From $100 to $150k Domain Portfolio: My Journey in Domain Flipping
It was the year 2013 when I learned about domain names while learning web design. And very soon, I realized the power of well-branded domain names.
At that time, I managed to earn my pocket money from web designing services and saving money to buy my personal desktop so I couldn't invest money in domain names and lost some like FranchiseClub .com, clicks .co, javaphp .net, crimemirror .com
and ranking .co
After a year, when I made some money, I started buying some good names and bought the below domains in 2014-15
ThemesPond .com (for $20)
TheHolidayz .com (for $16)
EnglishCourse .com (for $30)
LetsInterview .com (FOR $12)
So, I invested around $100 and bought around 7 domains keeping in mind that I've to pay $60/year for renewal costs as well. And this is how my domain flipping journey started with $100 in March 2014.
On Wed, Mar 2, 2016, 8:26 PM, I got a mail request to buy ThemesPond .com for $600 and after negotiation, I sold it for $1140. And that was my first Income from a Domain name. I took my $200 (that I was invested to buy and renew 7 domains) back into my pocket and invested all the remaining $900 to buy new domains.
From 2016-2018, I bought around 30 domains including - DroneX .co zipira .com, ITinformers .com, EndlessHits .com, and MyGwalior .com all under a $50 price tag.
In 2018, I sold out some domains including- EnglishCourse .com for $1050 and other above-mentioned domains for $300 to $500 each. Now they are selling for $2k to 5k each 😉
Again after doing this sale (approx $3k), I took my invested amount back and bought new domains under the $200 price bracket. Here are some domains I bought between 2018 to 22:
UHOX .com in June 2018 (for $165)
IncPress .com in June 2019 (for $208)
BREAKINGS .com in July 2019 (for $180)
Trial .biz in Aug 2019 (for $12)
FindCabs .com in July 2019 (for $15)
OTTawards .com in Oct 2020 (for $60)
TheWellnessToday .com in Aug 2021 (for $110)
Launch .camp in Oct 2021 (for $168)
Peppermint .media in April 2022 (for $128)
Last year, I sold 2 more domains:
LetsInterview .com and DroneX .co each for $1200 to continue my domain flipping journey alive. currently, I've around 60 domains and their renewal cost is around $1000/year. So now, I'm keeping $1k safe for renewal and buying a new domain from the remaining amount.
This is how I reach 60 domain portfolio which is worth around $150k (find out here- https://dan.com/domain-seller/pankaj-singh ) and made $7k in sales by investing $100. It's a small figure but I am happy with it as a side hustle.
When it comes to the financial aspect, it's important to consider the initial investment of purchasing the domain and the recurring cost of maintaining it annually. The profitability of domain sales can vary greatly depending on factors such as the domain's market value, the demand for specific keywords or niches, and the negotiating skills of the seller.
Here are some tips I used for myself in domain flipping:
Find out some low-cost but branded domains.
- Make an Excel sheet (now I use Notion) to keep a record of all domains
- Yearly or half-yearly sold out some domains to stay within budget
- Keep your domain on one platform. I use Sav, their renewal cost for .com and .co is very low as compared to the market.
- Always keep your domain one sale with a buy-now price, I use Afternic and Dan.
How do you avoid getting scammed when you sell a domain or the buyer issues a chargeback on their card?
Thanks for sharing! Where do you list those domains for sale? And how does the domain selling process looks like? I have a couple of good domains I bought but didn’t do anything with them so far
The domain-selling process typically involves the following steps:
Valuation: Determine the value of your domain by considering factors such as domain length, keyword popularity, brandability, extension, market demand, and previous sales data.
Listing: Create an account on a domain marketplace and list your domain for sale. Provide relevant information about the domain, including its name, extension, age, keywords, and a compelling description.
Pricing: Set a reasonable and competitive price for your domain. Consider researching similar domains and recent sales to determine a fair asking price. You can choose between a fixed price or set up an auction.
Promotion: Promote your domain through various channels, such as social media, forums, and online communities related to domains or website development. Utilize your network and reach out to potential buyers directly if you have identified specific prospects.
Negotiation: Be prepared to negotiate with potential buyers. Respond to inquiries promptly and provide additional information or clarification about the domain when requested. Negotiate the price, terms, and any additional services or assets associated with the domain.
Sale and Transfer: Once you reach an agreement with a buyer, complete the transaction securely. Use a trusted escrow service to handle the payment and domain transfer process. The buyer will typically send the payment to the escrow service, and you will initiate the domain transfer after confirming receipt of payment.
Transfer Completion: Follow the transfer process outlined by the domain registrar or marketplace. This may involve unlocking the domain, disabling WHOIS privacy, obtaining an authorization code, and initiating the transfer to the buyer's registrar.
Hi @snirthesaas, you can list your domain on Dan.com for free but if you want to sell it quickly then you can list it on Flippa.com, it's paid.
You can also sell it on auction, some sites are:
GoDaddy Auctions
Afternic
Namecheap Auctions