Robert Bruce a self described expert in online marketing strategies, wrote an article on Entrepreneur.com that he purchased two .forsale domains for $90,000 in total.
From the article:
The startup I’m currently building aims to modernize real estate marketing, and is scheduled to launch this summer. To position myself in the market, I opted for the exact-match domains www.homes.forsale and www.houses.forsale. They weren’t cheap, either: I worked with Name.com and purchased the domains for $90,000.
Bruce writes that back in 1994 he was asked if he was interested in buying a domain name? He did not know what domain names were and passed on the name. The name was Dog.com.
I have to say I have a bit of a problem with some of what Bruce wrote.
Bruce gives 4 reasons on why to pick a new gtld. I can agree with 1 and 2 but when it comes to 3 and 4, it’s a nice thought but no proof currently.
For example:
4. Reduced online marketing costs
Because new domains drive organic web traffic to your site, you’ll be less reliant on expensive search engine placement and other online ads.
Google has stated there is no benefit to using a new gtld, so I am not sure where the organic web traffic boost is coming from. Most new gtlds certainly don’t have type in traffic. Some do, Michael mentioned that Moving.Company has made about $800 as a parked domain.
Would someone outside the domain industry know where to put the dot in Homes.forsale ? Maybe they put Homesfor.sale, or Homes.for.sale. Let’s look at the fact there is a .sale extension and someone owns for.sale, so they can put up a subdomain like Homes.for.sale, if I spent $90,000 on two .forsale names, I kinda think I have to buy for.sale as well. Just my opinion.