An occupancy report
Units by size, occupied and vacant, and current rates.
Donate a self-storage facility to charity, occupied or empty
Self-storage specialists: (888) 228-7320
Donate a Self-Storage Facility to Charity
Self-storage facilities are operating businesses built on real estate: hundreds of small rental agreements, a gate system, a management contract and a steady stream of maintenance. Real Estate with Causes accepts donated self-storage facilities nationwide, from small rural lots of drive-up units to climate-controlled buildings. Rental agreements and management contracts transfer, and we take over from the recording date.
Tell us about the property
Every property gets a look. Name, phone and email are the only required fields.
Fully IRS Compliant
We Handle the Paperwork
Form 8283 Done Right
501(c)(3) Recognized Charity
Occupancy and operations
A storage facility is valued mostly on its income, so occupancy, rental rates and operating expenses drive the appraisal. Tenant rental agreements are usually month to month and transfer with the property.
Management contracts
If a third-party manager runs the facility, the contract usually transfers or can be ended on notice.
Delinquent units and lien sales
Every facility has some. Tell us how many units are in default.
The tax side of donating a storage facility
For commercial property held more than a year, the deduction is generally its appraised fair market value, limited to 30% of AGI with a five-year carryforward, and depreciation taken on the building can reduce it. Your advisor will need your depreciation schedule.
Office equipment, gate systems and software licenses are personal property and may be handled separately from the real estate.
What to have ready when you call
Your management software can produce most of this.
Operating statements
Income and expenses for the past year or two.
The management agreement
If a third party operates the facility.
Self-storage donation questions, answered
What happens to the tenants’ rental agreements? +
They transfer with the facility. Tenants are notified of the new owner and continue under their existing terms.
Will you accept a facility with low occupancy? +
Yes, for review. Occupancy affects value, not whether a donation is possible.
What about units in default and pending lien sales? +
Tell us. Pending lien sales under your state’s self-storage law need to be handled correctly through the transfer.
Do the doors and roofs need repair first? +
No repairs are required. Condition is reflected in the appraisal.
Is a facility held in an LLC donated differently? +
The LLC makes the gift. How the deduction flows through depends on how the LLC is taxed.
We do not provide tax or legal advice. See IRS Publication 526, Publication 561 and the Form 8283 instructions, and consult your own advisor.
Related guides
Tell us about the facility and we will review it
Send the address, the unit count and the occupancy, and we will tell you plainly what a donation would look like.