Previous whois records

[paul79]

hi there everyone

i usually check out previous whois records before I buy a name just to see how many times it has been registered in the past. I was led to believe this was worthwhile as a high number of changes in registration would be a potential red flag. my question is: how many previous whois records is acceptable in general? at what point would ppl think 'thats too much' and leave it?

i know it will depend on how old the domain is but was after a general rule of thumb if anyone has one. for example if a 10 year old domain had 20 previous whois records would that be a worry.

thanks

 

[WatchDogue]

Good question!

If we see " something " in a name or envision a use for a name ( usually as a point/redirect ) we go for it regardless of how many others over the years have tried the same name and later kicked it to the curb.

So in effect we become the " end user " of the multi-owned domain, if we believe it will bring visitors to a site of ours.

Although we would seldom pay more than the standard reg fee for the multi-owned name, on a couple of occasions have paid low $$$ and have gotten our monies' worth + out of the name as a point / redirect.

IMO the number of previous owners is irrelevant IF I see a use or potential marketplace for a name and, the price is minimal.

 

[FlipperC]

I was led to believe this was worthwhile as a high number of changes in registration would be a potential red flag. my question is: how many previous whois records is acceptable in general? at what point would ppl think 'thats too much' and leave it?

I think it depends on the name, not the number of unique whois records.

I can think of domains I've seen on Flippa that weren't good and had multiple ownership changes in it's life. They're still good. If you buy for a good price and hold longer term, all those previous ownership changes shouldn't be an issue.

But, having said that, it can be an indicator of issues. Just like when you're hiring employees and a candidate's employment history shows he jumps around jobs every 3 months. That could mean he hasn't found something that he likes, or it can mean that he can't stay focused.

Use your best judgement in every situation. Don't rely on what people tell you. When in doubt, don't buy it -- another great domain will come up in just a few days (or hours or minutes).

 

[paul79]

thanks for the info guys - was thinking that a lot of changes might show that many people had tried & failed to make it work previously indicating it was a poor name. but maybe not..... thanks again

 

[Nerevar]

The real worry is IMO the number of years when domain remains unregistered.
This website is good for studying a registered domain's history:
https://whoisrequest.com/