Realistically, most “good” .com domain names are already taken. If your definition of “good” means single word, easy to remember names, then you’re probably already aware that these names will be extremely hard to find and will cost you quite a bit of cash. But, on the other hand, two and three word names are still available for the low cost of registering a new domain name with a registrar. You may also be interested in knowing that a good .com domain name can have dashes in it. So see what’s available and if you find a good one get it, point it at a website to get around cybersquatting, and continue looking for others. After all domain names are the real-estate of the future.

Here’s another good tip for domain owners. If you are thinking about expiring any of your domain names, don’t. There are people looking to buy them, and places you can list them for sale. Some places, such as sedo.com, allow you to post your domain name or website for free, but have so many clients selling, your domain name may take a long time to sell or be displayed. There are websites which will post your domain name if it’s a really good one, but they are broker-based and will receive a portion of your sale. If your domain name is mediocre at best and you are thinking of letting it expire, along with your website content, there are also places on the internet who will buy it all. So instead of giving up the time you’ve spent working on your website, the yearly renewal for the domain name, and any investments you may have made in marketing and design, think about selling first.

Domain portfolios will be as common as stock portfolios in the near future. There are domain owners who manage hundreds and hundreds of domains, with hopes to one day sell them for a large return. These domain portfolio managers will sit and wait for domains to expire and buy them up to add to their listings.

You may want to use a free domain name appraisal service, but be warned, you’ll either get a outrageously high amount quoted back to you, or a ridiculously low amount. But think of it as two ends of a spectrum and then try to get a price somewhere in the middle. If you think you have a really good domain name, you may want to contact a broker or pay to have it appraised. Remember, fair market value is determined by the amount someone will actually pay for your name.

Face it, with the scarcity of domain names, and the rising price of obtaining a top-notch name, any domain you own may be worth 10 times what you paid for it. Keep it, or sell it, but don’t just let it expire without trying to get a return on your investment. Look for “cash-for-domain-names” type websites which will allow brokers to bid on your name. You may get 5, 10 or even a few hundred dollars for a name you thought about expiring. Why not take the chance and see.

If you want to expire your domain name and have no interest in selling it. Let me know, I may make a bid on it.