AUSTIN, TX - June 14, 2012 - SpareFoot, the self-storage web marketing solution, has released a new infographic to illustrate surprising facts about our industry’s size and growth as real estate’s “hidden giant.”

As the fastest-growing segment of REITs, the footprint of storage facilities doubled from 2000 to 2005. This shows there has been a rapid increase in consumer demand for storage space, particularly in the U.S., which owns around 86% of the global market.

The infographic also highlights how self-storage is a segmented industry. The data supporting this argument is jarring: As of 2011, 90% of all self-storage companies were owned by small business entrepreneurs. Only 9% are owned by UHaul and the four large publicly traded REITs.

About SpareFoot

SpareFoot is the world’s largest online marketplace for consumers to find and reserve self-storage units, with comparison shopping tools that show real-time availability and exclusive deals. Customers can easily make reservations online or over the phone. SpareFoot also provides web marketing solutions for storage facility owners and operators; the AdNetwork tool helps self-storage businesses modernize their marketing and win new tenants online. SpareFoot AdNetwork listings get more traffic than any comparable directory, featuring software integration and ROI-proving analytics for storage facilities. This fun tech startup is headquartered in Austin, TX. Visit SpareFoot.com to learn more.