Self-storage places?

LUDUS

New member
May 7, 2002
24
0
0
Are there any of those rent-a-garage self-storage places on the North Coast? I don't remember seeing any and I haven't found anything useful on the web.
 

XanaduRanch

*** Sin Bin ***
Sep 15, 2002
2,493
0
0
A friend and I had looked into opening one as a business here three years ago after I moved here. We had heard at the time of people having to go to Santo Domingo to store their things. Never found one along the north coast at that time.

One problem is that office & rental property is so inexpensive (we just rented a new 4BED/3BATH house in Santiago for US$130.mo) that it's easier for most folks just to rent a small office/small house with security somewhere for US$50.mo and pack all your stuff in there.

Maybe things have changed, but I personally still don't know of any such businesses.

Tom (aka XR)
 

Jwb

New member
Jan 10, 2002
254
0
0
Be patient and hang in there.

A well respected veteran poster and myself , are currently looking into it. Strange coincidence you should post on this subject, I was just thinking about contacting rob and ask for his permission to conduct a poll on how many people would be willing to use this service if it was made available?
 
Last edited:

andy a

Bronze
Feb 23, 2002
532
0
0
Not in your lifetime.

It has been said that the purpose of a lock is to keep honest people honest.

Any fixed, visible, valuable (to somebody) object in the DR becomes a target for theft - and it's just a matter of time.

As a simple little test, try putting a gallon of gasoline inconspicuously on your back porch and see how long it takes for a neighbor to try to "borrow" it. If you refuse, wait a few more days to see how long it takes for it to disappear.

A self storage place as we know it would require armed, gringo guards.
 

XanaduRanch

*** Sin Bin ***
Sep 15, 2002
2,493
0
0
Exactly, Andy. And more.

When we looked into it there were other issues here that you wouldn't find say in the U.S. I didn't have much money then so we thought about buying back from a bank, or buying some property on term, or leasing something. Found that if the property wasn't 100% owned you'd lose about 90% of your potential customers. 50% would disappear if security company was Dominican and not using some full time Gringo supervision, etc. Just made the thing way too expensive considering real estate rental prices here.

Tom (aka XR)
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
Here is my "FREE" advice! (So You Know What Its Worth!)

I would by a piece of raw land along the road between Sosua and Cabarete.I would build 20 10 X 15 foot units,Cement blocks,8",and about 30 units 5X 10FT. All would have steel roll-up doors.I would have room to expand! I would build an elevated "Guard House",have 24 hour armed guards,security cameras,and surround the whole complex with Hurricane fence,topped by "Razor Wire",and a few rolls of "Wire on the outside of the fence!Well lit!Now I will provide you with my "Pure Bread",Falkand Island Hunter" guard dogs!You start with a male & female,and then you will "make" as many more as you want! Dominicans are afraid of dogs!!!!Put up some large signs at the site,as well as billboards all along the road from west of Puerto Plata to east of Cabarete!
3 months paid in advance,any "goods" left for more than 60 days without payment of storage fees will be sold at public auction,and the proceeds used to pay un-paid fees!
There you go!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCccris "Guard Dog"Colon:eek:gre: :eek:gre: :eek:gre: :dead:

Don't forget to make the rental fees payable in US Dollars,or the daily Santo Domingo exchange rate!I can't believe how they "short change" the tourist on the North Shore!

"IF YOU BUILD IT,THEY WILL COME!"
 
Last edited:

XanaduRanch

*** Sin Bin ***
Sep 15, 2002
2,493
0
0
I don't know if it's changed, but while real-estate is relatively cheap here if you do your homework, anything with frontage on that road is very expensive by Dominican standards. I am getting older but I remember an initial quote on some in the range of $75/sqm for frontage as compared with maybe $10-$15/sqm in something like Lomas Mironas. That's astronomical! I may have been too green, been able to negotiate that to half, or maybe things were more then when the peso was 15:1. But, that's like US$45K/acre for a homsite up the road, and US$300K/acre on the roadside.

Feel free to tell me I was an idiot then. I was!
 

Jwb

New member
Jan 10, 2002
254
0
0
Convenience cost !

I agree with both of you on how difficult and expensive of a venture it would be. But hey, convenience comes at a price. My only corncern is how many people would be willing to pay (anywhere between $ 40 to $100 a month depending on the unit) for a clean, secure and professionally operated depot. I don't believe too many local dominicans would be able to afford it. :ermm: I am not being sarcastic but at the current economic situation of the country. I suspect the majority of the customers would have to be local gringo's or tourist or you wouldn't be in business for long.
 
Last edited:

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
We will have "ESCOTT" negotiate the land deal.You should see the homesite he bought!

With an ocean view , 15K!We want a piece of land,not a "Homesite".I think you can find a "Motivated Seller"somewhere along that stretch of "Highway",maybe a few hundred meters off the highway would work,if you have a good access road,and view of the storage complex from the road!
cccccccccccc
 

XanaduRanch

*** Sin Bin ***
Sep 15, 2002
2,493
0
0
We got the idea from a couple of American friends who had spent some months living here. When it came time to go back they had amassed furniture, air conditioners, motorcycles, etc. and could do nothing but either sell them or give them away. If it became well known enough between say Puerto Plata and Cabrera there might be enough business to support it.

