Property.com SOLD to Foreclosure.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FORECLOSURE.COM OWNER TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY.COM
Brad Geisen continues to build online real estate empire to expand opportunities for future homebuyers and investors nationwide

Boca Raton, Fla. — July 22, 2008
Foreclosure.com Founder, President and CEO, Brad Geisen, announced today that he has reached an agreement with “Domain King” Rick Schwartz to acquire the domain name “Property.com,” paving the way for his entry into a new market.

With Property.com Geisen intends to create a one-of-a-kind — and convenient — one-stop online real estate marketplace that is easy-to-use and navigate. The Web site will serve as an easy-accessible national real estate classified that is going to be free to all visitors, providing sellers, buyers and investors with a whole new concept of marketing and finding homes on the Web.

According to Geisen, the acquisition of Property.com will allow him to focus his efforts on a different and potentially much larger segment of the real estate market. In fact, in Geisen’s opinion, the niche foreclosure market, which is Foreclosure.com’s market, represents just 2 percent of all available real estate inventory.

“I’m going after the 98 percent of the real estate market outside of the foreclosure business.” said Geisen. “For the past several years, I’ve built and run one of, if not ‘the,’ most successful Internet foreclosure businesses, but the business was always exclusively distressed real estate. I’ve achieved in Foreclosure.com what I set out to accomplish and I am ready for a new challenge in a different market. I intend to shift my focus on developing my new ideas that will revolutionize how homes should be listed, viewed and purchased. I’ve developed the critical skills which I intend to apply to this new market,” said Geisen.
Property.com will include all listing types, including those indexed the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), creating a database that could surpass more than 15 million homes, but not including distressed properties, which will remain the business of Foreclosure.com. The best part is that it will be totally free to search for potential buyers and visitors, and sellers will be able to upload and edit their own personal listings at no charge.

It’s a wide-open model that Geisen knows will create an invaluable resource for just about anyone interested in real estate.

“I’m raising the stakes and pushing all my chips to the center of the table,” said Geisen. “Foreclosure.com and my related companies have been leaders in their spaces for nearly a decade. I’ve seen what’s been wrong with the way things were done and I’ve developed the methods to fix them. I have the knowledge and resources to take this to a whole new level … and that’s what I plan to do.”

Geisen revealed the new Property.com will be unveiled sometime in 2009. The specific terms of the deal to acquire Property.com were not disclosed. However, Geisen indicated that the value of the deal is one of the largest URL purchases to date.

That’s a deal that has the seller Rick Schwartz – who is known as the “Domain King” -- smiling from ear-to-ear. He purchased Property.com for $750,000 in 2005 and was recently introduced to Geisen through Kevin Leto of BigTicketDomains.com about a possible re-sale.

“My job is to acquire prime, industry specific domain names with large volumes of natural type in traffic and eventually develop them to their fullest potential by partnering with leading companies in their respective fields which I have been doing for more than a decade,” said Schwartz,” “Early on I saw the value in Property.com; however, I never had the resources to develop it so it could reach its maximum potential. Brad Geisen has the vision to truly get the most of Property.com for the benefit of so many people in every corner of the United States. I’m thrilled to be a part of this exciting new project with Brad.”

Stay tuned for frequent updates and milestones for the new Property.com. Feel free to visit the Web site in its current form. However, as mentioned earlier, the complete re-launch will not be official until sometime in 2009.

About Brad Geisen and Foreclosure.com
Ten years ago, Brad Geisen founded Foreclosure.com and built it over time to a company with more than 1.8 million foreclosure, preforeclosure, bankruptcy, FSBO and tax lien listings in one place, Foreclosure.com delivers America’s largest and most accurate searchable database of foreclosed homes and distressed property information to its customers and business partners. Based in Boca Raton, Florida, Brad Geisen and Foreclosure.com work with hundreds of top lending institutions and government agencies to list diverse property types on its Web site, including Real Estate Owned (REO); Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); Fannie Mae; and other government agency and financial institution properties; as well as listings from an extensive network of corporate sellers. On the Web: www.foreclosure.com.

About eRealEsate.com.

