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CREbuilder

Task guide

Build a Self-Storage document

Build a self-storage OM from your unit mix, with unit occupancy, ancillary income, storage reserves, Price/Unit, and Price/SF.

20 to 50 minutesFor brokers selling self-storage facilitiesIntermediateLast verified October 5, 2026

Outcome

Your document shows storage inventory, occupancy, rents, and NOI with Price/Unit and Price/SF.

Navigation path

Create New > Self-Storage > Document wizard

Access

Document creation access

On this page

Before you start

Data, sources, and access to prepare

  • Storage unit count by type
  • Average rent and occupancy
  • Operating statement when Full Financials is used

Use Unit Inventory

Use Unit Inventory
AreaSelf-Storage behavior
Rent Roll labelUnit Inventory
OccupancyBy unit count
Price metricsPrice/Unit and Price/SF
Rent basesMonthly or Annual
Lease datesHidden
ReimbursementsHidden
VacanciesSupported

Enter category economics

Suggested other income

  • Late fees
  • Admin fees
  • Insurance
  • Truck rental
  • Retail and supplies

Underwriting notes

  • Occupancy in CREBuilder is physical: occupied units divided by total units. If you underwrite economic occupancy, show it through in-place rents and explain it in Property Data.
  • Price/SF uses the Building SF saved in Property Data. Enter net rentable SF there when buyers will compare price per NRSF.
  • Price/Unit is useful context, but storage usually trades on price per NRSF because unit sizes vary.

Unit Type Required

Storage size or product category.

Format
Plain-text storage category label
Units
Not applicable
Save behavior
Saved when the storage unit or Unit Mix drawer Save action succeeds.
Downstream effect
Labels the row in Unit Inventory and the Self-Storage presentation.

Number of Units Required

Count represented by a Unit Mix row.

Format
Positive whole number
Units
Storage units
Save behavior
Saved when the Unit Mix drawer Save action succeeds.
Downstream effect
Multiplies per-unit rent and area and contributes to total-unit occupancy and Price/Unit.

Average SF Recommended

Average rentable area for the category.

Format
Nonnegative number
Units
Square feet per storage unit
Save behavior
Saved when the storage unit or Unit Mix drawer Save action succeeds.
Downstream effect
Contributes to row area, total rentable area context, and applicable Price/SF output.

Monthly or Annual Rent Recommended

Per-unit current rent.

Format
Currency amount plus Monthly or Annual basis
Units
Currency per storage unit per month or per year
Save behavior
Saved when the storage unit or Unit Mix drawer Save action succeeds.
Downstream effect
Annualizes per-unit rent, multiplies grouped rows by count, and feeds storage base rent.

Facility Maintenance Optional

Storage label for the capital expenditure reserve.

Format
Nonnegative currency rate
Units
Currency per unit per year
Save behavior
Autosaves shortly after entry; reopen assumptions to confirm the value stayed.
Downstream effect
Deducts rate x total storage units (occupied plus vacant) below NOI.

Cap Improvements Optional

Storage label for the capital-improvements reserve.

Format
Nonnegative currency rate
Units
Currency per unit per year
Save behavior
Autosaves shortly after entry; reopen assumptions to confirm the value stayed.
Downstream effect
Deducts rate x total storage units (occupied plus vacant) below NOI.

Marketing/Leasing Optional

Storage label for the marketing and leasing reserve.

Format
Nonnegative currency rate
Units
Currency per unit per year
Save behavior
Autosaves shortly after entry; reopen assumptions to confirm the value stayed.
Downstream effect
Deducts rate x total storage units (occupied plus vacant) below NOI.

Required means the field is needed to complete or support this workflow. Some screens allow a draft to save before every required item is complete. The steps and troubleshooting call out controls the product actively blocks.

Complete the Self-Storage workflow

Self-Storage steps

  1. 1

    Select Self-Storage

    Create New, Select Property Type

    Choose Self-Storage.

    Expected result: Unit Inventory and storage labels activate.

    If this step does not work

    Change the property type in Property Details if needed.

  2. 2

    Verify total units and price

    Property Details

    Enter accurate unit count, area, and selling price.

    Expected result: Price/Unit and Price/SF have valid denominators.

    If this step does not work

    Correct property totals before entering grouped inventory.

  3. 3

    Choose the inventory layout

    Rent Roll, Unit Inventory > layout selector

    Select individual input or Unit Mix.

    Expected result: The inventory table matches the source schedule structure.

    If this step does not work

    Use Unit Mix when the source provides repeated category averages.

  4. 4

    Build Unit Inventory

    Rent Roll, Unit Inventory

    Enter occupied and vacant categories with count, SF, and per-unit rent.

    Expected result: Inventory count and annual rent reconcile.

    If this step does not work

    Check that grouped rent is per unit, not the category total.

    Populated self storage editor showing the property-specific fields used in this example.
    Review the populated self storage example and verify the units, property facts, and applicable model before preparing your own document.
  5. 5

    Enter storage income and expenses

    Income & Expenses

    Add fee, insurance, truck, retail, and operating-expense rows.

    Expected result: EGI and NOI reconcile.

    If this step does not work

    Do not enter generic tenant reimbursements because the storage configuration hides them.

  6. 6

    Verify output

    Review & Customize

    Check unit count, occupancy, Price/Unit, Price/SF, inventory labels, reserves, and financial pages.

    Expected result: The final document uses Self-Storage terminology throughout.

    If this step does not work

    Return to the source field for the first mismatch.

Resolve Self-Storage issues

Inventory rent is overstated

Likely cause: A total category rent was entered as per-unit rent and multiplied by unit count.

  1. Enter per-unit rent.
  2. Confirm category count.
  3. Recheck annual total.
Lease-date fields are missing

Likely cause: Self-Storage intentionally hides commercial lease dates.

  1. Use Unit Inventory fields.
  2. Add material operating context in notes if necessary.
Reserve dollars do not match per-unit math

Likely cause: Reserves equal rate x total storage units, occupied plus vacant. A missing vacancy row, a grouped count, or a different rate changes the total.

  1. Recalculate rate x total units.
  2. Check the unit counts in Unit Inventory.
  3. Correct the rate or the inventory row.
  • Unit count matches the facility
  • Occupied and vacant inventory reconciled
  • Per-unit rent correct
  • Other income entered
  • Price/Unit and Price/SF checked
  • Reserve dollars equal rate x total units

Related guides

Build unit, storage, and pad rent rolls

Enter apartments, storage units, or pads one by one or as a unit mix, and CREBuilder totals rent and occupancy with the right labels for each property type.

Open guide

Enter income and operating expenses

Enter other income and operating expenses from your T-12 or budget, and CREBuilder calculates effective gross income and NOI for every page that shows them.

Open guide

Verify financial pages before publishing

Do a final pass on the financial pages before you send: the right pages, the right labels, and numbers that tie out.

Open guide

Your next OM, done this afternoon

Turn your property facts, photos and financials into a polished, branded offering memorandum. Most brokers finish in 30 to 90 minutes.

Build your first OM freeSee self-storage OM templatesBrowse sample OMs

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