question Question about selling domains

[turbo funk]

on average, how long does it usually take to sell domains? i know that this can require some patience, which is fine and something im prepared for. honestly, im just curious. and it'd be good to have an idea of how long is too long and adjusting prices and such

 

[ResoluteDomains]

on average, how long does it usually take to sell domains? i know that this can require some patience, which is fine and something im prepared for. honestly, im just curious. and it'd be good to have an idea of how long is too long and adjusting prices and such

The names I've been selling this year so far are, on average, 13-14 years old. The "youngest" was 6.5 but the bulk of the rest were closer to 14 years. So the weight is toward that end.

But it doesnt matter, really. All it says, for my sales, is that it has taken that long for the right buyer to come along. Many others will sell names withing months or so of their registration dates.

Here is one virtue that you really need in domain investing: patience.

 

[J Sokol]

Length of time to sell a domain? I've seen people sell them in an hour or two, and people hold them for 10 to 15 years. It takes a fair amount of time and experience to gauge how long to keep a domain.

A great place thread to follow is the Completed Domain Name Sales thread, which usually shows hold time and net profit.
https://www.namepros.com/threads/report-completed-domain-name-sales-here.83628/page-732#post-7354143

 

[korganian]

Most domains will never sell for a significant amount. The bigger your portfolio, the higher your renewals, the more you have to get for each sale to cover your costs if you hold for end user sales. Therefore maintaining quality names is what it is all about. Don't get too emotionally attached and keep renewing names that nobody else shows any interest in just because you don't want to feel like you wasted money when your let them drop.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

on average, how long does it usually take to sell domains?

Many have replied already but I would like to stress that unless you have something really premium, like a common dictionary single word ..com, a domain name may not sell for many years and indeed the majority of domain names held by domain investors will never sell .

One can compute an average using how many domains are for sale and how many sell each year (while applying a correction for how many are not listed on NameBio). You can twist the numbers a bit but most suggest something of order of 1/100 chance of any particular domain name selling in one year, or looked at another way something of order 100 years to sell (but really it is not like that, many will never sell, some much faster, so it averages that). It is no wonder that people like TheDomainKing talk about domaining as being inter-generational and you will pass on your domains to the next generation!

You can increase probability of sale by choosing domain names with many likely end users, promoting them effectively, pricing them correctly, etc. It is still a long term game if you plan to sell domain names for much more than you bought them for (and you need to to make up for those that would never sell).

Domain investing is not easy, fast or assured, and for those that quickly need returns it is not the thing to be in.

Bob

 

[myfavorite]

You can't easily fix time for sale.

Some poor quality domains will never sale. Some good quality domains may take several years to sale.

Patience is key in domain investment with quality domains.

 

[FolioTeam]

This is like asking, "How long is a rope?"

 

[ResoluteDomains]

Yes, I'd say it takes patience and also a lot of confidence that the names are worth holding on to. That's where the experience comes in -- as a newer domainer it's really hard to justify the cost of renewal when you're not sure how much the domain might be worth.

You could post your names on this forum for peer review here: https://www.namepros.com/forums/domain-appraisal.3/ and see what others say. Economics-wise, if you've got a decent name then renewing it for 10 years will cost between 80-100 USD depending on if you belong to a discount program or similar.

Think about the math, if you receive good feedback on a particular name then the investment risk might be worth the reward a decade (maybe more, possibly less) from now. You may sell that name for many multiples of your entire holding costs (reg+renewals) and so it makes it worth it.

Hey, is not simple - that is for sure. I know I've dropped domains only to find a company has picked it up and is using it and yea, I kick myself but try to learn from that as well. Its tough but I love it.

You should also visit the recently sold thread and go back and back and back through time reading what domains have sold, how long they've been held, what their holding costs were etc..
https://www.namepros.com/threads/report-completed-domain-name-sales-here.83628/page-733 There is gold to be extracted in that there thread. Best wishes!

 

[DNWon]

which domains im willing to nurture and kiss goodnight

Don't nurture or kiss any of them goodnight! The worst thing a domainer can do is fall in love with their domains. I speak from experience on this!

 

[BaileyUK]

I wouldn't be surprised to hear that that 98% of domains held purely for the intention of reselling never sell and I mean NEVER Well o.k lets make that 99%. It's alright hearing about this 1% to 2% as an industry average, but most of those 1-2% (of the entire domains held) come from experienced re-sellers with good inventories.

I just wish people would stop talking about this 'Industry average' as if it were relevant to those that don't have a clue about what they are getting in to

 

[Josytal]

on average, how long does it usually take to sell domains? i know that this can require some patience, which is fine and something im prepared for. honestly, im just curious. and it'd be good to have an idea of how long is too long and adjusting prices and such

from 0 day to infinity.

While the decisive factor is the quality of the domain name itself, a lot of other secondary factors are to be considered.
Price
Trend
Exposure
Availability of other extensions ...
just to name but few.

 

[ResoluteDomains]

Don't nurture or kiss any of them goodnight! The worst thing a domainer can do is fall in love with their domains. I speak from experience on this!