Rick Schwartz, aka “Domain King” and “Webfather,” is the CEO, President and Cofounder of T.R.A.F.F.I.C. found at TargetedTraffic.com-- the premiere domain conference for the domain industry. It is both the oldest and largest and attracts over 500 of the top professionals in the industry in a by invitation only event. As one of the early domain pioneers dating back to 1995, Rick has a knack for predicting big trends and getting it right. He may have been the first to recognize the value of “type in” traffic which is now commonly referred to as “direct navigation” -- the most potent and targeted traffic on the net. Rick has a prime portfolio of one and two word domains, and is considered by many to be among the leading experts on domain names, traffic, Web site flow and valuation. www.eRealestate.com

Media Contact
Thomas Myers
Foreclosure.com
tmyers@foreclosure.com
Tel: (561) 981-5337 ext. 381


Five auctions under one roof

Morning folks!!

 

Just wanted to give you some important mid summer
updates.

 

T.R.A.F.F.I.C. is #1 because we set the pace and
are not afraid to try new things. The first silent domain auction, the first
live domain auction and now, with that in mind, T.R.A.F.F.I.C. is proud to
present another ground breaking first in the industry. 
For the first
time at any domain show we are going to have multiple live auctions presented by
multiple auction houses. This is going to be a game changer! Howard and I have
nothing to sell. Our job is to promote the industry as best we can and also be
as inclusive as we can. In tough times like this there will actually be an
increase in domain acquisitions. Domains that would have never been sold will
now be on the auction block. Plus, with multiple companies promoting the live
TRAFFIC auctions in New York City, the bidding action and
excitement will be better than ever. Multiple companies trying to include end
users. Multiple companies competing for the best domains. Multiple companies
offering different type inventories at competitive prices. Multiple auctions with multiple auctioneers and different styles of auction.

 

As is stands now we believe there will be up to 5 different auction companies holding live domain auctions in New York City
in September. Moniker will continue to be the 'Premiere' auction at T.R.A.F.F.I.C. as
they have been. As you might imagine, this was not an easy decision. Monte and his crew have done a great service to us all over the years. Just sometimes what is good for one company may not be in the best interest of an entire industry. So kudos to Moniker for doing what others would not do when none of us knew the outcome. 
Last year the New York TRAFFIC show produced a record breaking
$12M in auction sales. I believe that is more than all other live domain auctions at other shows
combined for both 2007 and 2008!! We have the right location at the right time
with the best domain audience.Including other
auction houses will be effective, good for the growth of the industry, make
things very exciting and open things up that will create lots of energy. Like I
said, this is a game changer and we are all big winners. More info will be
released soon.

 

We will also be announcing a T.R.A.F.F.I.C.
REWARD PROGRAM later this summer. This program will give perks/discounts to
future TRAFFIC shows starting at our San Francisco/Silicon Valley show next
April. Those spending $10,000 or more at the auction will be eligible for those
rewards. The reward program will be in effect during the New York City show in
September. The more you spend, the more perks you get.

 


That's about it. We are working hard to make sure
that TRAFFIC keeps way ahead of the pack. Since 2004 we have set the tone and
agenda for the industry by always providing cutting edge and trailblazing ideas
and agendas. Howard and I take great risks in an effort to bring the industry to
the forefront of marketing. Mix that with the biggest and the best and you get
TRAFFIC. We don't know the result of multiple auctions but it is going be a fun
thing to watch unfold. I expect we will announce the participants as early as
this week. I will update this blog with the companies as those companies commit.
Not only will this transform the domain aftermarket, it will transform the
auction houses that participate. Just look at the growth of our biggest partners
over the years. From DomainSponsor, to Moniker, to TrafficZ and others, TRAFFIC
has facilitated the growth of these companies. We are the 'King makers' and that
has been the bi-product of what we do and we can do it for many
more.
Now just a few quick reminders.   
1. The group fees go up tomorrow (Tuesday)
The 5 pack goes up $1000.
The 10 pack goes up $2000.
2. The $1795
Preferred admission ends on July 31st.So sign up now and save.   

http://targetedtraffic.com/ny_register.html   
3. The hotel rates will be going up on August 20th. Book your
rooms now as we are already 65% booked and the rates will go up by $200/night.   
http://targetedtraffic.com/ny_hotel.html 

 

Now back to your regularly scheduled summer!

Have a GREAT day!

Rick Schwartz
Update: We can now announce 4 of the auction companies that will be holding live auctions at T.R.A.F.F.I.C.
Moniker.com
Thought Convergence
RickLatona.com
Bido.com

Just a few updates from Rick Schwartz

Good Afternoon folks!!


