Got my eye on an expiring domain

[SEO Lady]

Morning guys and gals

Question: Is there a website that sends an alert when a specific domain is available to buy?

Just to satisfy my curiosity, I'm in no need of urgent help as the matter will be resolved in the next couple of weeks, but I wanted to know what's the best way to be notified as soon as a specific domain is up for renewal? If there is one of course. A bored a perfunctory search in 10 seconds didn't bring up any results. Anyway, I haven't posted in here for a little while so I thought I'd start up a thread to chat.

Last year I've had my eye on a niche domain and it's expiring this weekend on 25th April
I've contacted the owners in advance to discuss a potential business opportunity buying their old stock as the ecommerce store has closed. We are on friendly terms, the owner told me they are not renewing the domain so it's a free for all.

I'm not scared of someone poaching the domain as it's very niche and I doubt very much if anyone else is interested. It's a good aged domain 8+ years and it's in the identical niche in my new personal business venture.

IIRC last time I tried to buy a domain it didn't expire (or for want of a better phrase) it wasn't available to buy until a month after the expiry date. It was a few years ago so my old brain is losing the ability to retain information (I'm 49 on May 2nd) but if I recall correctly I had to check every day until it popped up as available to buy.

 

[Darren_Ssc]

UK domains are suspended after 30 days. Then there is a 60 day suspension period.

Nominet wil give you the expiry date.
https://www.nominet.uk/whois/

The domain drops on a specific date (90 days after expiry) at a random time so you need a dropcatcher to chase it for you.

UKbackorder tend to catch most of the best uk names at present.
https://ukbackorder.com/

You really ought to know all this though.

 

[SEO Lady]

You really ought to know all this though.

You really ought to know not to be rude.

Is this normal or did you get troll training?

 

[Darren_Ssc]

You really ought to know not to be rude.

Is this normal or did you get troll training?

I took the time to answer your question and explain the basics of catching an expired domain. I didn't have to bother, and now wish I hadn't.

This is how you describe yourself...

Domain migration and website redesign Google ranking specialist

How you can offer an seo service without knowing the basics of how the domain name registration industry works is beyond me but I didn't intend to be offensive, merely hinting that it's something you'd benefit from learning.

Anyway, good luck with your business and if you need any more numpty questions about seo answering in the future, I'm sure the resident chicken feeder and the random indian spammers will be more than happy to offer the benefit of their wisdom.

 

[SEO Lady]

How did you come to the conclusion that I don't know the basics?

You really don't know how to read a room do you?
Or actually read a post:

I haven't posted in here for a little while so I thought I'd start up a thread to chat.

I want to contribute to a public forum friendly chat, it says so at the top.

I'll also break it down further if you like, any person who knows the basics may assume I've used who.is by the following comment right after:

Last year I've had my eye on a niche domain and it's expiring this weekend on 25th April.

Oh, and this one is my favourite of yours, rude and unprofessional and also may I assume, not researched

and if you need any more numpty questions about seo answering in the future

You could start by spreading smiles, not assumptions. You know nothing about my work. Any numpty can search online, guess you're too busy to bother to get to know someone before you assume they know nothing?

 

[Darren_Ssc]

I've answered some of your questions before, I know enough about you thanks.

You are now on my ignore list and I can assure you, that's your loss and definitely not mine.

 

[SEO Lady]

Anyone else need popcorn? I got 2-4-1 in Tesco at the weekend.

 

[Awinner2]

Nice to see that your claim to be P1 of G even without the brackets is actually true! Congratulations on that achievement.

 

[Awinner2]

If you are in contact with the site owners, why not ask them to transfer the domain ownership to you NOW (for a fee if they want). If you open an account with the same domain company that it is in now, they can transfer it to you without the delay process. You cannot move it out yourself for a short period of time but of course, you can set the DNS to your hosting company anyway. Hope this helps?

 

[HostXNow]

One way is to put the date in calender 90 days after the domain has expired. If you don't think many will go for the domain there's a good chance you can get it that way and get lucky.

Or you can use domain broker service, but that can get expensive.

 

[SEO Lady]

If you are in contact with the site owners, why not ask them to transfer the domain ownership to you NOW (for a fee if they want). If you open an account with the same domain company that it is in now, they can transfer it to you without the delay process. You cannot move it out yourself for a short period of time but of course, you can set the DNS to your hosting company anyway. Hope this helps?

I did think of that this morning, some back story; I intend on bargaining with the stock price they want but I only got the email today so it would seem un-British and a bit rude to ask them to do this when I haven't got a clear answer for them on buying their old stock.

With regards to SEO it's a little golden nugget for me, a reasonable DA, an absolute perfect niche industry match with relevant backlinks all nice and clean and natural. I'm happy to wait a few weeks before I transferin, verify in GSC and deploy a Google Change of Address.

