Pre-acquisition checklist
- Confirm the domain and extension are exactly what you think they are.
- Classify the name: premium generic, exact commercial term, geo-service, action phrase, descriptive content or brandable.
- Estimate wholesale and retail ranges separately.
- Review genuinely comparable completed sales where available.
- Estimate buyer depth and the likely exit route.
- Check current use, registration history and obvious legal/trademark issues independently.
- Add renewal and expected hold cost to your basis.
- Set a walk-away number before negotiating.
Use an acquisition ceiling
The ceiling should be low enough that the investment can survive valuation error and a slow exit. Paying your own optimistic retail estimate destroys the purpose of domain investing.
Common mistakes
Do not confuse an asking price with a comp, a search-volume number with buyer demand, a registered extension with a willing buyer or an appraisal with guaranteed liquidity.