I never planned to become a full-time domain investor.
In fact, when I bought my first domain, I had no idea what I was doing. It was 2018. I was freelancing, barely making rent, and curious about all these stories I kept hearing—people flipping domains and making thousands. It sounded like a scam… or at best, wishful thinking.
Turns out, it was real.
Fast forward to today, and domain flipping isn’t just a side hustle anymore — it’s my full-time job. And I’ve never looked back.
Let me tell you how it happened.
How It All Started
Like many of us, I was looking for a way to make some extra money without taking on another job. I came across a Reddit post about someone flipping a domain they bought for $10 — and selling it for $800 just a few months later.
That sparked something.
I did some research, watched YouTube tutorials, lurked on NamePros forums, and bought my first domain: SmartPetDevices.com — for $12.99.
Spoiler alert: it didn’t sell. But it taught me my first lesson — buying a domain isn’t the same as buying a winner.
Learning the Game
Instead of quitting, I doubled down. I studied:
- What kinds of domains sell
- Which keywords attract buyers
- How marketplaces like http://Dan.com and Sedo work
- Trends in tech, startups, and consumer behavior
I stopped buying random names and started buying smart names. Brandable. Search-friendly. Easy to say. I found expired domains with traffic. I learned how to price them.
And finally, I sold one.
EcoFence.com** — bought for $28, sold for $450.**
Not life-changing, but it proved the concept.
The First Big Win
My first major flip came in 2020:
CareBot.ai — registered for $39, sold six months later for $2,200 to a health tech startup.
That moment changed everything. I realized that domain flipping wasn’t just about luck — it was about strategy. Research. Patience. Positioning.
I kept going.
Turning Point: Part-Time to Full-Time
By 2022, I had flipped over 40 domains and built a small portfolio of 150 names. I was making more from domains than from my freelance work. It was still risky, but I saw a pattern:
- Some domains sell fast, some take months — or years
- The key is volume, patience, and quality
- Buyers will pay big when the name is perfect for their brand
I leaned in. I automated renewals, set up landing pages, and joined marketplaces like Afternic and Squadhelp. Eventually, I quit freelancing completely.
What a Day Looks Like Now
People imagine domain flippers sitting on piles of cash doing nothing. In reality, I treat it like a real business. My day includes:
- Scouting new domain trends
- Monitoring auctions and expired names
- Responding to buyer inquiries
- Negotiating prices
- Researching buyer personas
- Reinvesting profits wisely
It’s work — but it’s work I choose. And it scales.
What I’ve Learned (So You Don’t Have To)
Here are a few takeaways from my journey:
- Start small — Don’t spend hundreds on domains until you understand the market
- Quality > Quantity — 10 great names are better than 100 junk names
- Brandability matters — Think like a startup
- Stay current — Tech, finance, AI, and wellness niches are booming
- Be patient — Some domains take time to sell, and that’s okay
- Learn to negotiate — Know your bottom line, but don’t be greedy
Final Thoughts
Domain flipping turned my side hustle into a sustainable, location-independent business. It gave me time freedom, creative control, and the thrill of closing deals with companies all over the world.
If you’re thinking about giving it a try — do it. Start with one domain. Study the market. See where it takes you.
You never know… one name might change everything.
Thinking about getting into domain flipping?
Drop your first domain idea below or ask me anything — I’m happy to share what I’ve learned.
Would you like this turned into a PDF story or a case study format? I can help prep that too!
Image by rawpixel from Pixabay