discuss How long should I continue to renew a domain?

[garptrader]

Several years ago industry turnover was estimated in the 1-2% range though I believe now with all the new TLDs options average portfolio turn has declined. Some developers and end users are buying cheap new TLDs rather than aftermarket .COMs and many domain investors are buying new TLDs rather than cheap aftermarket domains in legacy extensions. There is far more inventory available for sale but has end user demand for premium-priced domains mushroomed at the same rate? I don't think so. Inevitably many domain investors are faced with high renewal bills and few sales to pay them. So if you have 25 domains or 2500 domains, how long do you keep renewing hoping for that deep-pocketed end user to buy your domains?

 

[frank-germany]

what if the domains are not profitable.

you can't evaluated profitability before you either sold it or dropped it

 

[Gus Woltmann]

you can't evaluated profitability before you either sold it or dropped it

Profitability might be the wrong word there, what i meant is that, what if the domain doesn't look like it will make a bid or sale

 

[somidiscount]

i think domain name extensions, primarily country code (ccTLD) extensions, there is no grace period. Once the domain name expires, you must pay a redemption fee plus renewal to keep the domain name.

 

[daica85]

i think domain name extensions, primarily country code (ccTLD) extensions, there is no grace period. Once the domain name expires, you must pay a redemption fee plus renewal to keep the domain name.

It depends on each extension, however I usually renewal them 1 month before they go expired.

 

[MackieMesser]

I'm still quite new to this. I currently own 10-20 domains. For some of these I operate websites, mostly just for fun and to try out website development. With 1-3 I earned/try to earn some money, but due to lack of time this is not really working. Might be a good backup if something goes wrong in my main job.

I also have a a couple of domains that I intend to keep for longer time. And I have 1-2 "hairy" domains, they can be very provoking for certain people.

 

[Cdomains]

As I have said before, it amazes me the names that sell and what people will pay big $ for.

Many here have said it is really a gut thing and I have to agree.

After you have been domaining for a while you will develop the gut instinct others here are referring to.

But a "gut instinct" is still not a guarantee.

Have you ever received an offer on a domain you had for a while and let it drop?

This happened to me just yesterday, and if I had been contacted just a few days earlier I would still have have access to it, but the window had just closed completely and it was too late.

This has happened to me before - you drop a name and then see that someone else picked it up and sold it for a nice sum.

It sucks, but it is part of the game.

It is like a game of musical chairs and the person who owns the domain when the music stops gets the big sale.

 

[Tank]

yep, agree with all of the above

 

[a797979]

Patience is the name of the game. Mike manns shows u, the average time to sold a domain on his own is 4 to 6 years.

 

[Tank]

I think this question is answered by knowing the value of your domains.

 

[AuctionBio]

if any domain doesn't get any response for up to couple of years than better to drop the domain but still if one can afford give it a year 3 as well. so IMO 2 to 3 years time is perfect i guess....

 

[canswift]

The answer is more complicated than it seems. There are domain names which receive relatively few inquiries that will one day sell suddenly at end user pricing - even years after little action.

Very true. I had a short two-word name that was an exact match to a financial product. Almost no inquiries on it over the 10 years I held it. I tried selling it on NP domains wanted, but got "sorry, not interested" if I even got a reply. I just knew this was a good name, which is why I hung on to it. This year I finally did something I should have done all along, and stuck it on Afternic with a decent BIN price. A few months later, it sold for full BIN to a major financial institution. I was certainly happy I'd hung on all those years and hadn't sold it for way (way) less on NP.

 

[PoliticalVII]

You should stop renewing if its crappy domain name. Its that simple.

"But ..but how do i know if its crappy? "

The moment you start thinking about not renewing it...

 

[UncleBrand]

Very true. I had a short two-word name that was an exact match to a financial product. Almost no inquiries on it over the 10 years I held it. I tried selling it on NP domains wanted, but got "sorry, not interested" if I even got a reply. I just knew this was a good name, which is why I hung on to it. This year I finally did something I should have done all along, and stuck it on Afternic with a decent BIN price. A few months later, it sold for full BIN to a major financial institution. I was certainly happy I'd hung on all those years and hadn't sold it for way (way) less on NP.

agree,
NP is know to be a liquidation market,
when you need to get rid of domains you don't want to renew,
or collect quick cash to cover renew fees

i had listed a few premiums domains here at 100$, no interest
but i sold a few of them regularly for the last 12months on afternic/godaddy in the 500-3k$ range

 

[bobbarato]

and how much you were ahead of time
when you registered it

This to me is the challenge and fun of domaining. I figure it is the same way for real estate folks
.
Both have the option to actively develop or just camp out and hope others build in their neighborhood...

 

[biggie]

How long should I continue to renew a domain?

until you run out of money




but maybe start thinking about "extending" the registration period, at time of acquisition, rather than waiting until it's almost time to renew?

for flippers, that's probably an inconceivable idea, but for investors, a way to minimize the effect of increases in renewal pricing.


imo....

 

[UncleBrand]

my top domains are regs for at least 3 years

 

[GoKaizen]

DiggingIt

 

[DNScholar]

If you think domain is good and renewal would add value to domain, you should renew.

 

[XPhan]

Good point... But I think This can be different for each domain

 

[WatchDogue]

For the most part I do lots of self-satisfying research prior to acquiring a name, so am content to keep 'em renewed into perpetuity if necessary while awaiting their sale.

That said I am small time and have less than maybe 200 renewals a year or so, a number of which are EMD in the king.

Recently sold a BN name I believed in and renewed for about 16 years - loyalty was finally rewarded.

My more speculative .net / .org / . new extensions have a shorter shelf life - a year to five tops and off to the domain rendering plant they go.

I operate with the philosophy that as long as I believe a .com name has the same merit & marketplace as when I initially acquired it, I'll renew, renew, and continue to renew the name.