Just wanted to list a few updates since March.


TRAFFIC at Disney World was not the biggest TRAFFIC but it was certainly the best by all accounts of people that were actually there. Here is the DNJournal review. Many others have blogged and written about it as well.


Whizzbangsblog
DNZoom
NPR covers the auction
Acro's take
DomainNameWire
DomainNews Interview at TRAFFIC


It was quite a magical week and we expect to be back there in early 2010 after shows in New York in September, Australia in November and then just 2 scheduled USA shows in 2009. One in Silicon Valley and then back to New York City. The costs to put on shows like this and the costs involved in coming to TRAFFIC are both very high. We know it is out of the reach of the part time or casual enthusiast, but I hope in time they too will have good fortune and be in a position to attend.
We do our best in bringing price levels down the earlier you book. So we hope that helps folks reach the level this conference was designed for. Those that dislike our pricing don't understand what we try to do and try to create and ultimately have been successful accomplishing. It is something money can't buy. Only faith in being able to see and then seize great opportunity when it passes in front of you is the price of this ticket. Folks that come to TRAFFIC don't really 'Pay' to come. That's a myth. They get 'Rewarded' with money making opportunity. They get 'Rewarded' by making face to face deals with ones in positions to make those deals. They get 'rewarded' with dividends at each and every corner. So that is the truth as well as the secret of what happens at TRAFFIC. We create a very special atmosphere and circumstance and then bring great people together that are focused on business and enjoying life. Like this speech given by Dr. Kevin Ham. Then we wrap it up in a very personal non traditional trade show mindset. It's like getting concierge service because we try and accommodate each and every attendee whether they are in need of special meals or need anything out of the ordinary, we get it done!


And getting it done is what we did when it comes to 'Transparency.'


The board of advisor's of TRAFFIC have officially adopted the  'T.R.A.F.F.I.C. TRANSPARENCY SEAL OF APPROVAL.' You can read the details and qualifications here.


The 'TRAFFIC WALL OF SPEAKERS'  is a page I put up on Sunday as a tribute to every speaker at TRAFFIC since our inception in 2004. See how many folks you know. Look at the quality of who we have had come and share their stories. Isn't that what this is all about? Sharing our stories? No  two  are alike. No two have the same result. Just the unique domains we own and the unique story behind them. The way in which each and every one of us climbed the same mountain. Each forging a different path.


Hope you all have a GREAT and safe summer! See you in New York City!


Rick Schwartz


My last Blog post

Good Evening Folks,


A year ago I decided to
write a book. 75 posts later, that book is done. It resides right here. 75
posts (Chapters) most of which are aimed at the corporate and investment world
along with the domain industry as well as other trailblazers. Free for the reading. I hope someday it is read by folks on Main
Street to Wall Street who can TRANSFORM their businesses if they can figure out just how EASY
it is to harness the power of the Internet. The posts are aimed at folks at
every level. As I have said for many years, there are countless ways to
climb this mountain, this was my path and this is my vision based on my
path. A 20 year plan. A plan based on timing. That success or failure has
a lot to do with timing. Sometimes timing is everything. So with that in mind,
it is TIME to do other things. Whatever I can say has been said. It is here. It
is on eRealEstate.com and it is on TargetedTraffic.com. Now the time that I
have always shared has to be devoted to other challenges and other projects.
The first of which opens today at Property.com. Widgets.com and others will soon follow. Time
to allocate my time in a new way. The industry is maturing and splintering and
becoming more serious and becoming more desperate. So the dynamics of the
cottage industry that gave birth to what we do is no more. The orbit has gone
to higher levels. Those in other orbits have to work hard to escape the gravity
of whatever orbit they are currently in to move to the next level. The safety
of mediocrity has to be overcome by the challenge of what the future promises.


Have a GREAT spring and
hope to see everyone in Orlando at the next TRAFFIC this May and in New York City in September. For any further thoughts, just read my previous post..


Rick Schwartz.


What is the excuse now?

Good Afternoon folks,


Many of you have wondered why I have
remained so silent on the Snowe Bill. What am I supposed to say at this point?
It isn't like I did not see this coming and I stated so very publicly back long before the Snowe Bill even emerged. I really can't say any more so all I can do
is wait for events to unfold and reprint my words from the DNJournal article I contributed to at the
beginning of the year that says it all. Pretty frustrating when you see this stuff
coming years away and then few pay attention until crisis is on the
doorstep and even then most say they will just leave it to others to take care of.







