# #148 Self-Storage Real Estate with Jacob Vanderslice of Van West Partners

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/alt-funds-network-6503747/148-self-storage-real-estate-with-jacob-vanderslice-of-van-west-partners.md
Podcast: [Alt Funds Network](https://stenobird.com/podcast/alt-funds-network-6503747)
Published: 2026-05-29T05:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://altfunds.io/episodes/148-self-storage-real-estate-with-jacob-vanderslice-of-van-west-partners-CMOoU8Mu
Audio file: https://cdn.simplecast.com/media/audio/transcoded/0464ed47-c2ab-46cf-ad4b-764e80811bff/376b141b-aa11-4686-8a52-449a3ea1a713/episodes/audio/group/dc37e5a0-ec38-4dcd-b9b7-e1ea42c1ee7e/group-item/02647668-210b-4a0d-95f0-4f2fbd689ecb/128_default_tc.mp3?aid=rss_feed&feed=pR4BJY_p
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Duration seconds: 3456

## Resource

Background: Jacob is a principal at VanWest Partners, a self storage owner/ operator based out of Denver. Description: ​​Mike Schroeder and Skyler Steinke interview Jacob Vanderslice, principal of Van West Partners, a Denver-based self-storage owner-operator with 42 assets (~21,000 units, ~3.3M sq ft). Jacob shares his 20-year real estate background—starting with single-family (1,000+ projects), expanding into commercial, then pivoting to self-storage to become a longer-term operator. He explains why storage is operationally intensive (break-ins, gate damage, illegal activity), highly supply-sensitive within a three-mile radius, and difficult to forecast due to month-to-month leases and varied unit pricing. They discuss demand tied to mobility and higher mortgage rates reducing moves, resilience vs other asset classes, challenges in acquisitions (modeled ~900 deals, bought one small deal with seller financing), the benefits of self-managing via Clear Home Self Storage, staffing and expense pressures, capital raising headwinds, and using AI for revenue management, call center automation, and investor reporting.

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## Transcript

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