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What do you mean by choosing a domain name? A domain name is like your car’s registration plate. An example is www.GOOGLE.Com. And you need a domain name for your real estate blog or website. The good news is that choosing a domain name is a creative and interesting exercise.

 Let’s get you one.

 My focus will be on a domain for a real estate agent blog that will help the agent to stop knocking on doors and rather create relationships with property owners in a well defined listing area. Where a blog and newsletter allow the real estate to two-step. Therefore it’s, initially, not intended as website where you’ll try and sell properties.

The idea is to provide information in exchange for an opportunity to build goodwill and hopefully get listings or referrals. But the real estate agent needs a well defined niche. Because no one will read the newsletter if it’s not applicable to the worries of the property owner. This niche can be a geographical area (suburb) or by functional property type (small homes, expensive homes, sectional title etc).

 The above sentence is loaded with powerful words that can mean more than what the casual reader my appreciate. Let’s look at a few words that will help you to decide on a domain name:

 ·        Blog

·        Estate agent

·        Newsletter

·        Information

·        Goodwill or relationships.

·        Listings or referrals

 Let’s discuss these criteria when deciding on a domain name for real estate agent’s newsletter:

 ·        A blog is a given because it allows you to easily integrate an automatic news broadcast.

·        Because you’re a real estate agent with a newsletter your domain name can include a words like; home, house, property etc.

·        You will publish a newsletter therefore consider words like; info and news.

·        The intention of your newsletter is to build relationships, meaning to pre-sell. Therefore I suggest you don’t include a branded name in the domain name. For example if you work for Remax you should not use Remax as part of your domain name. Even if Remax has a trustworthy name in your area, Remax and other branded realtors are seen as businesses that do the selling and we focus here on establishing trusts by becoming the property expert and individual who cares. By the way: Your realtor my not even allow you to use its brand name.

·        The real estate agent who controls the listing area will be the most successful. Therefore this newsletter/blog is all about getting referrals and listings. The blog is not used to sell property. There are enough websites and your realtor should have one already where you can sell your properties. Remember we are creating relationships with the listing area.

 Now you can go and create your blog and name it. Well not quite. Let’s use an example and create a domain name for a real estate agent working in a suburb called Clifton. You can call it:

• CliftonProperty.iLocals.Info
• CliftonHomeOwners.iLocals.Info
• CliftonPropertyNews.iLocals.Info

The domain names above describe what Clifton residents can expect and it may even get them to explore what’s intended by the domain name.

Additional names you may consider:

·        PeterPanProperty.iLocals.Info

·        BillJonesHomeOweners.iLocals.Info

·        YourName.iLocals.Info

Any domain name that is not descriptive is a problem. This brings me to another set of guidelines:

A domain name should be:

• Easy to spell and pronounce.
• Easy to share over the phone for example.
• Easy to the ear.
• As descriptive as possible.
• As short as possible.

The only problem is that your short domain name may not be available. If you wanted CliftonProperty.iLocals.Info and its not available then you can consider an alternative.

Now you have the basics for a domain name for a real estate agent’s blog.