LettingsAgency domain names

[LettingsAgency]

Hi,

I'm starting a new Lettings Agency in London and I don't know what to call it??

I've heard that a generic domain name is the best option for a new venture such as this - because people will find you website through search engines!

However, the Georgiou brothers appear to have all the good lettings domains! How did they do it - they own the majority of the good lettings domain names for this industry.

What are my other options? Having a non-descript name such as DaveJonesLets.com etc is rubbish - how are people ever going to find your domain name...

Where can I get a decent generic domain?

I quite like Lettings-Agent.co.uk but that is £6,750? is it worth it in the long run? - I think it well could be!

Let me know what you think!

[Worldlife]

I have a spare Limited Company founded several decades ago.

It is called Vendahome Limited and has £2000 fully paid up share capital.

Make me an offer :)

[Editor]

Generic names are good but they are only one element in the rankings algorithm.
Having a generic domain will not in itself get you rankings, far from it.
Although this firm have most of them registered I'm sure there are others you can think of, it's a matter of being more and more imaginative.
A hyphenated name, in my opinion, is not good. They are difficult to type and these days top sites just put the words together. I certainly would not spend money on this one, plus there's lots of combinations of these words - letting-agents, letting-agent, agent-letting .... and lots of sites using them. Besides, Lettingsagent is already in use.
http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?t=87
Another theory is to go for a memorable name which is not necessarily releated, or related in a round-about way - Google for instance. I remember a site call FrogLet - think this not longer exists but you get the idea!
The company name with Worldlife sounds good and you would be getting a ready made company, but is the domain available? Does not come up on a search, so it may be.

[LettingsAgency]

Cheers Editor! - Thanks for that - from your link that you posted it seems that single hyphenated domains are pretty good for search engine rankings and also look good.

For example: Lettings-Agent.co.uk would look pretty good in directories, paper published advertising eg yellow pages etc, on a company car. Plus, the name would be easy for people to remember and recall months and even years later.

As 90%+ of people start their property search online - I think that these types of names will become more and more desirable in the very near future; if not now. Plus it 'does exactly what it says on the tin; approach to advertising online is what internet is all about.

Does anyone have any other thoughts!?!

[islandgirl]

I agree with Editor. We run a website and were told by those who know that search engines look at the "back info" on a page not the name. you rise in rankings by getting lots of hits - key to this links from other sites and more "traditional" forms of advertising.
A good name for the company comes first, a website "variation" follows hot on its heels!

[lettings888]

I think these types of names are great for marketing purposes - back links etc.. are a natural progression of a website being made; however, if you don't have a good, memorable domain name - how will people find you. For example, people will type in the term described above directly into the search bar to see what is there. Also, these types of names need less advertising as people who see the name once or twice will be able to memorise years later - I think £6,750 is not a bad price. That's the commission on a couple of lets. That type of domain will ensure that the hits received and visits will ensure it is a viable opportunity.

These domain names are really hard to get hold of - they were snapped up ages ago by the 'shrewdies' of the lettings world.

I gave read a couple of things about these Georgiou guys - they have quite a few sites: there newest one being www.ByOwnerLondon.com - London's 1st by owner property portal.

http://uk.forums.webhostdir.com/printthread.php?t=17718

Whoever can afford these types of names should probably try and get them - I wish I'd thought of it! They could be used as satellite sites to link on to existing lettings agencies websites and used for promotional marketing and internet marketing branding!

[Wickerman]

Have a domain name that makes sense when you read it out over the phone.

for example www.liverpool-lettings.com is "liverpool dash lettings dot com".

Who would get the domain name "letting-agent.com"??? a person who wants to raise revenue through adverts and click throughs from google.

Call it after yourself, your dog, your girlfriend or whatever - a good name is a good name after all.

[LettingsAgency]

Generic domain names are the most sought after of domain names - These types of names are extemely useful to businesses as they increase traffic, brandability, familiarity, image/public perception, interenet presence, outlets for selling the product, direct targeted internet searches, direct type-in browser traffic.

I am seriously considering buying one of those guys' domain names - the public percption and trust would be huge. In directories, local papers, magazines, internet directories etc... People would be able to recall these domains years later etc...

I quite like the domain name Lettings-Agent.co.uk actually - it would look really good on a shop front/on a company car/etc...

I've inquired about the price and it's £6,750. I think it's worth it as that would be made back from 2/3/4 lets!!! Very economical - plus; these types of names only ever go up in value as there is a limited supply and the demand keeps rising.

[Wickerman]

Good luck with the purchase.

I have a good domain name for my company and was contacted by a company offering me a slight variation of the website with a very official looking email - asking price about 80 quid. Quick whois search revealed it was not registered and could have been mine for under a tenner.

What kind of return would you expect to get on the domain name? 5% a year? 10% a year? With a few selective post to this (and other forums) you might even drive the price higher. erm... is that was is already happening????

[LettingsAgency]

I'm just looking for a good one for myself actually. I want one that people will type in regardless - All lettings agencies have one thing in common: they are exactly that; lettings agents!

People will search on the internet for these terms. I have found that Letting-Agency.com is available for £35,750 looks like it might be a good deal. It's Inclusive of the .net i.e, Letting-Agency.net for the price of £47,500

These prices are based on the potential for growth of such a web address, because that's what domain names are. They are the addresses/location etc.. of the internet/like piece of property with no planning restrictions. these names retain value and there is a limited supply and infite demand There will be only 1 way for the prices to go!!....basic economics.

"According to recent data almost 87% of buyers start their property search online, so focusing on the web makes tremendous sense" (these stats can be checked).

These people will look on the internet before setting foot in the high street...fact! The other 13% might walk past your shop...maybe! A lot of people are letting these days and so the demand for these sevices are rising an so therefore re the number of online searches for these terms.

