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Retrieve the WHOIS Domain History of Any Domain Name
While WHOIS domain history is not the only deciding factor when purchasing a domain, it could very well influence its price. At the very least a tarnished reputation or past associations with disreputable individuals or organizations should make the domain cheaper. But how can domain name investors know? WHOIS history can clue you in.
Uncovering the WHOIS History of the Most Expensive Domains
We went on sedo[.]com to check the most expensive domain names then ran them on WHOIS History Search. Our goal? To see their WHOIS domain history and try understand if it may affect pricing.
We settled on the second most expensive domain on Sedo’s Showcase. We did not include omni-usdt[.]com, which asking price is £6 million, since it was only created in March 2020 and doesn’t have much historical footprint. Let’s start uncovering the WHOIS history of the second most expensive domain name—spaceshop[.]com valued at US$6 million.
Spaceshop[.]com
If you perform a WHOIS lookup on spaceshop[.]com, you would know that it is registered in Israel and that its registrar is GoDaddy. No other details are provided. However, WHOIS History Search found 33 historical records with 901 changes. With the help of the tool, we saw three significant ownership changes since the start of tracking on 22 March 2012:
In 2016, R. Adler also tried to sell robotinsurance[.]com for US$260 million. He may be trying to do so until now since the domain’s WHOIS record indicates that someone in Israel still owns it.
A reverse WHOIS search using the registrant name and Israel as registrant country revealed that 69 domains currently have these registrant details on their WHOIS records. On the other hand, 502 domains have the same registrant details on their WHOIS domain history, meaning that Adler once owned them. Furthermore, Marchex Sales, the first owner reported by WHOIS History Search, is a publicly-traded company specializing in conversational analytics.
Now, the question is this: Is US$6 million worth paying for spaceshop[.]com?
We can’t say for sure. But what we can tell is that the domain’s WHOIS history and the preliminary research done on its previous owners wouldn’t indicate that it has a checkered past.
Of course, domain name investors can do a more in-depth analysis to determine IP address resolutions and other indicators.
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Domain names have often been likened to real estate investments, albeit in the virtual world. Like real estate properties, it’s crucial to have an idea about a domain name’s past to ensure its worth.
After all, most people would be hesitant to pay a lot of money for a house where a crime had been committed. In 2017, for instance, the infamous Amityville Horror House was sold for the fifth time, but only for US$605,000, US$200,000 less than the asking price.
To ensure that you are not short-changed when you buy a domain name, make sure to check its ownership history using tools like WHOIS History Lookup.
While WHOIS domain history is not the only deciding factor when purchasing a domain, it could very well influence its price. At the very least a tarnished reputation or past associations with disreputable individuals or organizations should make the domain cheaper. But how can domain name investors know? WHOIS history can clue you in.
Uncovering the WHOIS History of the Most Expensive Domains
We went on sedo[.]com to check the most expensive domain names then ran them on WHOIS History Search. Our goal? To see their WHOIS domain history and try understand if it may affect pricing.
We settled on the second most expensive domain on Sedo’s Showcase. We did not include omni-usdt[.]com, which asking price is £6 million, since it was only created in March 2020 and doesn’t have much historical footprint. Let’s start uncovering the WHOIS history of the second most expensive domain name—spaceshop[.]com valued at US$6 million.
Spaceshop[.]com
If you perform a WHOIS lookup on spaceshop[.]com, you would know that it is registered in Israel and that its registrar is GoDaddy. No other details are provided. However, WHOIS History Search found 33 historical records with 901 changes. With the help of the tool, we saw three significant ownership changes since the start of tracking on 22 March 2012:
- Marchex Sales, Inc.: Marchex Sales owned the domain from March 2012 to January 2014. The address indicated was initially in Las Vegas, but in May 2013, it changed to a P.O. Box number in Pennsylvania.
- Perfect Privacy: On 24 January 2014, the registrant changed to Perfect Privacy, LLC, with an address in Jacksonville, Florida. Such a change could mean that Marchex Sales employed the services of Perfect Privacy, or the domain was bought by someone else who used the privacy protection service.
- Ronen Adler: In June 2015, the domain changed owners again. R. Adler owned it with an address in Netanya, Israel. The registrar also changed from Network Solutions, LLC to GoDaddy.com. These ownership details remained until 10 May 2018. After that, the registrant name can no longer be seen, although the address indicated is still Israel.
In 2016, R. Adler also tried to sell robotinsurance[.]com for US$260 million. He may be trying to do so until now since the domain’s WHOIS record indicates that someone in Israel still owns it.
A reverse WHOIS search using the registrant name and Israel as registrant country revealed that 69 domains currently have these registrant details on their WHOIS records. On the other hand, 502 domains have the same registrant details on their WHOIS domain history, meaning that Adler once owned them. Furthermore, Marchex Sales, the first owner reported by WHOIS History Search, is a publicly-traded company specializing in conversational analytics.
Now, the question is this: Is US$6 million worth paying for spaceshop[.]com?
We can’t say for sure. But what we can tell is that the domain’s WHOIS history and the preliminary research done on its previous owners wouldn’t indicate that it has a checkered past.
Of course, domain name investors can do a more in-depth analysis to determine IP address resolutions and other indicators.
---
Domain names have often been likened to real estate investments, albeit in the virtual world. Like real estate properties, it’s crucial to have an idea about a domain name’s past to ensure its worth.
After all, most people would be hesitant to pay a lot of money for a house where a crime had been committed. In 2017, for instance, the infamous Amityville Horror House was sold for the fifth time, but only for US$605,000, US$200,000 less than the asking price.
To ensure that you are not short-changed when you buy a domain name, make sure to check its ownership history using tools like WHOIS History Lookup.
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