I'm keeping my own domain for my venture as I've already had branding, plus of course I've done all my own SEO for the last 12 months in preparation for the launch later this year so no rush as you can see.

Your suggestion is 100% valid and correct without knowing the backstory. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

 

[Awinner2]

I did think of that this morning, some back story; I intend on bargaining with the stock price they want but I only got the email today so it would seem un-British and a bit rude to ask them to do this when I haven't got a clear answer for them on buying their old stock.

With regards to SEO it's a little golden nugget for me, a reasonable DA, an absolute perfect niche industry match with relevant backlinks all nice and clean and natural. I'm happy to wait a few weeks before I transferin, verify in GSC and deploy a Google Change of Address.

I'm keeping my own domain for my venture as I've already had branding, plus of course I've done all my own SEO for the last 12 months in preparation for the launch later this year so no rush as you can see.

Your suggestion is 100% valid and correct without knowing the backstory. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

Sounds like you have all your ducks lined up! I am currently building out a site for myself but over time have been investing in .com domains for flipping. Portfolio of around 60 now, all bought from Namesilo for only $8.99 each. Sold a couple that showed me a return of 60% over the entire investment. Waiting n hoping that a certain premiere golf club opens for business as I have their name as a .com!

 

[dotcomdude]

It's a good aged domain 8+ years

it's a little golden nugget for me, a reasonable DA, an absolute perfect niche industry match with relevant backlinks all nice and clean and natural.

These are the basic factors used when looking for dropping domains (other than the obvious 2/3 letter and keyword ones). Most drop-catchers will see it coming.

Your only real hopes of picking it up are:

1. You do a deal with the current owner and renew/transfer it before it drops
2. it's a very busy day when it drops

From what you've said, it should drop on or around the 24th of July. You may be lucky because that could be a busy day, being around the anniversary of the .uk domain release last year.

If you want to message me earlier in that week, I'll let you know for sure whether it's a busy day for dropping domains....

 

[Nick Walsh Studios]

#1 for SEO Freelancer UK well done SEO lady: 100-1k monthly searches, medium competition, £2.69 - £6.83 Google PPC Bid

 

[SEO Lady]

If you are in contact with the site owners, why not ask them to transfer the domain ownership to you NOW (for a fee if they want). If you open an account with the same domain company that it is in now, they can transfer it to you without the delay process. You cannot move it out yourself for a short period of time but of course, you can set the DNS to your hosting company anyway. Hope this helps?

Well @Awinner2 I did just that this morning at 8am after thinking "Why not be cheeky?"

By 11:30am I had paid them via BACS and following the instant transfer and Nominet fee it's now mine. I was very polite and thankful, exceedingly British.

 

[SEO Lady]

These are the basic factors used when looking for dropping domains (other than the obvious 2/3 letter and keyword ones). Most drop-catchers will see it coming.

Your only real hopes of picking it up are:

1. You do a deal with the current owner and renew/transfer it before it drops
2. it's a very busy day when it drops

From what you've said, it should drop on or around the 24th of July. You may be lucky because that could be a busy day, being around the anniversary of the .uk domain release last year.

If you want to message me earlier in that week, I'll let you know for sure whether it's a busy day for dropping domains....

See my previous post 5 minutes ago, I thought perhaps I was rude and pretentious to ask someone I've never met a favour, I would not normally ask but @Awinner2 prompted me to think "The worst they can say is no"

I did call and speak to the business owner last month over the phone and we had a nice informal chat, so it wasn't entirely a cold email asking for it.

Don't ask don't get I guess

 

[SEO Lady]

#1 for SEO Freelancer UK well done SEO lady: 100-1k monthly searches, medium competition, £2.69 - £6.83 Google PPC Bid

Edit: I've just found out I'm also number 1 for "Google correlate will shut"

Double edit, I recall talking about it onhere and I was in the middle of writing the article,

There's Clutch paying for Google Ads for "SEO Freelancer UK". I remember looking into Clutch about 6/7 years ago and decided the cost wasn't worth it. Has anyone either used Clutch or been on Clutch to comment?

 

[Karimbo]

If you are in contact with the site owners, why not ask them to transfer the domain ownership to you NOW (for a fee if they want). If you open an account with the same domain company that it is in now, they can transfer it to you without the delay process. You cannot move it out yourself for a short period of time but of course, you can set the DNS to your hosting company anyway. Hope this helps?

An asset they thought was worthless, they realise is now worth something so they'll give it away for free? I don't think it works that way.

It's gotto be a gamble between making an offer and hoping they'd quote something respectable, or take your chances and try and snipe it (which is risky because domain snipers have tools to grab good domains that drop off within miliseconds of them expiring).


@SEO Lady, @Darren_Ssc is quite right. You're providing commercial SEO services, but you don't know how to google simple information like this?

I get domaining may not be directly related to SEO. But if you're involved and make your living off the internet, it something you would have come across.