 

“Everyone knows I am about the most optimistic
  person you will ever meet. But my optimism is never divorced from reality. Reality is what IS whether we like it or not. I will probably take some heat for what I have said and even more for what I am about to say, but so be it. The following was a blog post I was going to make this week. I think it would have more value here first.   
 
  The enemy within 


 

There is no question that 2008 will be the most challenging year ever for domain owners and investors. While domainers are having a grand old time their livelihoods are in peril
  and few really even want to know about it. Combine that with the abuse that domainers themselves are guilty of and I will tell you that the biggest threat lays within the industry. Apathy, greed, wrong doing will surely put us all in jeopardy. While we do these things, our enemy is organizing and they will change rules and laws that will take YOUR domains and the earnings they currently make for you and
your families and are actively trying to shift those dollars to their pockets for them and their families.   


 


But party on like a ship of fools my
friends. My gift is seeing things before they materialize. But hey, don't pay
attention. Don't believe it. Don't do anything. But I promise you that some day
in the next 3-5 years (Maybe much sooner) I will point to THIS POST and
let you know that there was an opportunity to avoid it but you were too busy
laughing at what I suggest. The laughter no different than the day I
'Wasted' my first $100 and bought a domain name. So I am quite
used to it.







 

The forces are gathering. You have a choice to ignore
  this. But when you do, ask yourself  how you are going to feel when your domains are in jeopardy? When it is too late? When your domains are gone and
  the income along with them? 


 

Like I said, the biggest threat may be from within. Let's face it - many registrars and others are just outright
whores and their practices are not only raising eyebrows, but rules and laws will be put in place to try and control them and their abuses. While doing so we may get smothered in the process. Some domainers are no better.They
focus on Trademarked domain names and that does not help us either. Some think the problem is small. I will respond to that once I stop laughing. It is out of  control and makes everyone look bad.    


 

I see what is going on daily when I
  get emails from the Internet Commerce Association  (ICA). The threats are everywhere.
Forces against us are joining together. If the domain industry does not get  ahead of this we will all see the day in which some unfair ruling will be
used to take your assets away from you. Those assets are worth a  fortune. No matter what silly  appraisal you have had, GREAT domains are worth much more than what they say.
The proof will be obvious when you see the millions they will spend to get what you have at a FRACTION of the fair market value. 


 

There are storm clouds gathering and it is serious. Choose to ignore and you have only yourself to blame. The choice is easy, start educating yourself now. Get the ICA newsletter. Pay attention to the decisions and why domainers are losing domains. Do whatever you can to  prevent what is IN PROGRESS. Or do nothing and start looking for your next
career and how to replace your incomes.



   

Some will view this as doom and
gloom. Some will view as the sky is falling. My email will go bonkers. It is quite the opposite. The value of domains are going up faster  than you or I even know and THAT  is the reason we are a target. If the values
were not there, if the importance were not there, these folks would not
care about our assets. They validate the FACT that some of the
assets we own are PRICELESS. Unique assets, investments, collectables, virtual real estate, storefronts, that have gone up in value faster than
any other investment in history. Assets worth fighting for.
Worth changing laws for. They will spend MILLIONS to get what we own. They will spend tens of millions. Just ask yourself one question. “Why would they spend so much to get what we have?”


   

 


   

We have insurance for everything we
own. The house, the boat, the car, the life, the health, the toys, etc. etc. etc. Yet for some unexplainable reason domainers won’t insure their  futures. Won’t insure the very thing that pays for everything else. Won’t insure that they are insulated from predators that want what you own. You folks own “Mona Lisa’s” and these PRICKS want it and  they don’t want to buy it. They want to legislate it away from you. Tax it away from  you.STEAL your assets through legal means and I am telling everyone in the industry that they will WIN if you don’t  step up and pay attention and support efforts to insure our futures.
      


   

Steve Forbes related much of the same message at TRAFFIC as this has been done throughout history. Ask any of the top domain lawyers. Ask the top domainers. They all know what is coming. You will all live to see the day that billions of assets changed hands because some of  the smartest folks on the planet failed  themselves and their families. This  is the one predication I don’t  want to be right on. My job is to ring the bell as loud as I can and get the industry to take this seriously. Consider  the bell rung.'


