Want to buy a storage facility? Then you’ll need self storage financing—and you’ll want to know where to go BEFORE you find your first (or next) self storage investment. So, today, I brought on one of my favorite lenders, Live Oak Bank, to teach you how to finance a storage facility, no matter how much experience you have or how many facilities you’ve bought. They’ll reveal exactly what they need to see from you to lend, the biggest beginner mistakes that stop you from closing, and their outlook for 2025.

Anna Taylor and Bishesh Shrestha have worked with self storage investors for over a decade. At Live Oak, they lend to self storage investors just like you and even own some self storage investments themselves. But Live Oak isn’t like any other bank—they focus on self storage, SBA loans, and making your life WAY easier when buying a storage facility.

I went to their Wilmington, North Carolina headquarters to record the most value-packed episode on self storage financing around. Today, we’re talking about SBA loans, why they often wrongly get a bad rap, how to use them to buy your first or next facility, and why you should NOT get them from any regular lender. We talk about why Live Oak actually loves seller financing in a deal, how long they take to close, what down payment you’ll most likely need, and what to know in 2025 as interest rates and lending requirements have changed.

What you’ll learn in today’s show:

Why the SBA 7(a) loan is such a powerful financing option for self storage investors
How much of a down payment you’ll need to bring for an SBA loan
Creating a win-win for sellers (and you) by offering a seller financing component to your deal (lower interest rate!)
The #1 reason you MUST get underwritten by a lender BEFORE you start making offers
Biggest beginner mistakes that stop new investors from closing on their first facility

🌳 Work with someone experienced in self storage loans at Live Oak Bank! https://www.liveoakbank.com/business-loans/self-storage/