When it comes to the typical self-storage customer, renters living in tiny metropolitan apartments come to mind. But Tulsa, Oklahoma breaks the mold. The self-storage market thrives in this spacious rural town. Let’s take a look at why, and what the future may hold for cozy Tulsa. Why is Tulsa a Hot Spot for Self-Storage? Tulsa is a spacious town with large apartments and even larger homes. Why do residents crave extra space? An Amazon distribution center recently opened in the area, boosting employment for locals but also drawing in new residents who may be in need of more space. Amazon isn’t the only new employer. Though trade wars have stalled job growth, several initiatives already in the pipeline make the city’s economic prospects for 2019/2020 quite favorable. Tulsa is also a city for outdoor adventurers. Nestled along the Arkansas River, locals enjoy getting out on the water. Kayaks, canoes, stand up paddle boards and massive inflatables take up lots of space. The nearby Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area is a popular spot for mountain biking and horseback riding. Rather than filling garages and basements, Tulsans take advantage of affordable self-storage units. (More on unit affordability below.) The affinity with nature bears a dark side. Tulsa is prone to tornados. After devastating storms, families may salvage what is left and place it in storage units until their homes are reconstructed. Tulsa Self-Storage Market, Grown and Growing In Q3 2019, Yardi Matrix data revealed that the year-over-year change in Tulsa storage street rates was positive for most unit types. That’s excellent news, as most major cities in the region experienced a decline. What’s even more impressive is that this growth has happened without price hikes. Tulsa self-storage facilities have some of the lowest rental rates in the nation....

At ISS World Expo in Las Vegas this week, one of the largest conferences for self-storage professionals, Yardi Breeze Self Storage made its debut. The theme of the conference focused on perfecting the self-storage customer service experience, and Yardi’s latest product enables smaller operators of storage facilities to do just that. Yardi Breeze Self Storage is refreshingly simple software for self storage property management. It’s designed to help owners and operators with smaller portfolios increase efficiency, reduce IT headaches and save time and money. Self storage owners, investors and managers can use the innovative tools built into Yardi Breeze Self Storage to market, lease and manage their facilities from any device. These tools include: Full accounting: manage operations and financials in one place Integrated marketing: fill vacant units faster with syndicated online listings Automated reporting: generate and share financial reports via email or secure portal Online payments and maintenance: streamline collecting rent and fulfilling work orders Tenant communications: create, send and track emails and texts to renters A simple online setup process lets users start working in Yardi Breeze Self Storage right away; no lengthy implementation process is required. Unlimited live chat support is included. “Yardi Breeze Self Storage is easy to set up and simple to use. And amazing support is always there when I need it,” said Laura Van Tassel, self storage operations manager at Stuff It Storage, LLC and an early adopter of the new product. As operators’ needs expand, there is a growth path to the Yardi Self Storage Suite for larger portfolios. “Yardi now offers a range of software options for self storage businesses of all sizes. Yardi Breeze Self Storage builds on the success of our Yardi Breeze property management platform for smaller portfolios to deliver an easy...