Let's be clear. Hand reg'ing is a thing and is completely part of domaining as a whole. You can make a business out of it and selling within a year or so if you are good at it. However most hand reg's are dropped before renewal. Why? Because no one sees a value in them, including the registrant. The moral of the story is that it's not a true investment unless you see the value of the registration by renewing it for multiple years and/or developing. Like real estate, quality domains will increase in value over time even if you don't actively try to sell them, taking into account ups and downs in the economy. However, the majority of hand regs are simply wishful thinking or playing the lottery, they won't sell even for reg fee. You can buy into stocks early and cheap because you have some insights into the company and the industry or market trends. But selling them early is not really an investment. So invest your money wisely.