$XX,XXX Potential Sale

[MinionDH]

I'm very close to buying a domain for low $XX,XXX (the most I've ever spent on a domain). This is a generic .com with no trademark violations. Before I go through with the deal I just want to know:

Are there any potential problems I should look out for?

Are there any specific forms I should fax to the seller?

Thanks in advance,
Minion

 

[maroulis]

you can always use a standard form with some legal terms to provide some protection - I have a standard document that I've used in the past send me a PM with your email and I can fwd it to you...

i'd check whois history and verify the domain is not stolen - that seems to be the biggest problem...

other than that, congrats, hope it goes smooth and well done on your big sale

 

[ColdGin]

Use escrow...

 

[Domainator]

We would use Escrow.com for this type of transaction....

 

[MinionDH]

Thank you for the responses. How do I check the whois history? and what should I look for (how would I know if a domain is stolen or not)?

 

[ColdGin]

whois.sc

 

[dcristo]

how would I know if a domain is stolen or not?

Confirm the whois contact details match the seller.

 

[Deleted member 5660]

We would use Escrow.com for this type of transaction....

Escrow.com has several flaws in their system so it is not true escrow. For one thing they only check the whois. One problem I have heard are that the seller can log in, change the whois, and then change it back after Escrow.com sends the money. Another problem I heard of is that the buyer can somehow say they are not satisfied after the domain is traferred and stop the payment. I never use them for high-risk and/or big money transactions.

 

[dcristo]

Escrow.com has several flaws in their system so it is not true escrow. For one thing they only check the whois. One problem I have heard are that the seller can log in, change the whois, and then change it back after Escrow.com sends the money. Another problem I heard of is that the buyer can somehow say they are not satisfied after the domain is traferred and stop the payment. I never use them for high-risk and/or big money transactions.

So what do you use?

 

[Deleted member 5660]

So what do you use?

www.esqwire.com

 

[MinionDH]

www.esqwire.com

Esqwire.com vs. Escrow.com

which should i choose?

 

[whydna]

Just go with escrow.com -

 

[dcristo]

Esqwire.com vs. Escrow.com

which should i choose?

I personally would go just with escrow.com never had a problem.

Better still, get onto the phone with the seller to see what they are like. You can get a good feel for how someone is just by talking to them.

 

[Togoodhlth]

I personally would go just with escrow.com never had a problem.

Better still, get onto the phone with the seller to see what they are like. You can get a good feel for how someone is just by talking to them.

Agreed. Definitely get their contact info and call. If it is a "suite" aka PO box get their home/business address.

I made the mistake recently of selling a $xx,xxx domain or should I say almost selling a domain without having the contact info. The guy was apprehensive about giving it to me however since it was going through escrow.com I didn;t think there was an issue.
In the end the guy bailed after a month long transaction (bank errors on his banks part didn't help) but if I had his contact info. things would have probably been different.

 

[checknme]

Go with Moniker for the escrow process. Monte is usually directly involved and the process is not flawed like Escrow.com.

One other piece of advice would be to check to make sure the domain does not seem to be blacklisted in any search engine.

 

[steven22]

How do you check to make sure the name is not blacklisted?

Thanks

 

[checknme]

Ideally both some investigation on your end (manually checking engines to see that the domain already appears) and some help from the seller (ask him to send you some logs and look for evidence of spider activity and traffic originating from each of the engines).

 

[MinionDH]

One other piece of advice would be to check to make sure the domain does not seem to be blacklisted in any search engine.

The domain I'm buying appears on Yahoo but not Google or MSN. Is there a simple way to figure out if the name is blacklisted on these search engines?

 

[checknme]

Have a look at your name on Archive.org. As long as it was not used in a shady way, you should probably be ok. I am just overly cautious now

 

[EM @MAJ.com]

If I sell big to first time buyer, I prefer bank wire transfer to my bank account. If I buy, I use third party service e.g. escrow.com, they will not release your payment 'till you have the full control of domain.

Hope this help,
Em