Have a fish on the hook, reel it in — When you

I would’ve paid much more for a particular domain a year ago, but I no longer need it.

Last year, I was searching for the perfect domain name for a fresh project. Following some hunting, I found one that checked all the boxes. It was my top choice, and I was ready to make a deal.

The domain’s owner had lofty expectations, initially asking around $200,000. That was well above what I had budgeted, but I engaged in negotiations to see if we could find some middle ground. Following some back and forth, the seller came down to what they called a “take it or leave it” price: $100,000.

I seriously considered it, but found another domain that I like that cost a lot less.

Fast forward to this month. I was surprised to see that the domain now has a buy now price of just $24,000.

Had that price been offered a year ago, I would have jumped on it. In fact, I would have paid quite a bit more. But now I’ve moved on with the alternative domain I bought.

I share this as a cautionary tale to domain investors: when you have a serious buyer on the line, consider whether it’s better to reel them in than risk watching them swim away for good.