Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
October 24, 2025
Levin Johnston Closes $18.8M Bay Area Self-Storage Sale
TLDR
- Levin Johnston secured an $18.775 million sale advantage by leveraging market momentum and their extensive investor network for a competitive buyer pool.
- Levin Johnston methodically facilitated the sale of a 49,922 square-foot Extra Space Storage facility by connecting a private seller with an institutional buyer for portfolio diversification.
- This transaction supports wealth management goals and provides stable investment opportunities that contribute to economic stability in the growing Bay Area community.
- The Fremont self-storage facility sold for $18.775 million features 568 units with drive-up access and serves a population expected to grow significantly.
Impact - Why it Matters
This transaction demonstrates the evolving dynamics in commercial real estate investment strategies, particularly in high-growth markets like the Bay Area. For investors, it highlights the strategic value of self-storage properties as both standalone investments and portfolio diversification tools, especially during economic uncertainty. The deal reveals how experienced brokerage teams can leverage market knowledge and investor networks to maximize returns even in competitive environments. For the broader commercial real estate market, it signals continued confidence in alternative asset classes and the importance of location-specific factors like population growth, employment centers, and transportation infrastructure. The transaction also illustrates how institutional investors are actively scaling their presence in specific markets through strategic acquisitions, potentially influencing local property values and investment patterns.
Summary
Levin Johnston of Marcus & Millichap, one of the nation's premier commercial real estate brokerage teams specializing in wealth management through strategic property investments, has successfully closed the $18.775 million sale of a 49,922 square-foot Extra Space Storage facility in Fremont, California. The transaction involved 568 storage units and showcased the team's expertise in navigating complex commercial real estate deals. Levin Johnston represented the seller, a private real estate investor who had previously focused on multifamily properties, while procuring the buyer—an institutional self-storage developer, operator, and manager with an extensive portfolio of over 80 properties nationwide. The property had been professionally managed by Extra Space Storage for five years, providing stable cash flow during volatile market conditions in the Bay Area region.
According to Adam Levin, Executive Managing Director of Levin Johnston, the seller strategically capitalized on favorable market momentum and heightened regional interest to transition back into multifamily assets, leveraging the Bay Area's strong economic foundation and enduring appeal as a residential and commercial hub. The Levin Johnston team demonstrated their value by tapping into their extensive investor network to create a competitive buyer pool, ultimately achieving a higher price per square foot despite lower cap rates compared to recent market comparables. Matthew McCaffrey, Self-Storage Specialist at Levin Johnston, emphasized that the buyer was particularly attracted by the opportunity to scale their Bay Area portfolio and implement value-add enhancements to maximize the asset's long-term potential, especially given Fremont's growing population demographics that favor self-storage utilization.
The transaction underscores the strategic importance of self-storage as both an alternative and complementary asset class to multifamily real estate, offering portfolio diversification and wealth-building opportunities. Robert Johnston, Executive Managing Director, highlighted Levin Johnston's commitment to expanding their self-storage platform to capture similar opportunities for clients seeking stable returns. The Fremont location benefits from strong economic drivers including proximity to major employers like Facebook and Tesla, excellent transportation access via Interstate 680, Interstate 880, Dumbarton Bridge, and multiple rail systems, plus competitive amenities including drive-up access, controlled entry, and 24-hour surveillance. With this sale, Levin Johnston has now completed 64 transactions totaling over $370 million in 2025, reinforcing their position as leaders in commercial real estate investment services. For more information about available investment opportunities, visit www.levinjohnston.com.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by citybiz. Read the original source here, Levin Johnston Closes $18.8M Bay Area Self-Storage Sale
