Mason Gates

At 20 years old, I ran for public office in one of the most affluent communities in the U.S. Here's what came of it: 12,350 votes & 1 official loss. Yes, I lost. Not quite the inspiring victory story you might have expected. Thankfully, I don't believe in losing—only learning. So here’s what I learned: - Problem-solving at its core - Coordinating strategic efforts - Building and leading a team - Engaging in municipal politics - Grassroots fundraising - Public speaking But most importantly, I learned how to serve my community. Throughout the campaign, I connected with thousands of residents from diverse backgrounds, gaining a deeper understanding of the issues that matter most to them. And honestly, I can't be too disappointed. Over 1,300 people signed my petition to get on the ballot, we raised $20k+ in small-dollar donations, and I ran beholden to no one except the people I sought to represent. Many have asked me why I chose to run. The truth? My generation is often labeled as one of complaints and inaction. Sometimes, the change you're looking for is staring back at you in the mirror. Policy is easy. Politics is hard.

Advice to buyers: don’t send emails like this to brokers. If your first move is asking for a 30-minute Google Meet before you’ve even reviewed the deal, you’re signaling one thing: You’re not serious. Serious buyers ask for the data, underwrite quickly, and come back with real questions or an offer. They don’t send templated meeting requests to 20 brokers trying to workshop a structure that pushes all the risk onto the Seller. We can tell the difference immediately. Respect the process and you’ll get priority. Waste time and you’ll get filtered out.

JUST LISTED | 📍 Heights Mini Storage (Billings, MT) Pleased to share a new self-storage opportunity in Billings, MT. The ~13,400 NRSF facility, situated on 2.55 acres, is being offered at $850K ($63.50/NRSF), a clear discount to market with significant expansion potential. Currently 78% occupied with rents 40–72% below market, creating immediate upside through rate increases and improved management. Under conservative assumptions, the deal supports a projected 9.25% Year 2 CAP. The deal is further supported by strong demand, with 23 housing developments underway within 5 miles. For more details, contact me directly: 📲 (602) 946-4856 📧 mason.gates@matthews.com

JUST LISTED | 📍 Cohoe Storage & Business Center (Council Bluffs, IA) Cohoe Storage & Business Center is a 4-location portfolio totaling ~44,000 NRSF, currently operating at 57% physical occupancy and positioned for a clear path to stabilization. The portfolio is being offered at a significant discount to market, at nearly half of where comparable assets are trading, with a projected 11.71% Year 4 CAP under conservative underwriting. The primary location also features a business/office component along Broadway (~13,000 VPD), providing additional income diversification and visibility. Ownership has elected to divest due to limited operational focus, creating a compelling opportunity for a hands-on operator to drive lease-up, implement rental rate increases, and improve overall performance. For more details, contact me directly: 📲 (602) 946-4856 📧 mason.gates@matthews.com

🚨 IT'S OFFICIAL: Mass amounts of Americans are calling for the courts to be PURGED as San Francisco leftist Judge Linda Colfax released a criminal who FATALLY assaulted an 84YO — because she was worried prison would have a "poor impact" on him BETRAYAL.

@oasiscre It’s enough to make a grown man cry

@NetRSF that's a beauty

JUST LISTED | 📍 At Home Storage (Belgrade, MT) At Home Storage is a 95,660 NRSF / 601-unit traditional drive-up facility situated on 7.02 acres just minutes from Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport and directly surrounded by rapidly expanding residential and high-end multifamily development. Built between 2020–2024, the property features high-quality construction (paved drives, gated keypad access, on-site office) and is being offered at a basis at or near replacement cost. With the asset still in lease-up, there is a clear path to stabilization in a market where competing facilities are operating at ~90%+ occupancy. Additional upside exists through rental rate growth and ancillary income streams such as tenant insurance and admin fees. For more details, contact me directly: 📲 (602) 946-4856 📧 mason.gates@matthews.com

