Launch REI Weekly
AJ Osborne manages $400M in self-storage. Here's why he says it beats multifamily for most investors.
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Weekly Digest | March 3, 2026
The 5-minute REI brief.
One episode. One tool. One vote. Three headlines. Done.
This Week's Play
Episode #01 | 70 min
$400M in Self-Storage: Why AJ Osborne Says It's the Best Time Since 2008
- Why self-storage entry is $250K–$500K (vs. $2M+ for apartments) and how AI eliminated the need for VAs and research firms
- The exact moment AJ realized insurance was a "treadmill" with no compounding—and how storage became his MBA education in real time
- How small operators can now compete with REITs using tools that didn't exist 5 years ago (and why it's "the best time since 2008")
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One-liner takeaway
"It's not complicated, it's just different. Entry point is way lower, you can buy facilities for $250–500K, and it's a metal box."
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Do This Now (Deal Tool)
Storage vs. Multifamily Showdown in 90 seconds:
- Enter your available capital (just one number)
- See what you can buy in each asset class side-by-side
- Get instant winner based on cash flow, complexity, time commitment, and entry cost
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Investor Pulse
Which asset class are you most interested in for your next investment?
You'll see the results next week.
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Market Moves (Fast Recap)
Three headlines. One sentence each. Only what matters.
1) NYC Sues Extra Space Storage for Bait-and-Switch Pricing in First-Ever Lawsuit Against a Self-Storage Company
New York City's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection filed a landmark suit against the REIT—seeking $5M+ in penalties—after reviewing 100+ complaints alleging rates were jacked up by as much as 165% without notice, locks were changed to extort payment, and units were left vermin-infested. Regulators say the entire industry is on notice.
2) Uplift Development Closes Largest Self-Storage Deal in Colorado History—18 Properties, 500K Sq Ft Along I-70
The Colorado-based operator acquired Mountain Storage Management's entire mountain portfolio spanning Clear Creek and Grand Counties, locking up the majority of storage inventory along the I-70 mountain corridor. Plans include 70,000+ sq ft of new climate-controlled, boat/RV, and ski locker development.
3) Public Storage's Early 2026 Data: Occupancy Up, Move-In Rents Down—What It Means for the Market
The REIT's February 25 investor update shows same-store occupancy climbed to 91.7% from 90.6% a year ago—but average move-in contract rents fell from $12.52 to $11.93 per sq ft. More bodies in units, less money per door: the tension at the heart of 2026 self-storage investing.
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