How do I become a professional domain appraiser?

[seoprodigy]

I was interested in becoming a professional domain appraiser. Is there anything regulating this industry right now? Is there legitimate certifications I could get? Does anybody know of any software that could be me an accurate domain appraisal?

 

[Carlton]

I was interested in becoming a professional domain appraiser. Is there anything regulating this industry right now? Is there legitimate certifications I could get?

Definitely not on both accounts.

Does anybody know of any software that could be me an accurate domain appraisal?

There is no appraisal software that has been shown to have sufficient accuracy and reliability. This is a frequent topic in domain discussion forums. The combination of variables that factor into a domain appraisal are far too diverse/complex to be calculated without a fairly intensive human assessment.

Most of the domain registrars offer an automated appraisal service commonly understood to be worthless is most cases.

I take it you are new to domaining based on your questions. Anyone aspiring to become a professional domain appraiser would need several years of education/experience to establish any credibility.

 

[navigator72]

Just take a random guess like most of us on this website.
www.echjbfc.com
High xx - low xxx see how easy it is.

 

[Adatise]

After buying many appraisals over the years, I've concluded that they are all a guess. The free appraisals (many places) are just as good. I can usually come very close to an appraisal before it arrives from all appraisal sites. Godaddy appraises the highest, Afternic 2nd, and Moniker is last, helps their auctions to keep appraisals low, not to mention the tax saving reasons. CCTLD's, most appraise them wrong and for good reasons, another story. Want to sell appraisals. I'd use Estibot and Nameboys free appraisal service and then take the median price of the two and you will be just as good as any paid appraisal service on the net. Do you think Vodka.com appraised at 3 million. The standards are not set yet and never will be. A domain is worth what it can sell for. How about Ireport.com that just sold for 750k? CNN got a million in free advertising from paying 750k when it hit the news media. What do you think Ireport.com appraised at? Much lower I assure you! Moniker sort of sets the standards now and is considered the most accurate but they appraise domains much lower then the others. IRS uses Moniker for their standards. I might add that the consensus is that Monti (CEO of Moniker) is the best and he personally appraises every domain himself!!!

PS: People don't like low appraisals and will not buy from places that give the lowest appraisals, so appraise high and appease your customers for repeat business as Godaddy does! Appraisals are for newbies. An appraisal could actually hurt your future sale if promulgated!

 

[Spade]

This is a discussion topic, appraisal section is strictly for appraising specific domains owned by the posters. Moving to Discussion section.

 

[conda]

Yes, i aggree for all. Experience for me at this time. But you can learn, at start now

 

[estibot.com]

Want to sell appraisals. I'd use Estibot and Nameboys free appraisal service and then take the median price of the two and you will be just as good as any paid appraisal service on the net.

Hey!!!

Seriously though, great post Adatise. Lots of good points, a very sensible look at the appraisal market. Rep added.

Do you think Vodka.com appraised at 3 million. The standards are not set yet and never will be. A domain is worth what it can sell for. How about Ireport.com that just sold for 750k? CNN got a million in free advertising from paying 750k when it hit the news media.

Excellent point, see also the thread about the iReport.com sale. The millions worth of free advertising is a very good point. A good example of how complicated it is to appraise a domain - you are not appraising just the domain, but everything that goes with it.

PS: People don't like low appraisals and will not buy from places that give the lowest appraisals, so appraise high and appease your customers for repeat business as Godaddy does!

Again, very true. The most "hate" e-mail that I get is from domain owners who think (without any actual proof) their domains are worth much more than what estibot gives them. Of course, as I've explained many, many times, the estibot appraisal is just a quick-look measure of the stats of the domain keywords. It can be used as a starting point for analysis against the stats and knowledge of the market, if no better starting point is known.

 

[italiandragon]

Hey!!!

Seriously though, great post Adatise. Lots of good points, a very sensible look at the appraisal market. Rep added.



Excellent point, see also the thread about the iReport.com sale. The millions worth of free advertising is a very good point. A good example of how complicated it is to appraise a domain - you are not appraising just the domain, but everything that goes with it.



Again, very true. The most "hate" e-mail that I get is from domain owners who think (without any actual proof) their domains are worth much more than what estibot gives them. Of course, as I've explained many, many times, the estibot appraisal is just a quick-look measure of the stats of the domain keywords. It can be used as a starting point for analysis against the stats and knowledge of the market, if no better starting point is known.

I found Estibot to be a very good bet close to real market values but of course the "on hand" experience that who does this 24/7 like I do, you won`t find it in a software.

 

[VURG]

A professional appraisal may be useful for those who want to use their domains as collateral for a loan. The appraisal industry should gather more relevance with time.

The thought I have is that you need people with good reputations within the domain industry that will recommend your appraisals over the alternatives. Think about how to get that before you try to get some certificate which probably means very little.

 

[-REECE-]

I'm usually within about 30% of the final selling price on LLLL.com appraisals I give out... It's very hard and sometimes I botch one (enduser sales aside as clearly this has nothing to do with appraising "likely value").

It's taken me almost an entire year of just studying the LLLL.com market to get to this point. Anyone offering appraisals for "any domain name" is full of it imho... The time it takes to become somewhat of an expert in even small niches like LLL.coms and LLLL.coms is extraordinary. I have yet to meet someone who I can go category by category, extension by extension, and produce even remotely accurate results.

Sex.at , yoyo.mobi, palladium.com, american.us, c.cc, ...

How many people could honestly give an even remotely close to accurate appraisal of what each of these names would likely sell for? I know I sure as heck couldn't!

Lastly, think about it from a "professional domain appraisers" view... If I can spot price discrepancies in a particular market (I can quite often with LLLL.coms in example), why wouldn't I capitalize on them rather than setting up an appraisal service?

I've been making upwards of 2k per week (after reselling the names in question -- this isn't no "if I could get ___ for them" ) lately flipping LLLL.coms that I'm getting for prices that I know to be considerably under market value (this week's spoiler: VUFE.com @ $500 was not the best deal I got this week).

If you can make that kind of money (part time at that -- I still have a full time job), why would you bother offering appraisal services? It'll take a heck of alot of appraisals (and quick ones!) to make over 2k per week part time.

My advice would be to pick a niche, read up everything you can on that niche (Namepros, important sites documenting sales and with commentary in that niche) and go from there... Appraisals in a niche are a possibility -- and I think many members here could do a good job of appraising domains in one niche or another. But attempting to appraise the market as a whole is a lost cause... I'd take Estibot's estimation anyday over any "expert" here who claims to have insight into the value of every single domain name.

With a niche, it's quite possible you can best automated software like Estibot... I can use factors such as those used by Estibot, in example, in assessing the value of a particular LLLL.com. I can then add in my own variables on top of what's used by Estibot (example: Assigning a value to pronounceability, how big the endusers/acronyms in question are, how "hot" this market segment currently is, etc) and probably end up being more accurate... But as said previously -- I have an entire year of experience researching this single market. Facts change everyday and so updating your knowledge daily is an absolute must... Here's where an "I'm an expert in everything" domainer just can't compete... They can't track the suddenly increased demand for quad premium LLLL.coms, quad premium LLLL.nets, LLL.coms with vowels, CVCV.infos, etc all simultaneously...