[Wickerman]

Come on, this is an advert for you selling these domain names, surely?

If I had 50k spare I would not be spending it on a domain name!!! My annual hosting budget is under £50 and I get .co.uk reserved and .com hosted.

Perpahs you should go to a letting agents meeting and hawk your domain names there! Far more chance of someone "seeing the potential" of a generic, non specific domain name.

[LettingsAgency]

no; it's not an advert.

the name is also not non-specific.

It's 100% industry specific.....it's a r0nseal type scenario..

www.????????.com "does exactly what it says on the tin.."
And with all due respect - these types of domains are far superior to your domains. Which I'm guessing no one could guess..??

People could easily guess and remember such names as..

LettingsAgent.net
LettingsAgency.net
LettingsAgents.net

or

Lettings-Agency.net
Lettings-Agent.net
Lettings-Agents.net

or

Lettings-Agent.com
Lettings-Agents.com
Lettings-Agency.com etc...

[islandgirl]

If I had the £6750 quoted previously burning a hole in my pocket I would not spend it on a domain name such as this! People SEARCH using google or similar. They do not often "guess" a name and type it in. Get lots of links and a good site and advertise in the right places and you will get the hits - we do on our site. Better to have a snappy memorable name than a very non-descript "me - too" one! Just a personal opinion and you are welcome to yours, LettingsAgency...

[Brigitte]

Have a bit of a brainstorm. There are still a lot of good domain names out there. String 3 words together. LCN.co.uk allows you to type in the various ideas and then you can see which ones sound and look good. Choose one for £7.50 or £25. Your money is better spent elsewhere. And there are many other things that suck you drier than a miserable domain name.

I made the mistake of choosing a domain name that was too specicific. Originally I was only a letting agency and that was fine , but now we are into Spain sales, financing, Buy-to-lets, buy-to-sells and buy to fixup etc.
The only common denominator is that we are working for ourselves and NOT some big corporation.:D So your surname would be as good as anything else.

[LettingsAgency]

Hi,

the name gateway letting......what does that mean?

If you're doing Spanish properties and sales; why is there the word letting in your domain!!??!!

Plus, if it wasn't good/brandable etc.. to have the term letting(s) in your domain then you wouldn't have put it there in the first place - would you!?!

I have decided to go ahead with one of the domains that have been allowed for sale by this lettings domain business - in the end all lettings agencies etc.. will want one of these names! I might even buy a couple as an investment to sell in a few years - they will be even more rare and prestigious than they are at the moment. Domain names are the fastest rising stock in the world's history......

For example CommercialProperty.com sold the other day for over £25k+....

These names are good investments - apparently these guys who own them have had a lot of interest in the names because of the press coverage and the number of people who want to get into the lettings business....

Now, Lettings-Agent.co.uk asking price has gone up to £7,950 because of the demand and that's only in a week or two!!!!

[justaboutsane]

Lettings agency if you read Brigittes'post you will read that she admits that she made the mistake of a "too specific name".

If you are as you say you are then just buy the stupid name and shut up about it! Although as has been mentioned above I feel you are trying to sell the name and those mentioned!

Our website is our company name and it has "properties" in the name so I think we have our bases covered!

[islandgirl]

methinks LettingsAgency doth protest too much

[Brigitte]

Hi justaboutsane.

I am going just about insane with people who cannot read, so thanks for your post. I have also now chosen another domain name with properties in the name which will hopefully cover a multitude of ventures including a link to the original letting site. Haven't designed the pages yet so that will be more work for the new year.

[Newbie2let]

if the price has gone up due to demand then why is it still owned by the same person??

Like everything in life a product is only really worth what someone is willing and offers to pay for a product.

One thing to remember is that just because you register 'www.lettings-agency.co.uk' or similar does not mean that you are the only lettings agency in the world, far more names to choose from, like other posts it doesn't make your business anymore popular, more memorable than another name.

You can have the best domain name in the world but if no one visits it, it aint worth nowt all you have is an expensively purchased domain which will in time be priced out of the market and worth nowt.

Why pay £35K plus for a domain when you can register .co.uk for less than 2 quid!

[stubie]

I named mine RentWays back 2003.

Its short and sweet and rolls of the tongue.

Don't forget you tagline as well, its all important in getting your message out

Stubie
www.rentways.co.uk

[J4L]

I agree with some of the posts about getting the 'back' of the site up to scratch because that is what the search engines are actually looking at.
Please don't be mistaken by a 'hit count' though guys. Hits are absolutely not measureable and you should get stats that show visitors and/or Unique visitors to the site.
Lets say for example that you were looking at our just4girlz site, and clicked into hair accessories, because I have hundreds of photos and a lot of writing on them it would record about 200+ hits on the site just by someone looking at that ONE page. It's the visitors you need to be looking at.
With regard to paying shed loads of cash out for a domain name I personally think this person is trying to flog his own domain name and by getting people in here to look it up only increases interest.
I think if you choose a name that's short and sweet then people will remember it anyway.
We have an Umbrella company called JUST4 and have developed just4girlz in the last 2 years, now we are broadening our horizons and are introducing a letting agents into our local town.
The just4let.co.uk domain cost us £6.20
Surely the extra few thousand would be better spent in getting a real cool website or decorating that shop that you're going to be working from??
Or am I just tight?? lol

[johnboy]

and before you start on your website just check with your local council cos mine (chichester distrist council) gives a grant towards it up to £1000 for local buissnesses. I dont know if its a local thing or national though.

[J4L]

Great advice there johnboy. Most Councils do give a grant for new businesses. It can be a bit of a headache to get it but it's worth all the form filling to get it.