Why Steven Pivoted to Self-Storage

Think building a portfolio or “retiring” with real estate is too far out of reach? Just eight years ago, today’s guest was graduating from college and starting a full-time job. Now, he makes six-figure cash flow and has ditched his W-2 job before the age of 30—all thanks to an investing strategy that allows you to build wealth without tenants or toilets: self-storage.

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! At just 23 years old, Steven May did what so many rookies are afraid to do: He bought a house, rented out the rooms, and used his cash flow to help buy the next one. But then, he discovered self-storage investing and everything changed. His first facility was the kind of deal most investors only dream of—one he purchased for roughly the same price as a single-family home that cash flows over $3,500 a month!

But pivoting from residential to commercial real estate wasn’t easy. Steven had to learn a new asset class, where to find deals, and how to get enough capital to scale his real estate portfolio. But in this episode, he’ll show you each step he took to go from buying simple, single-family house hacks to multimillion-dollar self-storage facilities!

In This Episode We Cover

Buying seven self-storage facilities in just five years (before turning 30!)

Why Steven pivoted from residential real estate to self-storage investing

Steven’s “playbook” for buying your first self-storage facility in 2026

The best ways to fund self-storage deals (and “recycle” your money)

How to increase self-storage revenue with simple, operational improvements

Scaling your self-storage portfolio fast through investing partnerships

And So Much More!

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