Morning Folks!!
When it rains, it pours. One of my all time favorite domains is VirtualTours.com. I have waited a long time for things to progress and still not the vision I see. My true vision is to be able to go “Virtually” to any and every corner of the world while in the comfort of your home. Or maybe a Deep Freezer if you want a virtual tour of the North Pole just for effect. With Google Street View etc we are well on the way. But not quite there. 20 year plan would put this into business in 2017. How much is a virtual tour of any place worth?
About 10 days ago I started receiving very serious inquiries about this domain. Until now, it had always been a popular tire kicker in my lot of domains. Now, there was something different. A product attached. But the value of my domain is in direct proportion to the idea and the market. So if this is a company with a $1 Million plan it would have no value to me. How much can my domain be worth if his top floor goes only to $1 Million? On the other hand, a larger vision will be a larger return and a much higher floor. Pigeons and Eagles some might say.
I am in no rush to sell. I would rather technology catch up with the domain to bring my idea to life. Plus as a real estate play with Property.com, Properties.com, ModelHomes.com, RealEstateforsale.com and a host of others, VirtualTours.com is too important a piece of that puzzle to break up.
This is just a real time example of 10 negotiations in progress with one domain name and new interest daily. Just one kernel of popcorn that could pop. And if not, I will just stick to my original game plan and let technology catch up with my idea.
And for future inquiries, I need no more than a link right here and we will all save a lot of time and energy. Thank you sincerely for your interest in VirtualTours.com. Those are my initial parameters. It there is a fit, lmk. If not good luck on finding one that is.
Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz
Mark Fulton
Technology has caught up Rick. This may be what is spurring recent interest. Give it just a little time for a production model.
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-08/laser-loaded-backpack-creates-instant-3-d-models-interiors
Leonard Britt
Nice name – I have a very similar name in Spanish (virtual trips/travel) ViajesVirtuales
Matt Cassarino
One step in the progressing technology of virtual tours is interactive floor plans. Definitely a step in the right direction for viewing properties online. Examples at TourVista.com.
BullS
Hey Rick, you better start developing before you kick the bucket. With the time you have on Earth, you might not see all your domains develop.
It’s going to happen sooner than later–still smoking?
Jason
I would consider selling the domain. While I don’t even have .001% of your portfolio, I like to see what other companies do with domains that I sell them.
I recently sold a domain to a company that really wanted it. They’re a few days away from going online with the domain.
I find it interesting what companies do with the domains you sale to them. While money is like popcorn kernels to you, would you want to see this domain developed in a site that captures your vision?
Thanks for sharing the history of the domain. Good luck.
Anunt
virtualtours.com is not worth a shit…it’s what you call”pigeon shit” domain…you need to stop having virtualdreams.com Rick and come back to reality!
Rafal
Anunt, you so wrong dude! Why Rick had millions, but you do not? Because he makes his dreams come true! What is reality? It is all dream. See movies The secret, than you will understand all. What is reality? it is what we make it to be, that is the real secret my friend…
Mike
i would advise no one to click on Anunt’s links as i just did and my McAfee Security Advisor issued a warning that his site was found to be having suspicious behavior and could be malicious, much like his comments
Response by Rick. I have removed his link so nobody will have a problem. Anunt has been banned, but I love when folks like him make a fool of themselves with their own words in front of their peers. It says more than anyone ever could say.
Steroids UK
I would expect actual virtual tours to be offered within the next 3 years ( i think the hotel industry will be the first to use them for their online marketing )
steve
I can’t see virtualtours.com going for more than $80,000.
Domaining is under fire, but it is still a great domains.
I can’t see it doing candy.com
bwhhisc
For a site like yours, check out this new technology… an eye-popping panorama of Budapest done with 70 Billion pixels. You could spend hours zooming in and looking around, you might have to download the MS silverlight but it only takes a few seconds. Worth the trip, and pretty amazing!
http://70gigapixel.cloudapp.net/index_en.html
LS Morgan (Not Morgan Linton)
VirtualTours.com is a fantastic, fantastic domain name, but I think this blog post is more about making an ex-parte communication with a counter party to an ongoing negotiation than it is anything else.
