Have you heard about the new .REALTOR domain? Maybe you were even one of the many agents who signed up for priority registration to secure this branded domain that will show consumers they are working with a certified REALTOR®.
That got us wondering:
What other real estate-related domain extensions are coming up for grabs in the near future?
As it turns out, quite a few new domains with obvious real estate ties are slated to become available in 2014, including .realestate and .realty. Here’s a complete list along with the anticipated release timeline for each:
.apartments Q2 2014
.casa Q2 2014
.condos Q2 2014
.estate Currently available
.haus December 2014
.home Q2 2014
.homes Q2 2014
.house In sunrise
.immobilien In sunrise
.land In landrush
.lease Q4 2014
.mortgage August 2014
.mls Q2 2014
.place Q2 2014
.properties Q2 2014
.realestate Q2 2014
.realty Q2 2014
.reit Q2 2014
.rent Q2 2014
.rentals Q2 2014
.villas Q2 2014
Wait, what exactly is a domain extension?
Domain extensions, sometimes referred to as top-level domains or TLDs, are located at the end of your web address. For a long time, .com, .edu and a few others were our only options. But because there is so much competition for unique web addresses as more and more people create websites, new domain extensions are now being created periodically as appropriate.
So what does this mean for real estate professionals?
This means you may soon be able to get MyName.realestate or YourNeighborhood.homes. How cool is that? (We think it’s very cool.)
A relevant, top-level domain like YourCity.realestate looks professional and builds trusts with prospects. It can also set you apart from the competition. Even if you already have a web address that you’re happy with, you may want to buy a few variations on it to protect your brand and prevent others from using your name recognition to grow their businesses.
If the domain extension you’re interested in isn’t available yet, you can pre-register on some sites, like GoDaddy. Pre-registration will boost your chances of getting the name you want – especially if there is a lot of competition – but it is not a guarantee.
Geneva Ives is the marketing writer for Point2.
To learn more about affordable online marketing solutions for real estate, visit Point2.com.
