November 19, 2025

Managing Director Anthony DiMarco offers insights into the growing self-storage market in Rochester and Monroe County.

At Security Mortgage Group LLC (“Security Mortgage”), we are proud to share that our Managing Director, Anthony DiMarco, was recently quoted in a feature article by the Rochester Business Journal titled “Why do self-storage units keep popping up in Rochester?”. 

In the article, Anthony discusses key trends in the self-storage sector in the Rochester and Monroe County region:

  • He highlights that during the COVID-19 pandemic the self-storage industry saw robust growth, and although activity has cooled since then, the market is still growing with occupancy rates remaining in the lower 90s. 

  • He notes that developing self-storage properties requires patience, since the leasing ramp can be slower—but once full they tend to maintain solid occupancy. 

  • He also underscores that although the perception is one of saturation, the data suggest the Rochester market remains under-served (supply at 5.06 square feet per person vs. demand at 8.0). 

These observations align with Security Mortgage’s deep experience in structuring financing solutions for income-producing commercial real estate, including self-storage.

Why this matters for our clients and partners
The self-storage sector continues to be a compelling asset class in the commercial lending and investment world. With relatively low operating costs, stable occupancy profiles, and favorable lease structures (often month-to-month), self-storage can be resilient across real estate cycles. As Anthony notes, even as growth slows, occupancy in the “lower 90s” is still an indicator of strength. From a financing and advisory perspective, that’s meaningful.

For developers, investors or property owners exploring self-storage in the Rochester/Monroe County region (or beyond), the RBJ article reinforces that:

  • There remains room for growth in select submarkets.

  • Due diligence must include realistic lease-up assumptions and geographic/radius-based demand analysis (since self-storage is hyper-local).

  • Capital structuring and lending partners that understand the nuances of this asset class, such as Security Mortgage, can provide a strategic advantage.

About Anthony DiMarco
As Managing Director of Security Mortgage, Anthony leads our commercial real–estate finance effort, focusing on creative capital solutions for income-producing assets. His commentary in the RBJ underscores the firm’s thought-leadership and hands-on expertise in niche sectors including self-storage, industrial, retail, and multi-family.

About Security Mortgage
Security Mortgage is a commercial mortgage brokerage firm based in Brighton, New York. We specialize in structuring debt and equity financing for a broad range of real-estate asset types. Our deep market knowledge, strong institutional relationships, and client-centric approach enable us to deliver tailored capital‐stack solutions that support acquisition, development, and refinancing strategies.

Stay Connected
To learn more about how Security Mortgage can help you evaluate, finance or structure a self-storage or other income-producing real-estate transaction, please contact us or follow our Insights page for the latest commentary and deal updates.