    

The only thing I can add to this is a public thanks
to Phil Corwin. For folks that don’t know, Phil is the guy standing between you and the screwing of your lives. The industry has a fire department. It has one fire fighter. Phil Corwin. If this industry does not support Phil and his efforts with the Internet Commerce Association, there will be no industry to support. And when this bill goes down to defeat, there will be another right behind it. And another. And another. Then one day in the DEAD OF NIGHT, they will attach some provision somewhere that will change your lives in the most profound way. Please don’t anyone say they did not see it coming. Just say you pissed your futures away because: (Just fill in the BS here)


Rick Schwartz


Update: Read this and it will explain my decision below.
I am not going to blog anymore. People are not paying attention to what is coming. They expect somebody else to take care of it for them. The parking companies have the most to lose so I am
confused as my priority and a lot of other domainers I know priority is
now moving domains away from PPC. They are doing it as quick as
possible and starting with the most valuable domains with the most
traffic. I am going back to taking care of my business. Nothing further
I can or will say publicly. I wonder which PPC company will be the
first to do a Bear Stearns?


   

   


   

. 


 

 
   
   
   
 

 

 






Special T.R.A.F.F.I.C. offer for first timers

Morning folks!!


In our recent survey one
of the things you told us is that you want the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. show open to more domainers. We
always hear if you drop the price it will open the show up to more people. The
balancing act is doing that while keeping the quality of the attendee high as
well as the service and food we provide. Howard and I decided to find out if this is
actually true or not and will run this experiment because  of a one time circumstance at the Orlando show.



In order to get the
entire convention center at the Grand Floridian hotel, we were
required to reserve more hotel rooms than we were actually going to use. The facility was so good and would allow us to do so many types of new things, we decided we would bite the bullet on those rooms to get that venue. Instead of having those rooms sit empty while we are still paying for them  we decided to try this offer based on your feedback.



Here is the deal:
If you are a domainer that has never been to a T.R.A.F.F.I.C. show because of
the expense, Howard and I will pay your hotel room in Orlando to prove what a
value TRAFFIC is. We are so sure you will find it to be a turning point in your
careers and your business that Howard and I will pay the $269/night exclusive
of all taxes and fees and associated room charges at the Grand Floridian for up
to 3 nights. That's an incredible offer. This is limited to the first 25 people
that reply by midnight Friday, March 14th. This is only available to first time
TRAFFIC attendees and is not valid for new personnel of companies, groups or
associations that have been to TRAFFIC.  If, when you leave TRAFFIC, you agree that
TRAFFIC was a real value and good investment of your time, then we request that
you join the ICA at the $295 level. This is completely voluntary on your part,
but that is what we ask in return to helping you get to TRAFFIC if, and only
if, you find it to have been a great value.
If you have been previously invited, just go register on the website as usual and then send Howard and email telling
him you are a first time attendee. He will send you instructions once we
coordinate with the hotel. If you need an invite, there is a link right here.


Hope that can make the difference for some. See you all in Orlando!


Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz


Mediocre traffic for a mediocre system

Morning folks!!


Transparency has emerged
as the key issue for 2008. T.R.A.F.F.I.C. tackled the problem in session after
session. Change won't come easy but it will come. A set of standards are now in
play and has wide support.


What does transparency
do? It educates. Education creates a bigger market with wider and deeper demand
because they have a clear understanding and that is something to build on. But
the way the system is set up, it rewards mediocre traffic while ignoring very
potent traffic and not filtering out the crappy traffic. So as long as you mix
those 3 groups together, the entire online advertising community is not capable
of taking advantage of this golden opportunity to steal market share from
traditional media. They are stuck with mediocre traffic no matter what. Blind
buying will choke online advertising. And I have yet to even mention a word about separating social traffic from commercial traffic which is a huge factor. Scratching your head? What am I talking
about?


Let's reverse things. Imagine
buying time on TV and not knowing if you are getting Super Bowl time or 3AM
bible music ads. IMAGINE how absolulutely INSANE that system would be!! How could you possibly build on that. There is no recipe. It's Russian Roulette. Well
welcome to OUR world of insanity. THAT is exactly what WE do on the online
advertising and why so much of the $$$ don't make it to the pockets of the
domain owners who supply that traffic and why the demand is not as high as it
could or should be for Google and Yahoo on top of the equation. That also suppresses
payouts because it is all about supply and demand and the demand has never been
what it should be because without knowing what you are getting it is impossible
to increase your buys for most businesses. It's basic stuff not rocket science. The result is easy to see when there is a flaw in the  construction.


