Permanent Financing
Permanent Financing Options for Self Storage Properties
Permanent Senior Debt for Self-Storage Properties
Long-term capital, when leveraged correctly, can improve an investor’s returns. Permanent financing options for self storage properties benefit investors greatly — offering maximized amortizations, lower interest rates, and better cash flow overall. Many types of lenders are able to offer permanent financing options, but there are important differences in the details of each of these options worth considering before making a choice.
Life companies, for example, usually offer the most aggressive permanent financing, but they heavily favor Class A storage facilities in top markets. Life companies also offer lower leverage and shorter amortizations, although in most cases longer-term, fixed-rate loans are fully amortizing.
CMBS loans, on the other hand, have a minimum $2 million amount and offer the highest leverage — up to 75% — with up to 30-year amortizations. Even so, the spreads on conduit loans lead to higher interest rates than life company loans due to liquidity issues in secondary markets.
Bank loans are often considered to be the middle ground between the previous two self storage loan options. There is always healthy competition for bank financing, so with larger transactions of $25 million or more, lenders tend to become more aggressive with financing terms. Additionally, at that size, pension funds and large institutional lenders may become involved as well.
2022 Commercial Mortgage Terms for Permanent Financing
Minimum Loan: $1 million
Term: Up to 10 years
Leverage: Up to 75% LTV
Amortization: 20 to 30 Years
Recourse: Nonrecourse options available
Prepayment: Defeasance, step-down, or yield maintenance
Life companies
National and regional banks
Institutional lenders
Pensions funds
Private debt funds
Lowest rates
Longest terms
Best leverage
Longest amortizations
Fixed rates
Call protection (expensive prepayment penalties)
Limited ability to recapitalize (with sale or refinance)