My problem from a business standpoint was that it required a high initial investment, not just for the land, the buildings, the insurance, the security, etc. but also for operating capital to keep it running while you built up clients to the point that it could be self-sufficient. There's no way to 'ease' into it. I prefer business models that allow me to test the waters and the expand using the profits. Can't see how that could be done, so you'd be very dependent on really doing your homework to know exactly what potential customers are out there. That also, is very hard to do down here.

P.S.
There also seems to be a cultural component because folks here, even transplants, seem to not value possessions as highly. Not like in the US where we buy our stuff and then have companies to haul it all across God's green earth for us.
 
Last edited:

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
If we are all sooooooo SMART,.........

..how come we all ain't RICH???? At least we will have something to discuss over a FEW beers at "Eddy's" next time we get together on the North Shore!Cris

If the "Storage" business goes bust,we just revert to "PLAB-B"! We make all the units into Cabanas!!!!!!!! ;)
 

XanaduRanch

*** Sin Bin ***
Sep 15, 2002
2,493
0
0
Somehow I knew that was coming ...

Cabanas Turisticas de Colon! Donde tu disfruta la distencia! Or something like that. Jajajajajaja!

P.S.
Have you been talking to my ex-wife? "If you're so smart how come you're not rich ..." :: shudder :: I would have been rich if I'd a had a nickel for every time she said that. But then I am here and she's not!
 

LUDUS

New member
May 7, 2002
24
0
0
Condo storage?

The land wouldn't need major frontage - web and local expat word of mouth not visibilility would matter. What about "condo" storage? It would be very odd in the US/Canada but the target market is not really people who are between houses or have a temporary storage problem but people who want to follow the good advice on DR1 and rent/visit often before even thinking of buying. "Condo"storage would let you buy a secure little space to keep your stuff without sinking a lot of money into real estate or worrying about the details and payments for ad hoc storage rental. A big part of what many people really want when they daydream about buying a place is just a safe place to leave clothes/golf clubs/fishing tackle/appliances -etc. so when they come back they can travel light and still do things that require their "stuff". A condo legal structure would let the developer collect the capital up front rather than gambling on making it back in rentals over time (though space for rent could be included too and "condo" owner could have their space rented to others if not in use).
 

Escott

Gold
Jan 14, 2002
7,716
6
0
www.escottinsosua.blogspot.com
XanaduRanch said:
One problem is that office & rental property is so inexpensive (we just rented a new 4BED/3BATH house in Santiago for US$130.mo) that it's easier for most folks just to rent a small office/small house with security somewhere for US$50.mo and pack all your stuff in there.
Tom (aka XR)
Tom, are you doing drugs? Small house with security for 50 bux a month?
 

XanaduRanch

*** Sin Bin ***
Sep 15, 2002
2,493
0
0
No. Although thanks to CC's advice I am going to try some of that Dominican Viagra tonight!!!!

I guess I just get better deals than you. I have rented two houses for workers in the last month for less tha $50/mo. Nice places, too with swimming pools, etc. An office space in town with security is about the same.

Tom (aka XR)
 

Chris

Gold
Oct 21, 2002
7,951
28
0
www.caribbetech.com
Drugs?

No, Tom is not doing drugs. (At least not that I know of). I've seen these places but I must say it is probably a matter of location and timing. There was a shoot-out there a few years ago between some bandidos and some german folk. So, everyone is scared of the place. Nice Houses! Right in the development that I told you about a few months ago, Escott.

I still think this is a good deal and we should look at buying the whole development.
 

XanaduRanch

*** Sin Bin ***
Sep 15, 2002
2,493
0
0
You can't have the WHOLE development! Xanadu is not for sale. LOL. And no, no drugs. Just this chili I made last night which should be classified as dangerous. At least I have learned that if I make it hot enough, no Dominican can stand to touch it ... so for once I have found a food that I can cook that doesn't 'disappear' mysteriously from the refirgerator. "Who ate my _____?!" "Ida Know!" "Not Me!"
 

Escott

Gold
Jan 14, 2002
7,716
6
0
www.escottinsosua.blogspot.com
Re: Drugs?

Chris said:
No, Tom is not doing drugs. (At least not that I know of). I've seen these places but I must say it is probably a matter of location and timing. There was a shoot-out there a few years ago between some bandidos and some german folk. So, everyone is scared of the place. Nice Houses! Right in the development that I told you about a few months ago, Escott.

I still think this is a good deal and we should look at buying the whole development.
Show me a small home in a protected developement for 50 bux a month and I will rent it and not buy the damn thing. Sheesh for 600 a year who the hell needs to buy? I will rent one tomorrow or today better.

Scott
 

Escott

Gold
Jan 14, 2002
7,716
6
0
www.escottinsosua.blogspot.com
XanaduRanch said:
No. Although thanks to CC's advice I am going to try some of that Dominican Viagra tonight!!!!

I guess I just get better deals than you. I have rented two houses for workers in the last month for less tha $50/mo. Nice places, too with swimming pools, etc. An office space in town with security is about the same.

Tom (aka XR)
You are my hero. I would like to rent one with a pool today. I am not kidding! Where do I go and how do I sign on the dotted line? I will pay a year in advance. I don't need no stankin office space!