I URGE folks to start
thinking about grading traffic. Having transparency. Having Google and Yahoo
and PPC providers cooperating because as I illustrated above, the current
system is insane. It makes little sense. It is world's better than impression
based advertising but it is not good enough to compete with traditional media
for the long term and actually get those dollars that can be won over sooner
rather than later.


We have mediocre traffic
for a mediocre system because we mix all the laundry together and have yet
to learn to separate the colors from the whites, from the stuff covered in
Sh*t. The space will never evolve to its full potential until things like this
are understood and addressed. Not all traffic is created equal. Not all TV ads
are created equal. Not all magazine ads are created equal. The blueprint is
already in place from traditional media. Some of that blueprint may be
obsolete, but much of that blueprint for magazine circulation and TV ratings is
waiting to be deployed in what we do. Buyers need to know the 'Source' of the traffic they are getting and the system should be transparent enough for them to see. So when we talk about 'Transparency', we are talking about it on many levels. Domainers have a responsibility. Monetizers  have a responsibility. Google and Yahoo and whoever shows up next, have a responsibility.


Have a GREAT day!
Rick Schwartz



T.R.A.F.F.I.C. WEST Reviews 2008

At each T.R.A.F.F.I.C. show Ron
Jackson sits in on about every seminar and event that is held at TRAFFIC. I
have no idea where he gets the energy to do that. Then what is more incredible
is his talent to give a play by play and unbiased review of each and every
event and give you a true flavor of what has transpired. It is a vivid
description that only folks like Phil Rizzuto or Ralph Kiner could give. But
somehow Ron has a gift that few truly have. It brings me back to each event and
each moment and I am sure others will testify to that.


As a side note, when I read the story Ron wrote today, I noticed he had some Superbowls in his history. I wrote the comparison with 2 baseball announcers before I knew that. So pretty interesting of the unintended overlap. Wrong sport, but you all get the idea.   



Below are links to
several other reviews. Independent thoughts and conclusions of what they saw
and how they participated I'll just end the way I ended my own blog post last week and then some other thoughts.


'I will let others review the success and
accomplishments of TRAFFIC X, but Howard and I walk away knowing we gave it
everything we had and hope we added value to everyone's business and the
industry in general. Like I have said since day one.....'When you bring
GREAT people together, GREAT things will happen.'


The only thing I can add is that TRAFFIC is filled with opportunity. Some folks seize opportunity, some folks ignore opportunity, some folks would not know opportunity if it smacked them upside the head. The magic of TRAFFIC is the opportunity that is flying thru the air in an invisible manner. But folks that recognize opportunity also create opportunity. It is the one thing that is so hard to capture. Howard and I supply those conditions because that is our goal and then it is up to the attendee to make it into something life changing. That is why so many come back each and every show and so many travel from outside the USA to attend.  TRAFFIC provides something that money can't buy. The magic is in the quality of those that attend. They provide the energy and the ingredients. What Howard and I do is funnel that energy and refine it into conditions that bring and nurture opportunity. Together that moves everyone in the industry forward. Friend or foe, everyone has benefited.


Traffic Stories and
Reviews



Dnjournal.com 


Conceptualist.com Sahar's take on 'Value'



Conceptualist.com Observations by a first time attendee that won a ticket from Bido.com



Whizzbangsblog.com Learn why Michael Gilmour flys half way around the world to come to TRAFFIC


Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz


Secret .mobi fan spotted and revealed!!

Morning folks!!


In September
2006 .mobi was released. I did not think much of the extension. Just another
dotcom wannabe.  I laughed as most are still doing and moved
on. Then about 3 weeks later another thought occurred to me and I made a quick
about face. What did I see? If I tell ya, I’d have to kill ya. But at that
moment I saw something that would allow only a very NARROW but hugely
successful amount of .mobi’s that could change the world. Besides the obvious
company names and trademarks that would be snapped up by their respective companies, I identified less than
10 generic domains that could have great value in the future. The one that led
my list was Tickets.mobi. It joined flowers.mobi which was also in the list.
Why? Well, let’s look at how these two industries were transformed by the
internet, perhaps more than most or even all others. 20 years ago when I would
call 1-800-FLOWERS, I bought stuff but would never see it. The Internet changed
that. I finally had a visual to go with the dollar amount. That transformed the
buying experience for millions. Same with tickets. Before, you would call an
800# and got what you got after cross examining the operator on the other end
of the phone line. The Internet gave me the visual and now we can all see the
exact seat we get.


