Introduction

Domain valuation is both art and science. Unlike real estate or stocks, there's no official exchange — prices are set by buyers and sellers with wildly different information. This guide gives you a repeatable framework.

The Fort.Gold Method

Step 1: Check Comparable Sales

Before anything else, search NameBio.com for recent sales of similar domains. Look for:

Same TLD (e.g., comparing .com to .com)
Similar character count
Same keyword category (finance, tech, health)

A domain that sold for $5,000 last year is your anchor. Adjust up or down based on the factors below.

Step 2: Score the TLD

TLDs carry inherent liquidity premiums:

TLD	Liquidity	Typical Base
.com	Very High	$1,000–$50,000+
.ai	High	$500–$20,000
.io	High	$400–$15,000
.in	Medium	$100–$5,000
.co	Medium	$200–$8,000
.net/.org	Low	$100–$3,000

Step 3: Evaluate Keyword Strength

Keywords that drive commercial intent add significant value:

Tier 1 (pay, gold, money, invest, bank): 2–3× multiplier
Tier 2 (trade, loan, fund, real): 1.5× multiplier
Tier 3 (generic nouns): 1× multiplier
Brandable/invented words: 0.5–2× depending on memorability

Step 4: Apply Length Scoring

Shorter = more valuable, but diminishing returns exist:

Length	Multiplier
1–4 chars	4×
5–7 chars	2.5×
8–10 chars	1.5×
11–15 chars	1×
16+ chars	0.5×

Step 5: Adjust for Market Conditions

Add or subtract 20–30% based on:

Current domain market sentiment (bull vs bear)
Recent comparable sales volume
How many similar domains are listed right now

Case Study: fort.gold

TLD: .gold — niche, relevant, brandable → $3,000 base
Length: 4 chars → 4× multiplier
Keyword: "fort" = brand quality, "gold" = tier 1 finance keyword
Estimated range: $10,000–$22,000

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overvaluing based on dictionary words alone — "beautiful.com" sounds premium but has no commercial intent

2. Ignoring traffic data — a domain with existing type-in traffic is worth 3–10× more

3. Anchoring to reg fee — the $10 you paid has no bearing on resale value

4. Comparing across TLDs — .com sales don't predict .net prices

How to Value a Domain: The Fort.Gold Method