Domain Name - Buying and Selling a Domain Name

Step One: Is the Domain You Want For Sale?
The first step in the domain purchasing process is determining whether or not the domain name you want is for sale. In order to obtain this information, try visiting the site in question. When you visit the site, there are a number of possible results, which are covered individually below:

• You discover a functioning, operational site.
  If this is the case, it is very likely that the domain name is not for sale, however, you may still want to write an email to double check.
• You discover a "For Sale" page.
  This is a good sign, as it means the name is available; however, before you put in a bid you should do some research concerning the market value of the domain name, which could save you a quite a bit of money.
• You discover a page inviting you to join a domain broker or auction site to bid on the name.
  This is also a good sign, as it means the name is available, but again, before you put in a bid do some research on the market value of the name.
• You discover a generic "bookmark" page, from a domain registrar.
  In this case you will have to conduct a WhoIs Search to determine the owner of the name, and then contact him/her by email.

Step Two: Creating a Budget
After you have determined the availability of your desired domain name, the next step is creating a budget for the purchase of your name, and getting a reliable estimate of its value. You can get a decent estimate of the value of a domain name by getting it appraised online for a small fee. Another way of creating a budget for purchasing domain names is to make an estimate of how much the name means to you, and in commercial applications, your business. Regardless of how high or low you set your budget, it is extremely important to abide by it. Getting caught in a bidding war for a domain name is a great way to end up paying way too much for your domain name, especially when there are plenty of good domain names available for purchase.

Step Three: Deciding Where to Buy
After you have decided to purchase a domain name, you need to decide where you are going to purchase it from. There are several methods of purchasing a domain name, including private sales, through a domain broker, or via auction. Each of these methods has a variety of advantages and disadvantages, which we have broken down for you below.

• Private Sale
  Private sales are the most complicated way of purchasing a domain name, and also the most risky. That being said, private sales can also be the cheapest way of purchasing a domain name, and are not subject to comission fees. Think twice before you try to purchase a domain name privately, because you will be responsible for transferring the domain name, and will also have to deal with how to arrange payment, escrow, etc.
  
• Negotiated Sale via Domain Broker
  This is probably the most convenient way of purchasing a domain name, as you will be guided through the entire process, and will also be able to remain anonymous throughout. However, some domain brokers charge a fee for buyers. In addition, the purchasing process is likely to take a long time, and you will probably have to make the initial offer, which puts you at a disadvantage. If you do decide to use a domain broker, make sure to bid low, and increase your bid in small increments.
  
• Sale via Auction
  This is probably the riskiest way of purchasing a domain name, but can result in a low cost, quality domain name. With domain auctions, you must be careful not to get caught up in a bidding war, as you can never be sure that the other bidders are truly interested or not. In addition, most domain auctions require some sort of membership, and can take a long time to complete transactions.