People regularly ask me what type of domain name I buy. My portfolio is fairly diverse at this point, but I am always on the hunt for positive and meaningful one word .com domain names. The ideal type of .com domain name I want to buy is pretty simple to describe though. I want to own domain names that could simply use an image and people would immediately know what the domain name is.
My Ideal (.com) Domain Name
“Best and Final Offer” Can Backfire
When negotiating to buy a domain name, I have sometimes made a “best and final offer.” This offer is typically the most I am willing to pay for a domain name at the time, and the idea is to induce a sale because the domain registrant believes he will lose a deal if the final offer is not accepted. I don’t think this is necessarily the best approach for me.
Sarah for Arkansas? Domain Name Registered Last Month
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders announced that she would be leaving her position at the end of the month. President Trump tweeted that he thinks she should run for Governor of her home state of Arkansas:
….She is a very special person with extraordinary talents, who has done an incredible job! I hope she decides to run for Governor of Arkansas – she would be fantastic. Sarah, thank you for a job well done!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2019
A Seller Request I Reject
When buying a domain name from a person or company who previously used it, I am sometimes asked to not resell the domain name to a competitor. Typically, I am not willing to except this request. In fact, I recently lost out on an acquisition deal because I couldn’t honor that request in good faith.
For the most part, I am buying domain names as investments. The intent is to monetize the domain names as best as I can while I own them, with the ultimate goal of ultimately reselling them.
Set Deal Deadlines
When negotiating a deal to buy or sell a domain name, I think it is important to set deadlines with the other party to ensure the deal is done in a timely manner. I typically set deadlines on offers, on payment date, and on the domain name transfer. This is important for me because I don’t like leaving things in limbo for an extended period of time.
Carvertise: The “Golden Domain Name”
I want to share a video of a TedX talk that John and Jackie mentioned to me in a pair of comments. In the video, Carvertise CEO Mac Nagaswami discusses his company’s rebranding to Carvertise and what it took to acquire the brand match Carvertise.com domain name. It’s nearly 20 minutes in length, but it is well worth the time when you have an opportunity:
Recent Posts
No Nameserver Change ≠ Fake Sale
A few years ago, I privately closed a very substantial domain name sale. Following the sale, the buyer did absolutely nothing with the domain...
GoDaddy to Launch “Premium Domain Marketplace” on DomainNames.com
The Afternic X account posted a link on X without much context that caught my attention this morning:
👀 https://t.co/JL8P45lRng
🔜
— Afternic (@afternic) October 3, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Visiting...
Have a Real Presence Online When Selling Domain Names
When it comes to selling domain names via outbound marketing, credibility is very important. If a prospective buyer receives an unsolicited and unexpected email...
2021 vs 2025 – % of .coms in my Portfolio
I don't closely track the percentage of domain extensions in my portfolio. I could have 75% .com or I could have 99% .com domain...
Nominations Open for 2026 ICA Awards
The Internet Commerce Association (ICA) is now accepting nominations for two domain investing community awards. Domain investors may now submit their nominations for the...