Update 7/21/21 – VanWest has acquired a two-property self-storage portfolio in Hickory and Shelby, North Carolina, through Fund II. Together, the facilities comprise 219,000 net rentable square feet in 1,570 units, including 127 boat/RV-storage spaces. The facilities will be rebranded under the company’s ClearHome management platform, according to a press release.
“The North Carolina portfolio adds diversity and depth to the Fund II portfolio, and complements our existing North Carolina locations by enabling us to spread fixed operating expenses across a larger, more geographically concentrated asset base,” Vanderslice said. “We’re thrilled to join the Shelby and Hickory business communities, and look forward to serving our customer base as we rebrand and improve the facilities.”
The company has now acquired nine storage facilities and deployed nearly $50 million in gross capitalization since launching Fund II in January. With the latest purchase, VanWest owns self-storage properties in 12 metropolitan markets in eight states. It expects to close on additional acquisitions in Florida and Illinois during the third quarter, the release stated.
4/7/21 – VanWest has acquired a five-property self-storage portfolio in Michigan through Fund II. Two of the facilities are in Greater Detroit, and three are in the Grand Rapids market. Together, the properties comprise more than 265,000 net rentable square feet in 1,628 units, including 232 boat/RV spaces. The facilities will be rebranded under the company’s ClearHome management platform, according to a press release.
“We're excited to add the Michigan portfolio to Fund II, and we look forward to acquiring additional facilities in the Grand Rapids and Detroit markets,” Vanderslice said. “The geographic concentration of the portfolio compliments our other Midwest markets nicely and positions Fund II to further benefit from the economies of scale that a large, diverse portfolio offers.”
So far this year, VanWest has acquired seven storage facilities for about $30 million. The company and its affiliates have now invested in 30 self-storage projects comprising more than 1.5 million net rentable square feet in more than 12,000 units.
1/18/21 – VanWest has launched a second fund, VanWest Self Storage Fund II LLC, to pursue value-add self-storage acquisitions across the United States. Fund I closed in August with approximately $30 million in assets acquired in Florida, Illinois, North Carolina and Tennessee, according to a press release.
“Our latest opportunity is a continuation of our fund strategy—reliable income with capital appreciation and geographic diversification,” Vanderslice said. “Our asset base in Fund I navigated the challenges of 2020 and ended the year with positive [net operating income] and occupancy growth. We believe this reinforces the fact that self-storage is a defensible asset class, especially during times of uncertainty.”
VanWest and its affiliates have now invested in 25 self-storage projects comprising more than 1.25 million net rentable square feet in more than 11,000 units.
8/22/19 – VanWest Partners, an investment firm specializing in residential and commercial real estate acquisition, management and sales, has formed VanWest Storage Fund I LLC with the acquisition of two self-storage facilities in Mary Esther and Pensacola, Fla. The fund’s primary focus is creating and maintaining investor wealth through local, alternative investments in self-storage real estate, according to a press release.
“We create value for investors and partners by acquiring undermanaged self-storage facilities, rebranding the facility, optimizing expenses and driving revenue growth,” said Jacob Vanderslice, managing partner of VanWest Partners.
VanWest intends to use the fund to acquire up to 12 self-storage facilities comprising about 400,000 net rentable square feet before closing the fund next year. Vanderslice expects the fund to have a $30 million capitalization comprised of $20 million in debt and $10 million in equity, he told the source. As of June 28, it had collected about $1.65 million in equity from 10 investors, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The company purchased Florosa Self Storage at 2371 W. Highway 98 in Mary Esther and American Mini Self Storage at 801 S. Old Corry Field Road in Pensacola. Together, they comprise more than 85,000 square feet. VanWest plans to upgrade the sites with new technology and a new property-management platform.
The fund is pursuing facilities in the Midwest and Southeast with a minimum of 25,000 net rentable square feet and occupancy rates of at least 50 percent. Fund-owned facilities will be branded as ClearHome Self Storage, a management platform wholly owned by VanWest. Prior to the fund, the company owned five self-storage assets, the source reported.
“With a surge in new-supply deliveries peaking soon in markets like Portland, Nashville, Orlando and Seattle, we believe certain markets will loosen up and create acquisition opportunities in the next few years,” Vanderslice told the source.
The fund provides an investment opportunity that combines income, principal investment growth and elements of capital preservation, the release stated. Once it closes, VanWest will launch a second fund also aimed at self-storage investment, Vanderslice told the source.
VanWest Partners and its affiliates have invested more than $195 million in real estate, including 13 self-storage projects totaling more than 765,000 rentable square feet. These comprise multi-story ground-up developments, adaptive reuse and value-add to existing sites.
Sources:
Johnson City Press, VanWest Partners Acquires Two Properties for Second Self Storage Fund
PR Newswire, VanWest Partners Acquires Five Property Portfolio in Michigan
PR Newswire, VanWest Partners Launches Second Self Storage Fund
SpareFoot Storage Beat, $30 Million Investment Fund Targets 10 to 12 Self-Storage Acquisitions
Yahoo Finance, VanWest Partners Launches Self Storage Fund with Two Acquisitions
