You came up with the perfect name, you searched for it, and someone already owns it. Annoying, but it’s not the end of the road. Here’s how to buy a domain name from someone else, step by step.

Plenty of registered domains just sit there unused, so there’s a decent chance the owner will talk to you.

Figure out what it’s worth

Think of a domain like real estate, except every property is one of a kind. There’s only one of each name, so there’s no perfect comparison, and the final price comes down to what the buyer and seller agree on.

As a rough guide, names fall into three groups.

High-value names

These are single words like furniture.com and popular short phrases. They can easily cost six or seven figures, so they only make sense if you’re sure the name will pay for itself.

Medium-value names

These use less common words or phrases, but they’re still easy to remember and spell. Expect anywhere from about a thousand dollars up to $100,000.

Low-value names

These include niche names with a small audience and many names outside of .com, like .net, .io, .co or .me. They’re a bit harder for people to remember, so they usually cost less. For help comparing them, read how to pick the best TLD.

Our guide to estimating domain name value goes into much more detail.

Do your homework

Check whether the name has been bought and sold before, and what it went for. Then be honest with yourself about two things. How much traffic do you expect it to bring? And what’s the most you’re comfortable paying?

Think about who your customers are too. A worldwide brand and a small niche business don’t need the same name, and they shouldn’t pay the same price.

Find the owner

There are online databases that list who owns a domain, along with an email or phone number. Start with ICANN’s lookup tool.

The details aren’t always right. Some owners use WHOIS privacy, and others never update their info. It’s still worth trying, because old addresses often forward to an inbox someone checks.

Go straight to the owner if you can. If you reach a company’s web admin or marketing person, your message will probably get ignored.

Make your offer

First, ask if they’d even sell, and whether they have a price in mind. Since you’ve done your research, you’ll already know the ballpark.

Negotiating can feel scary, but you know what you want, so just stay calm and take your time.

For a lower-value name, try a low first offer, something like $1,000, and see what happens. They might be happy to get rid of it, or they might counter to see how serious you are. Keep it well below what you’re willing to pay, but don’t go so low that you insult them.

This won’t work on a high-value name. Those owners get offers all the time, so ask for their price and negotiate from there.

Pay safely and move the domain

Got a deal? Nice. Now slow down for a minute, because scams around domain sales do happen.

Use a third party to handle the payment. An escrow service holds the money until the domain has been moved to you, so nobody can run off with anything. Many domain marketplaces offer this too. It’s also worth reading up on common domain scams before you send any money.

Once you’ve paid, the seller will start the transfer. If you’ve never done it, here’s how to transfer a domain name.

Is it worth it?

If you’ve got your heart set on one name, it can be. Just give yourself some time for research and don’t fall so in love with it that you overpay.

And if the price gets silly, walk away. There are always other good names out there. Try our tips on coming up with a website name, or search for your domain here to see what’s open.