If you live in the Miami area, you might have seen an article in today’s Miami Herald discussing the successes of Internet entrepreneur, Richard Swerdlow. As you may know, Swerdlow is the founder and CEO of the company that owns and operates real estate websites on valuable keyword domain names, including Condos.com, Houses.com, Property.com, Properties.com and Location.com.
The article discusses how Swerdlow got involved in real estate and ultimately how his company has grown and thrived during the last few years. You should certainly read the entire article when you have a chance, but here are a few excerpts from the article I found particularly interesting:
But in 2007, Swerdlow began talking to the investors behind Hotels.com about investing in his company. They encouraged him to buy the domain names Condo.com and Condos.com. The investment deal fell apart but Condo.com and Condos.com, while expensive, were still available. “My wife said ‘you only regret the things you don’t do so let’s go all in — if you really want to be the online condo guy, you need to have Condo.com,’ ” Swerdlow recalled. “We bought those domains.”
“I never begrudge a person who overpays for a good domain asset,” said Swerdlow, who says he paid more than $1 million for each of them.
“It’s the No. 1 site in the world for condos,” said Brinker, who just closed on a condo rental for a client he met a few years ago through a Condo.com lead. Brinker said he has “tried all the competitors” including Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com, “and Condo.com brings me quality leads from all over the world. It’s the real deal.”
Swerdlow expects all the portals combined to attract 20 million unique visitors this year.
This is a great article, and Swerdlow’s success is a testament to how an exceptional domain name with a solid business plan can lead to a successful business operation. You will want to read the entire article on MiamiHerald.com when you have a chance.
Hi Elliot,
Thanks for sharing this. Great find. Domains are the best kept secret on the net (for lead generation and building new businesses) and people need to know their value.