But I still agree with what you’re saying. Virtual Tours have become very popular in the RE industry and are under-utilized in smaller markets. Here in Chicago, pretty much every property above 500 has one associated with its online presence.
SDM
The ultimate evolution of virtual touring technology leads here:
http://www.squidoo.com/NeuralReality
Or – perhaps we’ve already arrived…
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=neo%27s+cat
Anunt
stop kissing ricks ass people…you are not going to get anywhere in life kissing people’s asses….if you guys like the domain so freaking much, would you buy that domain for $100k….i didnt think so…this domain makes no money right now..none…and will probably never ever make money unless someone spends millions on advertising that crap and in the end its all about profit…which this domain will never make…not worth a shit…just like i said in my previous post…sorry to ruffle your feathers Rick…just telling it like i see it…in the real world…not the virtual world!
WebDomainsBuy
Come on Rick the perfect domain name for what you describe is Rekall.com from total Rekall INC :)
If someone is going to spend millions they should buy the ultimate domain name and that would be VirtualReality.com
Other good names for the same idea would be VirtualWorld.com, VirtualTrip.com, VirtualTravel.com, and maybe even VirtualPhotons.com
If anybody is interested VirtualSightsee.com is unregistered.
Stephen Douglas
@ ANUNT
You’re an IDIOT.
I’m sick of you attacking Rick with lame personal posts that have no constructive criticism. You don’t even THINK about what you’re saying. You look stupid.
If anyone is going to attack Rick properly, that’s ME. Not you. You suck. You sound like a jealous loser. Just stay off of Rick’s blog, please. If ever I wanted Rick to block someone, it’s YOU.
VirtualTours.com? It’s a MIND BOGGLING DOMAIN IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS. My appraisal based on expertise of FT (Future Trend) domains? Rick’s domain is worth over $1 mill. Period.
Those who say it’s not, haven’t spent FIVE YEARS researching new technology domains as their main focus. I have, and I WISH I had been able to buy this domain.
I did get a few similar domains that fall under real estate, but still not the hierarchal mountain-topper like VIRTUALTOURS.COM.
My domains that would fall under Rick’s are:
3DHomeView.com
3DHomeViewer.com
VirtualProjection.com
These domains and many others provided by domainers who’ve been investing in FT domains will be soon…. ooops, TMI!
Stay tuned.
Anunt
Domain Appraisal: VirtualTours.com
estibot.com: $28,000
valuate.com: $28,000
domainappraisal.net: $3,100
swiftappraisal.com: below $100
domaintops.com: $20
My appraisal: $5,000
Ricks appraisal: $1,000,000+
Sedo.com … buy it now price:
VirtualTours.de … $2,000
VirtualTours.info … $5,000
Conclusion:
Rick is having virtual dreams of his domain virtualtours.com being worth more than a million bucks…come back to reality rick, your domain virtualtours.com is”pigeon shit”
LS Morgan (Not Morgan Linton)
Anunt: If you think VirtualTours.com is a ‘pigeon shit’ domain, I guarantee you fail- hard- at this game.
UFO
I can’t agree with Rick if he’s thinking in the million range.
The domain is worth its replacement value as a baseline, and anything above this is”getting ahead”.
By replacement – what sort of prices could replacement domains be bought at that are a function of desired saleability and end user value?
If you are a real”domainer” then you will be a trader, anything that increases the value of your portfolio of holdings on a value or risk reduction (saleability) level is worth doing.
So, I’d prefer to hear people say,”I can’t improve my position in the marketplace by selling that domain at that price” rather than”I want to make as large amount as possible” (which I have no basis for).
