[NeighborsComplaint]

Got a call from the sweet 90 year old lady with whom I have stored my car since the late '80's. She has a barn with a concrete floor that holds 4 cars, fenced outside storage for boats and RV's and also a large "tool shed". She said the heavy rains collapsed the roof of the tool shed onto some boats were stored inside.

She said she had a couple really unhappy customers and one was threatening legal action against her so she has decided to no longer store vehicles.

She always had the storers sign a waiver of liability acknowledging they carry their own insurance and store at their own risk. Apparently the one party just doesn't get it and feels she was negligent in letting the roof deteriorate.

My storage was only $40/Mo for Nov-April which was really a bargain.

[Judge273]

I guess I don't understand? Live around the area and we've had some rain but not bad? Doesn't matter if the barn or tool shed that collapsed is old and not structurally sound.
Wind is usually enough to take down those structures.

Prime winter month to month safe storage is hard to find around this area for sure...farms with barns are also in demand around the area too...

[NeighborsComplaint]

Yeah, I am not sure either unless it was an old flat roof that had sagged and collected water. I'm gonna take a drive by and see what it looks like if it hasn't already been torn down.

[Chris65LeMans]

Well, a low rent deal with a 90 year-old was probably bound to end within a few years, anyways. That's another way of looking at it.

[linden_gto]

well, it doesn't sound like an ideal situation to begin with, but good storage is can be a difficult thing. i've gotten to the point of considering safe warehouse space, taking on the lease myself, and then renting out space. the high-end personal garages (like Garages of Texas) can be quite expensive - their low end was around $70k and you have to buy the unit. other options just tend not to be ideal for car storage. i just need to feel safe about my cars in whatever scenario i might come up with. it also has to be an enclosure that your insurance company is willing to accept. i still like the idea of a smaller warehouse space and get some local owners to go in with me to make it affordable. then you have to consider location - i don't want my cars 30 minutes from the house and somewhere between my office and home would be ideal for a swap at any given time.

[1965gp]

I looked at those garages in Houston- $80k for a unit and a waiting list!

I ended up adding on but I eventually outgrew it and now had to get an additional storage unit. We have one locally that only stores vehicles and seems pretty secure.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Sooo,
Was the barn on her home property? Something you could buy and build on?
Everyone is different $$$ wise, just thinking out loud.
That $40.00 deal was awesome!

[NeighborsComplaint]

Yeah, her home is on the property. She sold the surrounding field acreage to developers when he husband could no longer farm it and kept the buildings and a couple acres. Her name is Luella and late husband was Elmer. They also had a working farm in DeKalb that I stored snowmobiles at one year when I got in too late. She sold that property some time back.

Every year I would call and expect the bad news that she either passed away or sold the property, Up until 2 years ago, I would see her cutting the grass on her John Deere! I( swear she is in better shape than me! I have a Plan B up in McHenry that I almost did last year as I figured she might call it quits on the storage.

Told her I'd still drop by from time to time just to say hi and she told me I owe her a ride in the car!