There are many reasons why individuals look into barns as a form of storage. They are usually more affordable, more accessible, and can often offer more space for storage for less money. There are also a lot of people who have barns that they are no longer using that just sit empty. Most barns are typically used for animal housing or storage for farm equipment and products. There are many people who are no longer farming or using their barns for their previous purpose and can make passive income off of this extra space. This article will go into the steps of renting a barn out as well as how to find a barn for rent near you if you are looking for barn storage.
5 Steps to Renting Out Your Barn
If you are a barn owner that has an empty barn sitting on your property, you can earn money by renting out this space. Here are a few guidelines to follow when preparing your barn for storage and how to begin making money off of your extra space.
Step One: Check your Local Zoning Laws
There are a few different types of land zoning that restrict what type of vehicles and items can be stored on specific types of land. Most barns will probably be located on property that is under agricultural zoning laws. If you have a barn on your property, you have probably already had to get a permit to build a barn. It is important to check your local zoning laws to ensure that you are able to store vehicles, commercial equipment, or other items that individuals may be looking to store in your barn. This is the first and most important step because if you do not have the right permits you can be cited by your city and be asked to remove any items you may have stored on your property. To find out your zoning laws, you can email, call, or visit your local zoning office. Or-sometimes-zoning maps are available on your city's website.
Step Two: Prepare your Barn for Storage
It is important that your barn is clean before making the space available for individuals to start storing their items. The most important thing is that there are no leftover supplies still in the space. If you are looking to rent out the whole barn for events, there can be nothing left in the barn. If you are looking to rent out the barn for vehicle or equipment storage, it will be okay if you still have a few pieces of your personal equipment still in the barn. For the best results, you should sweep the floors to eliminate all dust and debris. You may want to use a leaf blower first then sweep after. You will want to ensure there is no mold or mildew in the barn. A quick and effective way to remove mold and mildew on the barn surfaces is by using a powerwasher, but it is also recommended to use a cleaning solution throughout the barn as well. Having a clean and presentable barn will be one of the main factors of success in getting renters and advertising your space. The photos you use of your space will be the first thing potential new renters see, so it is important to make a good first impression. You can learn more tips about cleaning your barn here.
Step Three: Decide what You are Willing to Store
There are many different purposes for barn storage. You can rent it out for livestock housing, events such as weddings and parties if your barn is well-kept and aesthetically pleasing, workspaces for individuals who need a space for their side projects or hobbies, and vehicle or equipment storage. There are a few things to consider when deciding what type of storage you allow including that if you choose one type of storage you will not be able to accommodate other types of storage. It is important to consider all of the liabilities and responsibilities you may have depending on what type of storage you choose to accommodate. Vehicle and equipment storage is probably the most hands-off and manageable type of storage to look into. STOW IT works with barn owners to help rent out their barns for vehicle storage. They do not allow anyone to live or work on-site and handle the whole process including marketing, booking, payments, and customer support.
Step Four: Do Market Research to Find the Right Price
Deciding the pricing for renting out your barn can be tricky depending on how you go about renting the space. If you are going to rent the whole barn out it will be priced differently than if you are going to rent out to multiple individuals with different items. You may be able to gain more off of your barn if you choose to rent out to multiple individuals looking to store their vehicles such as cars, trailers, tractors, boats, etc. than if you were to rent the whole barn out to one individual. The best way to decide how to price your barn is to search nearby spaces through google or STOW IT. STOW IT barns are typically broken up into pricing based on the size of individual items, but you may be able to use that as a benchmark if you are looking to rent out your whole barn. The best practice is to do research on similar spaces near you and price your barn based on what you find.
Step Five: Chose the Right Platform to Find Renters
Once your barn is prepared for storage the most important step throughout the rest of the process will be finding renters. There are a few ways to market your space to find the right renters for the barn. A few popular ways to advertise your space include:
- Use STOW IT
- Signage around your local area
- Listing your space on Craigslist
- Reach out to any connects that may need vehicle or equipment storage
How to Find Barn Storage Near You
If you have made it this far in the article, you can tell that there is a lot of supply for barn storage near you. If you are looking for a barn for rent near you for vehicle storage the first place you should check is STOW IT. This is the best place to find all types of vehicle storage. You can search in your local area and find all availability for barn storage near you. If you are looking for barn storage for other endeavors such as a workspace, event location, or other items you can look into Craiglist or Facebook marketplace. There are also event management websites to find a barn for rent if you are looking for one for a party or other event.
Ultimately, if you are looking for barn storage for vehicle storage STOW IT is the best avenue to connect you with barn owners near you. This will be the easiest way to find a barn for rent near you at an affordable price. View all of STOW IT's availability here.