Sell your premium domain at the price it's actually worth.
Off-market private brokerage for exact-match category names, brandable .coms, and geographic assets. Five-to-seven-figure transactions, handled personally. No auction floor. No public listing that signals urgency.
Get a free domain assessment
No commitment. No fee. Personal response within 24–48 hours.
100% confidential · No upfront fee · Reviewed by Sean personally
Public auctions don't get you the right price. Private sales do.
When a premium domain goes to auction, the market sets the ceiling — and auction buyers are bargain hunters, not operators building a real business. The buyer willing to pay the most for an exact-match category name is the one who's about to build a $10M company on it. That buyer isn't on GoDaddy Auctions. They're reachable through direct outreach.
I've personally assembled and managed a portfolio of over 700 domains across every major commercial category — real estate, finance, legal, home services, hospitality, health, and branded .coms. I understand what a great name is worth to the right operator, and I know how to find that operator without tipping anyone off that the asset is in play.
Every engagement is handled personally. No junior associates, no automated pipelines, no public listings. If you own a domain with genuine commercial value, I can represent it to qualified buyers who have the means and the motivation to pay what it's worth.
- No auction floor problem. Public auctions let the market set a low ceiling. Private sales to qualified operators don't.
- No urgency signal. A domain sitting on Afternic for 90 days signals the seller is anxious. Private brokerage sends no signal at all.
- Qualified buyers only. Every introduction goes to buyers with confirmed intent and the capacity to close — no tire-kickers, no lowballers.
- Creative deal structures. Outright sale, installment note, or lease-to-own — structured to close at maximum value.
- Portfolio premium. Multiple assets sold as a cohesive package typically command 20–40% more per name than single-asset listings.
How a brokered domain sale works.
Three stages. Most transactions close within 30–90 days of the first buyer introduction.
Understand what you have.
Submit the domain and any supporting data — registration age, traffic, comparable sales, or revenue. Within 24–48 hours you receive a frank market value range, the buyer profile most likely to pay a premium, and a recommended approach. No obligation, no fee.
Targeted outreach. No noise.
The asset is presented privately to a curated set of pre-qualified buyers. No public listing — ever. Buyers are briefed on the category before the domain name is disclosed, so only serious, qualified inquiries proceed to the full asset.
Structure, agree, transfer.
Once a buyer is identified, deal terms are finalized privately. Payment clears through Stripe. The registrar auth (EPP) code and transfer instructions move the same business day funds clear. Installment deals require a signed agreement before any transfer.
Categories with proven buyer demand.
Category killers.
Single-word or two-word domains that own a commercial category outright — insurance, loans, jobs, homes, lawyers. The kind of name an operator builds a $20M company on. These command the highest premiums and the most qualified buyer pool.
City + category .coms.
DenverPlumbers.com, ChicagoRealEstate.com, ColoradoMortgage.com — domains that own a local market for a high-value service category. Strong buyer demand from local operators, franchisors, and private equity roll-ups in home services and professional services.
Built-to-brand .coms.
Short, memorable, pronounceable .coms with no trademark conflicts and strong phonetic characteristics. Buyers include funded startups, VC-backed companies, and established operators rebranding. These sell at multiples of comparable .io or .co alternatives.
Bulk & category collections.
10, 50, or 500 names sold as a cohesive collection — defensive portfolios, category sweeps, or geographic series. Portfolio sales to domain investors and operating companies frequently command meaningful per-name premiums over individual asset sales.
Sean Hakes
Domain & Business Broker
I've been acquiring, developing, and brokering domain names for over two decades. My personal portfolio spans 700+ domains across 30+ commercial categories — built through direct registration, targeted acquisitions, and portfolio purchases. I've structured domain transactions at every price point from targeted five-figure acquisitions to seven-figure portfolio deals. Every engagement I take is handled personally by me — no staff, no junior brokers, no automated systems. If I agree to represent your domain, I'm the one making every introduction.
Performance-based. Zero upfront cost.
Brokerage commission is a percentage of the final sale price, paid at closing from the proceeds. No upfront listing fees, no monthly retainer. If the asset doesn't sell, you owe nothing. The commission rate and any minimum thresholds are discussed during the initial valuation call and disclosed in writing before any agreement is signed. This practice generally focuses on domains with an expected sale price of $10,000 and above, with exceptions for portfolios.
Common questions from domain sellers.
What kinds of domains qualify for representation?
Do I keep using the domain while it's being marketed?
Can I set a firm asking price or minimum?
Is the sale completely confidential?
What if a buyer approaches me directly after you've started marketing?
Start the conversation.
No commitment. No fee. Frank personal assessment within 24–48 hours.
Prefer email? seanhakes@gmail.com · Reviewed personally by Sean.