[Amerigomag]

Not to burst the bubble but the reasoning behind the pricing is based on the unit's chance of return.

The COR (chance of return) is based on two factors. Population and changing demographics.

In the case of California population is the chief factor. There are simply so many more people in California than Washington, Oregon, Idaho or Nevada that the odds of a prompt return are low. Even if a similar percentage of populations in the periferal states were changing demographics you'd still end up with the units all stacked in the periferal states.

[Russian Sage]

Also, the rates don't just reflect the difficulty of keeping U-Hauls in California, but the value of keeping a U-Haul in Califormia. The intrastate U-Haul business in populated states so dwarfs the business in Las Vegas or Boise that having a trailer/van sitting out there is a pointless drain of capital.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Exactly..LOL...

I wonder why this Chicago economist didn't look at the price of homes, and how fast homes are bought when they go on the market in Cal. He should have looked at the low inventory of existing homes for sale. Most realtors would kill for listings, as the percentage of people looking to buy are far greater than existing homes that are avaiable.

Of course some here will tell us that it's the illegal aliens that are buying those $500,000 (and up) homes.

:o

[arthurus]

However you figure it the numbers can only show that more uhauls are leaving than entering. California is losing settled people- those with possessions. It is no different if the surrounding states are heavily populated or not. We are not measuring change relative to these other states at all.

[singsong]

Not to burst the bubble but the reasoning behind the pricing is based on the unit's chance of return. The COR (chance of return) is based on two factors. Population and changing demographics.

Not correct. The chance of return depends only on the differnce between inflow and outflow rates which equals the rate of empty truck returns. You did not get to the example about Chicago and Detroit. They are not comparable cities either. Operating costs, like garage, may have something to do with it but not much because trips in both directions incure them. Population only influances how many destinations will LA folks go to and from not the chance of return.