Can discounting hide weak demand?

A facility can look full and still be buying occupancy with discounts.

Discounting is one of the easiest ways to misunderstand performance. The 2026 Self Storage Almanac shows discounting around 20 percent in 2019, rising to roughly 35 percent during the pandemic peak, dropping below 15 percent in 2021, and remaining elevated at 17.7 percent in Q2 2025. When discounts are high, the advertised rent may not reflect the real economic rent. For sellers, discount discipline can improve buyer confidence. For buyers, discounts are a diligence item: how many tenants are on promos, how long do concessions last, and what happens when those tenants roll to standard rates?