How to Buy a Domain Name That Is Taken (In 4 Steps)

Figuring out what domain you want can be a challenge. Finding the perfect domain name that is also available is much more difficult. Sometimes, you’ll think of the ideal domain name only to learn that it’s already taken.

The good news is “taken” doesn’t mean that a domain name is off the market. There are plenty of owners who sit on a great domain just so they can sell it later on. That means with a little negotiating you can get to own your desired domain.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of buying a domain name from its current owner. Let’s get to it!

Step 1: Figure Out Who Owns the Domain

The first step can be the simplest, depending on how the registered domain name is set up.

If the domain owner’s contact information is available, you can perform a simple WHOIS lookup to find it:

This is possible because domain name ownership is part of the public WHOIS database. When you register a new URL, domain registrars ask you for contact details so they can reach out to you if there are any issues with the property.

Your domain name details are then made publicly available:

If you’ve registered a domain any time in the last few years, then you know that many registrars offer to hide this information with privacy protection services.

In fact, when you register a domain through SirsteveHQ, you’ll get Whois spam protection:

This is to prevent spammers or other malicious actors from reaching out to you about your domain names.

Although this level of privacy is great for the domain name owner, it makes it harder for you to contact them. If that information isn’t available to the public, you’ll need to contact a domain broker.

Step 2: Use a Broker to Contact the Domain Owner (or Do It Yourself)

Domain brokers are specialists that buy and sell domain names on behalf of third parties. In this case, the third party is you.

When you engage a domain broker service, they’ll reach out to the current domain owner for you. If the owner is open to selling, they’ll negotiate a fair price on your behalf (based on the budget you give them) and close the deal for you:

Typically, domain brokers charge either a flat fee or a percentage of the domain value for their services.

One of the primary advantages of using a broker is that they can find information about domain ownership even if it’s private.

This is a way to bypass domain privacy and use a service that will make you look more professional when buying a domain.

The biggest downside of using a broker is that it tends to be expensive. You can usually expect to spend a few hundred dollars or more on getting the domain name you want.

If you can find the domain owner’s contact information by yourself, it can be worthwhile to reach out to them via email without a broker. This can be as simple as asking if the domain name is up for sale, and if it is, for how much.

Many domain owners tend to receive a lot of spammy emails, so make sure that your message looks legit. If you don’t hear back from them after a while, you can try reaching out again or using a domain broker instead.

Step 3: Reach an Agreement with the Domain Owners

This is the part of the process where your negotiating skills come into play. The amount of money you have to pay for a domain will vary, and it will likely depend on the owner and what they’re using it for.

If you’re chasing a domain with an active website, you’ll likely need to pay a significant premium, as you’re trying to convince the owner to change domain names for their site. If that domain’s website has a large audience or makes decent money, the owner might not be interested in parting with it at all.

Ideally, your main target should be a parked domain. This is a property that owners keep around for potential future use or for selling to interested parties. Therefore, it’s easier to obtain a parked domain, since it’s not currently used on a live website.

One option you can consider is paying for an appraisal service. This involves paying a company to check out the domain and figure out what it’s worth based on its use, similar domains and competitors, and traffic.

For example, Sedo offers domain appraisals, as well as other services like domain brokerage and transfers:

Adding a domain appraisal to the equation will increase your overall costs. However, it can be a smart move if neither you nor the domain owner know how much to offer or ask for it.

Appraising a domain or negotiating a price can take a few days, but don’t rush it. This will give you time to perform due diligence on the domain, and help you reach the best deal possible.

Step 4: Use an Escrow Service to Pay for the Domain

If you want to buy a domain name from its owner, it’s important that you use an escrow service. This acts as a middleman between seller and buyer, and can help ensure that neither party falls victim to fraud.

Once you agree on a price with the owner, they’ll need to initiate a domain transfer. In the meantime, you can deposit the money for the domain into an escrow account. This money won’t be released to the owner until the property has been transferred over to you.

Escrow services typically charge a percentage of the transaction or a flat fee, depending on the amount of money involved.

You can use a popular company like Escrow.com to ensure a secure domain transfer:

The only scenario where using an escrow service might not make much sense is if you’re buying a domain from the owner for a very low price. If someone is charging you less than a hundred dollars for a domain, the fees for brokers and escrows might not be worth it.

Therefore, you’ll want to evaluate the costs before you proceed. If you feel that the risks are too high and want to put your mind at ease, then it’s a good idea to use an escrow service.

Conclusion

If your dream domain isn’t available, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t get it. A lot of people own domains in the hope of selling or flipping them. In either case, they’re likely open to decent offers, and if you play your cards right, you can convince them to transfer ownership to you.

If you want to buy a domain that already has an owner, here’s how to go about it:

1. Figure out who owns the domain.
2. Use a broker to contact the domain owner (or do it on your own).
3. Reach an agreement with the domain owner.
4. Use an escrow service to pay for the domain.

Do you have any questions about how to buy your dream domain? Let us know in the comments section below!