer you to a suitable insurance carrier.
So
many choices, so little time
You will be asked to choose between a bay with a garage door, a
large cage or walled-in room, and a small bin. What you choose will
depend on how much -- and what -- you need to store. If you have
antiques, you don't want to turn them into theft bait by putting
them on display. You will want a space with concealing walls. In
regions where it gets hot and humid, wood and upholstered items
should be kept in climate-controlled spaces.
Experts say prices on similar
units are usually similar within an area of five miles or so, although
they vary widely from one region of the country to another. Prices
for a standard 10 feet by 10 feet, climate-controlled space in the
Northeast or, say, San Francisco can run into the hundreds of dollars
each month.
In general, expect your storage
to be pricier if you're moving to an area where it is more expensive
to live.
Doug Hunt, owner of four
Access Storage facilities in the Dallas area, says he rents a 10-feet-by-10-feet,
climate-controlled space for $95 a month. He has a good friend who
gets $295 for a comparable space in his facility in San Francisco.
"And in New York, they're
about $300," says Hunt, who serves as a member of the board
of directors of the Texas Mini Storage Association in Austin. "A
lot of it has to do with how much it costs for the land and the
building."
But you're headed for Albuquerque.
Since you opted not to save a few bucks by dropping off that heirloom
sofa as you pass through Podunk, you'll be dealing with local prices.
So, if you're not shopping by price, what do you look for? Here's
a checklist:
Security
Assuming you put some store in that sofa, you want a facility that
is not wide open to passersby. Today, many self-storage facilities
are equipped with electronic gates that customers open with access
codes. It may be annoying to have to stop and dig the code out of
your wallet, but it keeps out the riffraff.
Yet, the mere presence of
a gate is not enough, says Tammy Ross, co-owner of Cutting Edge
Self-Storage Management and Consulting in Salt Lake City. If it
is propped open so people can freely drive in and out, it is of
no value. Make sure the gate is working and in use before signing
on.
It also helps to have managers
who live on the property, Ross says. That doesn't mean they there
all the time -- after all, they are allowed to go out for the evening
once in a while. But it is a deterrent to thieves who never know
when someone is going to be around, even in the middle of the night
when the place is closed.
Lighting is important, too.
The facility should be well lit, inside and out.
Civility
Hunt and Ross say self-storage facility owners are pushing to improve
professionalism in the industry. Hold them to it from your first
inquiry.
"If you get someone
on the phone who is only going to give you the size and the price,
'Here's the Internet deal,' and goodbye -- and not help you -- then
that's the experience you're going to get the whole time you're
renting," Ross says.
Most people who are moving
are already under extreme stress, he says. Why add to it?
Cleanliness
A sloppy ship is not a happy ship. If there is trash in the vacant
cubicles, you should question whether the management is committed
to making things run smoothly, Ross says.
Ross recommends looking beyond
the space you are considering. Water spots on the floor might mean
ceiling leaks. Droppings might mean rodents. Ask what kind of pest
control is practiced.
The
contract
Make sure you read the contract. Yes, yes. It's dull, boring and
long, but it spells out what happens if you miss monthly payments.
Each state has lien laws that govern what the facility owner can
do if you stop paying. The bottom line is the same, Ross says --
eventually you end up forfeiting your property. It is often sold
at auction.
Jan Lindsey is a free-lance writer based
in Florida.
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