If you go to snapnames.com, you will see that it costs $69.00 per domain per year. I think its a little expensive, expecially for us Canadians..but if the domain is worth anything, then $69 is nothing. I sold a domain that I got through snapnames for $12k, so i'd say it was worth it. You just have to decide if the domain is worth $69.
I've seen domains that only just came available in the past couple months that expired back in 1997, so don't expect a domain to come available right away after it expires.
RMF