question Brandable .com pricing — one number or two?

[DomainGemsAI]

Two sales caught my eye. Very different names and different categories. Both sold at premium price points for brandable .coms.

goka.com — $399,995 (Spaceship)
PrivateLLM.com — $250,000 (Afternic, late Feb)

When you have a brandable .com with a clear end-user buyer, do you set one number you would accept from anyone? Or do you
think about a higher number for the right buyer?

Curious to listen and learn from the community on this.

 

[Future Sensors]

The PrivateLLM.com example doesn't qualify as a brandable domain.

 

[bmugford]

It shows that every domain is one of a kind, and you only need the right buyer.

However, without that right buyer even great domains sit on the shelf collecting dust for years.

Brad

 

[Future Sensors]

However, without that right buyer even great domains sit on the shelf collecting dust for years.

Dust reminds me of Stud.com.

 

[Future Sensors]

When you have a brandable .com with a clear end-user buyer, do you set one number you would accept from anyone? Or do you
think about a higher number for the right buyer?

In my case, managing a portfolio of about 3,500 mostly .com domains, I don't really think in terms of "one number for everyone" versus "a higher number for the right buyer". I think in pricing tiers, because at that scale you simply can't (and shouldn't) obsess over individual names.

Most of my inventory sits in an affordable tier, around $2,950, because that's where the bulk of STR‑driven revenue comes from.

Some names are priced lower, some higher, and a small slice is priced in the true moonshot range. But even among experienced domain investors, nobody can give a perfectly rational, formula‑based explanation for why a specific domain is priced at a specific number. It's all about portfolio‑level economics, not single‑asset logic.

People often overanalyze individual sales they see in daily NameBio reports, but what they don't see is the context. Those domains might be part of huge portfolios, each with its own revenue targets, STR expectations, cash‑flow needs, and long‑term strategy. A $3K sale might look "cheap" in isolation, but inside a portfolio optimized for velocity, it's exactly the right move.

 

[Inframan]

Some names are priced lower, some higher, and a small slice is priced in the true moonshot range. But even among experienced domain investors, nobody can give a perfectly rational, formula‑based explanation for why a specific domain is priced at a specific number. It's all about portfolio‑level economics, not single‑asset logic.

I know this is a HUGE reach.

If a domainer or buyer pays for an appraisal, should that be made publicly?

Should domain aftermarkets reference the paid appraisal in their AI evaluation?

If registrars price domains as premium and non-negotiable, should there be some type of DSRP (Domain Suggested Retail Price) for appraisals?

If Estibot and GD appraisals have historically lowballed domains should their evaluations be accepted in (buyer side) negotiations?

 

[Future Sensors]

A reminder to all investors.

Don't price your domains too high or too low.

Find the perfect price.

And if you ever discover what that is, please publish a book.

 

[biggie]

I know this is a HUGE reach.

If a domainer or buyer pays for an appraisal, should that be made publicly

Hi

if domainer pays for an appraisal, then he/she is a sucker
if a buyer pays for one, they got sucked in

imo…

 

[Inframan]

Hi

if domainer pays for an appraisal, then he/she is a sucker
if a buyer pays for one, they got sucked in

imo…

When you buy or sell a house an Appraiser is hired. Before you say I'm not comparing similar instances, the bottom line is you're protecting the value of the commodity by having a neutral third party calculate a value. The seller gets a fair market value, the buyer gets a loan approval for said amount because the lending institution is in agreement with the comps used, validating the appraisal amount.

You can dismiss everything by saying a house and domain aren't comparable.

Or you can see how a PAID appraisal benefits both parties.

 

[biggie]

When you buy or sell a house an Appraiser is hired. Before you say I'm not comparing similar instances, the bottom line is you're protecting the value of the commodity by having a neutral third party calculate a value. The seller gets a fair market value, the buyer gets a loan approval for said amount because the lending institution is in agreement with the comps used, validating the appraisal amount.

You can dismiss everything by saying a house and domain aren't comparable.

Or you can see how a PAID appraisal benefits both parties.

Hi

yeah, im gonna dismiss everything.

they aren’t comparable, because who is going to loan you money to purchase a domain?

also, what clown is going to let an appraisal dictate fair market value for their names?
you got to be really naive or gullible to fall for that scheme

and only somebody who is trying to sell appraisals or have fell prey, would say some like that

imo…

 

[Inframan]

Hi

yeah, im gonna dismiss everything.

they aren’t comparable, because who is going to loan you money to purchase a domain?

also, what clown is going to let an appraisal dictate fair market value for their names?
you got to be really naive or gullible to fall for that scheme

and only somebody who is trying to sell appraisals or have fell prey, would say some like that

imo…

Did Elon Musk come out of pocket to purchase X.com or did he finance the purchase? (Don't answer.)

I guess all the clowns that sold their domains through the various brokers on Domain Sherpa, they were so gullible and really naive to accept up to seven figure payouts. (Again don't answer!)

I'm not selling or advertising any appraisal service.

As it stands domainers are similar to individual sellers on auto trader. There's zero rhyme or reason to the price of a used car other than the buyer said so.

But if a domainer sells their domains wholesale there's no pushback on the price. The domainer is grateful for pennies on the dollar.

However if a used car dealer uses Kelly Blue Book as a baseline, there's zero pushback and you accept whatever Kelly Blue Book says what a vehicle is worth.

(Again don't answer!!! Car evaluations and domain appraisals aren't comparable.)

imo...