The De Jong Self Storage Team at Colliers has launched a dedicated buy-side representation service for investors acquiring self storage assets, expanding the team's long-standing listing and advisory work. Led by Executive Vice President and Founding Principal Tom de Jong, SIOR, the team says about half of its transactions this year have represented buyers rather than sellers. The move signals a strategic shift in a sector where most buyers have historically gone unrepresented, seeing only actively marketed properties and underwriting based on seller-provided numbers.
The new service brings on Colin Phelan, who spent the past 10 years at a family office acquiring self storage properties, where he was directly involved in underwriting, financial analysis, and acquisitions. Phelan and Dylan de Jong are building systems that compile available self storage listings from across the market and categorize them by market, price, and other criteria. The team is currently tracking 453 active listings. "If a buyer calls and says, 'I'm looking to get into the self storage space, and I'd like to spend up to $5 million,' we can send them 50-plus listings right away," said de Jong. "Depending on the requirement, that could be anywhere from 20 to 100 opportunities."
Self storage listings are spread across LoopNet, Crexi, List Self Storage, individual broker websites, and dozens of other sources. The team pools those listings in one place, pre-screens each opportunity, runs a quick analysis and underwriting, and recommends which properties fit the buyer's buy box. "We're focused on building tools that help buyers be much more efficient," said de Jong. "There are a hundred different places you can go to find listings. We pool all of that based on our years of experience, so buyers see the full universe of what's available. Then we do the screening, so they don't have to go through each listing to find the good and the bad."
"You could call us your outsourced acquisitions team," de Jong added. According to the team, most self storage buyers go unrepresented, seeing only what is actively marketed and underwriting off numbers the seller has built. The buy-side service covers deal sourcing, operator-level underwriting, and support through closing, including debt and equity coordination and post-close operational setup.
The implications of this announcement are significant for the self storage investment landscape. By offering buy-side representation, the De Jong team is addressing a longstanding information asymmetry that has favored sellers. Buyers now gain access to a comprehensive, pre-screened database of listings, which could lead to more informed acquisition decisions and potentially more competitive pricing. This service may also encourage more buyers to enter the market, knowing they have expert support in sourcing and underwriting deals. For sellers, increased buyer representation could mean a more efficient transaction process, as buyers are better prepared and more decisive. The launch also reflects broader trends in commercial real estate where technology and data aggregation are transforming how deals are sourced and executed. With 453 active listings already tracked, the team is positioning itself as a central hub for self storage acquisitions, potentially reshaping how investors navigate this niche sector.