Yep - this is very true! Hold them at arms length and do not get attached to them.

 

[frank-germany]

on average, how long does it usually take to sell domains? i know that this can require some patience, which is fine and something im prepared for. honestly, im just curious. and it'd be good to have an idea of how long is too long and adjusting prices and such

5 to 10 years

 

[J Sokol]

Here is one virtue that you really need in domain investing: patience.

Yes, I'd say it takes patience and also a lot of confidence that the names are worth holding on to. That's where the experience comes in -- as a newer domainer it's really hard to justify the cost of renewal when you're not sure how much the domain might be worth.

 

[myfavorite]

Then again, I fell in love with one that I met on a blind date (dropped domain).

I so loved her that I waited FIFTEEN-PLUS YEARS to finally say, "Goodbye".

If it's true love and not infatuation, carry on

 

[lock]

The hardest part is not pricing yourself out of the market. You want to retain margins but still want to make a close. With right exposure a lot more might sell but it is more around highlighting the domain on sale and not the portfolio.

 

[turbo funk]

gotcha, thanks guys
figured it was kinda unpredictable.
guess ill have to carefully pick and choose which domains im willing to nurture and kiss goodnight

 

[Jv1999]

wat ppl say here are bleak... and it's not necessarily true.

the most important thing to have is the "domain eye" = the ability to pick valuable domains. If you have that, you can sail a domain inbound as quick as 2 weeks...

I mean, today I just received a $750 offer on a domain I looted from exo tower 60 days ago.

From my own experience, if you know (not guess) a domain is good, and you hodl it... it will get some kind of offer or even sail within a year or two. Ofc, don't think that your whole "good" portfolio will sail that fast because then you're going to have to deal with % sail per year... which can be as low as 1 and as high as 10 depending on how much "exposure" you're giving your domains.

 

[richasis]

Most domains will never sell for a significant amount. The bigger your portfolio, the higher your renewals, the more you have to get for each sale to cover your costs if you hold for end user sales. Therefore maintaining quality names is what it is all about. Don't get too emotionally attached and keep renewing names that nobody else shows any interest in just because you don't want to feel like you wasted money when your let them drop.

Then again, I fell in love with one that I met on a blind date (dropped domain).

I so loved her that I waited FIFTEEN-PLUS YEARS to finally say, "Goodbye".

 

[richasis]

If it's true love and not infatuation, carry on

After fifteen-plus years, I got 90,000 kisses (if you know what I mean).

 

[turbo funk]

After fifteen-plus years, I got 90,000 kisses (if you know what I mean).

*crumbles list of genius get rich quick schemes"
jesus, im gonna have to start meditating or something; its tough to imagine waiting for 5 years, let alone 15+.
but 90,000 kisses does sound like a nice way to die...

The hardest part is not pricing yourself out of the market. You want to retain margins but still want to make a close. With right exposure a lot more might sell but it is more around highlighting the domain on sale and not the portfolio.

this is definitely something im trying to carefully avoid, as well as holding onto a domain for FOMO. shit, 15 years and ill be 40.. what if i never sell PurpleTriangleDinosaurs.com??? i swear its a goldmine

i think when i start to get more comfortable and confident in my ability to gauge a domains value, ill be less concerned. i think im starting to get an idea of how i should go about this and what to expect.
anyways, appreciate all the insight and responses from everyone so far, thanks

i give one kiss for all

 

[richasis]

My grandpa collected many postage stamps since the 1980s, then he passed away(sad), and then now still in the book cabinet...

As in all things, it's usually the one gem amongst the others that sells the entire portfolio.

 

[Lord Antares]

*crumbles list of genius get rich quick schemes"
jesus, im gonna have to start meditating or something; its tough to imagine waiting for 5 years, let alone 15+.
but 90,000 kisses does sound like a nice way to die...


this is definitely something im trying to carefully avoid, as well as holding onto a domain for FOMO. sh*t, 15 years and ill be 40.. what if i never sell PurpleTriangleDinosaurs.com??? i swear its a goldmine

i think when i start to get more comfortable and confident in my ability to gauge a domains value, ill be less concerned. i think im starting to get an idea of how i should go about this and what to expect.
anyways, appreciate all the insight and responses from everyone so far, thanks

i give one kiss for all

That's all if you do domaining the conventional way. If you intend to go heavy on outbound or domain flipping, none of what anyone said holds true. See what you're comfortable with

 

[monk16]

I have one name that I think is a great name(1wordenglish_de). But, I get rejection from greatsdo auction and it makes me stressed. Therefore, I have learned that selling a domain is not as easy as we think. I think there are many factors in selling a domain name.

Trend
length
extension
cpc
volume/mounth
pronounceable
etc

And what we need is to keep learning.




And YES, no sales in the last two months.

(sorry for my bad english)

 

[J Sokol]

Thanks for your suggestions @AGAME. I do stay up-to-date on the Reported Sales thread and have gone back a little ways, but I think your idea of going back and back and back is a good one.