Nb: Virtual tours has obvious potential, but most”Virtual Tours” already exist within others intellectual property/branded sites etc, so a specific destination URL called VirtualTours doesn’t seem a multi million domain. Most large companies want to keep brands tight and not get into dilution. It’s like the domain”widgets.com”, prefer name for widgets but they are being sold on pre existing sites, it’s the product/content that sells and not the URL, hence the URL is bounded in its value.
gta
i agree with ufo
however Rick does have a gift of getting 10 times more for a domain lol, so while i would think is a high xx,xxx domain personally, who knows?
also the main point is it dovetails in nicely with property, properties
so i see Ricks point
virtual tours of flats, houses have been around years though. where you all been ? lol
don
Nice domain, the whole virtual tour real estate market fell apart, my guess is that this could be a great lead gen platform for a travel entity, selling upscale hotels and trips…if you think big and global its easier to quantify a larger sales price and this industry has demonstrated in the past that they have deep pockets and get online marketing..
CashFranklin
My input not good enough for you Rick? People need to stop being sold false dreams. There needs to be a definitive response to what works with domaining and what doesn’t the reasons why some of us in the upper top percentile”domainate”, and others just sit eating dust. I mean lets be honest with ourselves you’ve seen the seemingly INFINITE number of shitty domains that hopelessly get peddled on”add your stupid dn forum here” The ThisISAnAWESOMEdomainIpromiseIT.INFO’s and PICKthisOneUpforABargin.com only $5k…SHEER MADNESS. I make more than most people in this business, but shoving my earnings in peoples faces wont help if anything it’ll help increase the number of idiots that enter this market looking for quick cash… It does not exist.. It’s hard f’in work…blood sweat tears, and divorces. Late nights with no sleep…Days with no sleep this is not a business to glamorize. Those that put in the hours, and churn the butter hard enough get the end result…I spend thousands of dollars daily picking up quality names this is not a business for the wimpy pocket book…that’s just someone actually being honest for a change… so the next time someone tries to sell you an ebook or some pie in the sky get rich quick domain scheme keep your credit card in your wallet…buy yourself a frozen yogurt, and have a nice day…My two cents…
Attila
You guys are all missing the point of the domain and the possibilities behind it. If I owned the name, I’d think of 2 ways to monetize.
Firstly make virtual tours from ALL around the world and offer them to consumers at an annual membership of around $25 (travel the world for under $25 a year). Perhaps link them to my TourGuides.com if they’re interested in actually travelling there.
OR secondly engineer up your own proprietary hardware and software (easy to use and affordable to buy for consumers and businesses) that will allow you to make your own virtual tours for whatever industry. Say for real estate agents, theme parks, beaches, hotels, restaurants and more. Let them post to YouTube or charge for memberships to use different sets of tools. The industry is huge. However the backing to make this all happen would have to be in the millions.
tom williams
Rick,
can you help us much less experienced domainers how you protect yourself from any latter attack on your ownership rights, when initially entering into potential sale negotiations from bona fide appearing prospective buyers?
I always put a disclaimer on any email stating this is not an offer to sell, merely an invitation to discuss potential mutually appealing business transaction – but am wondering how someone with much more experience, and potential downside due to value of your domains handles this dilemna
Tx
Tom
domain guy
virtual tours would be a brand extension with a real estate domain.
virtual tours would be used as a travel site with a different biz model attached to it. real estate is currently dead so the inquiries you are receiving has to do with travel destinations.
after reading franks seven mile i see the problem with ricks blog. rick gives specific concrete examples of domains that rick sells.
frank gives concrete examples of the domain industry. this is why rick gets critized from anunt and others they are jealous.
Gazzip
Hey Rick, If non of those 10 kernels pop at your six figure price range or if they can’t wait till 2017 send them my way if they want a keyword-based brandable version.
VirtualTours360.com
Cheers
HoloVR
(20 year plan would put this into business in 2017)
Once again Rick has predicted the market to perfection.