Sometimes you meet people who know exactly what they’re meant to do. My brother, @carsonkgates, is one of those people. Last Friday was Match Day. He matched ENT. For context, ENT is one of the most competitive specialties in medicine. Around 350 spots each year. Not a guarantee for anyone. Growing up, I spent a lot of time in his shadow. Not because he talked about it. Because of how he worked. Straight A’s. Division I tennis at Michigan State. Worked his way to the #1 spot by his senior year. Then medical school. Still found time to assistant coach the Mizzou women’s tennis team. From the outside, it looks like talent. It’s not. It’s discipline. Consistency. Years of doing the work without complaining. He picked a hard path early and followed through. Being around that forces a choice. Make excuses or raise your standard. I chose to raise mine. Proud of you Carson. Well earned!

Thank you to @CREXinc for the Platinum Broker Award!

Declassified CIA files reveal that, under President Lyndon B. Johnson, the military sprayed chemicals from planes, also known as SAIs (stratospheric aerosol injections) to modify the weather, per Daily Mail.

Two weeks ago I turned 23 Last week I was promoted to Associate Vice President. Four years ago, I bought this 2004 Civic on a credit card and crossed my fingers. They say you need luck or family in the business to succeed in brokerage. I say, you need neither. Grab a phone. Listen more than you talk. Respect your clients. Outwork everyone. It’s that simple. I’ve lost listings. I’ve had deals die. But the consistency remained because you can’t lose something you never had — and you never had something that wasn’t yours. Grateful to the clients, mentors, and friends who took a chance on a 19-year-old kid in a beat-up Civic and trusted me with decisions that mattered. Onward.

🚨 BREAKING: Public Storage ($PSA) acquires National Storage Affiliates ($NSA) for $10.5B Through the acquisition, PSA adds: • 1,000+ facilities • ~69 million NRSF • 37 states + Puerto Rico For years, consolidation fears in the self-storage sector have largely been centered around primary markets, where institutional operators already dominate. But this deal may signal something different. As Noah Starr (@TractIQ) put it: “PSA has historically looked like a primary-market operator. But NSA pushes them much further into secondary and tertiary markets.” Translation: Institutional capital is continuing to push deeper into markets that were historically dominated by regional and local operators. It will be interesting to see how this shapes competition, development pipelines, and valuations across the secondary and tertiary markets in the years ahead.

JUST CLOSED | 📍 Roth Self Storage (Omaha, NE) 48 Hours. That’s how long it took to secure an accepted from receipt of the signed listing agreement. This 243-unit / 32,300 NRSF self-storage facility attracted multiple pre-market LOIs, ultimately going under commitment within two days. Despite the deal closing at negative leverage, strong buyer conviction came from highlighting conservative upside and defensible underwriting. For more details, contact me directly: 📲 (602) 946-4856 📧 mason.gates@matthews.com

Los Angeles is so bad that you will get stabbed charging your car at the city library by a homeless man, and when an ambulance comes to save you, ANOTHER homeless man steals the ambulance while they’re tending to you at the scene leaving you no way to get to the hospital, and you die. Sounds like South Africa…

🚨 BREAKING: Hezbollah leader assassinated 10 minutes after announcing entry into the war.

*BLOCK SHARES JUMP 22% ON PLAN TO CUT NEARLY HALF OF WORKFORCE As if millions of lightbulbs suddenly went off in tech CEO heads, and billions of workers were suddenly fired

BREAKING 🚨: U.S. Banks Fed Reserve just pumped $18.5 Billion into the U.S. Banking System this week through overnight repos 🤯 This is the 4th largest liquidity injection since Covid and surpasses even the peak of the Dot Com Bubble 👀 Probably Fine, carry on

BREAKING: Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway announces it sold 77% of its Amazon, $AMZN, stake in Q4 2025, worth $1.7 billion. Buffett also sold $2.7 billion of Apple last quarter.

At what point does BNPL model become predatory