So as I sat
and identified the industries that could once again be transformed by .mobi,
the list was short and narrow. But like other things, IDEAS come about and that
short and narrow list is likely to fatten up.


For example, last Tuesday night, Jim McCann said they were working on a system that you will
be able to send a “Virtual Bouquet” to someone sitting in a nightclub you might
be at. So never discount how things can be transformed by a new idea. Will that
happen at flowers.com? No.They have a separate site for that. Today a dotcom.
Tomorrow……who knows. Especially when matched up with GPS or as a default
extension. Do any of us know how this will unfold? No. But it does not stop
folks from putting blinders on and actively rooting against something. Step
back folks. Don’t be guilty of the same things others have done to you. Open minds
seize opportunities that closed minds will never see.


Now that I got the #1 .mobi I have aimed for since
day one, (Tickets.mobi) it will be interesting to see how the old guard
domainers learn I am a big .mobi fan. (No surprise for some) I see it as the
next best extension to dot com and really nobody needs to agree with me. The
more folks disagree, the more I know I am on the right track. So save the
naysaying for 5 years not 5 minutes. Then we can discuss why so many of my good
friends missed such a winner. They will just say…..”Damn, Rick was right again.”


Here is the
reality. In 5 years the domain may be worth between $0 and $60,000. It may also
be worth between $60,000 and $60 million. I decided to place my bet on the
latter. Place your bets where you may. At the end of the day, I will trust my
gut more than any other set of factors. My gut says this will be a $60,000 loss
or the single biggest payday of my life. Only had that feeling a few times before.
Porno.com, Men.com, Candy.com, Property.com, Tickets.mobi. So then the question
becomes: “Why did I buy flowers.mobi for more than tickets.mobi? The answer is
pretty simple. Flowers.mobi was the only other .mobi released that was in my
top 10 list and since tickets.mobi was not yet out there, I wanted a foot in
this door. Porn.mobi was also on the short list as is sex.mobi and some other obvious
ones. Domainers will not decide if .mobi hits or not. Businesses across the
world will decide. They may see it as a way to capture another market. Another generation. They may see things we don't see. The thing that will decide the future of .mobi is not domainers. It is businesses across the world and advertising dollars spent. 
btw, the FIRST question that Jim McCann asked me was 'What did I think
about .mobi?' I told him it is too early to tell. The answer won't reveal
itself for 3-5 years. What folks did not know when he was there is that Jim
McCann was the LONGEST domainer in the room. He started in 1992!! While others are still struggling with their initial sites and online presence, here we have Mr. Cutting Edge himself and his focus comes down to one word, 'Mobile'! Their focus for the future is the mobile, on the go, younger audience. Will that help .mobi? Stay tuned!


Have a GREAT Day
Rick Schwartz



A post from 1998. Wow, what a ride!

Every once
in a while somebody will find an old post of mine and that happened this
morning. Thank you Owen! This post as you will see was written on July 4,
1998. There was no domain industry. As you can see, I am still trying to sell
the concept that the Internet was here to stay and just how important it is. So
this is an interesting perspective from nearly 10 years ago. My goodness, look
how the universe has changed in the past decade. What “Orbit” were you in a
decade ago? Think back to that time and what was different. Look how the world
has transformed itself in this decade. This is extremely timely as the new proposed law will change the life of every person that owns one or more domains if passed. We have come from total obscurity to being the #1 asset to legislate away from the current owners. Don't know what I am talking about? Read what Mike Berkens has to say after you read the following post. Now maybe folks will see the reason to support the Internet Commerce Association. 


From July
4th 1998........
Morning All!!
This is my 3rd annual July 4th post on domains.
Second on Ynot - and I believe the first was on Jonathans OLD board.
The first year they laughed me off the board
The second year they began to see what I saw
The third year I would like to show you where this 'Domain train' is
ultimately going.
First of all you MUST visualize a domain as a PHYSICAL piece of property, land,
undeveloped land.
Second you must realize that it is a MULTIDIMENSIONAL object because of
'Product branding' and WORLDWIDE address.
Third you must realize the special 'Uniqueness' ALL domains
inherently have.
Fourth......it is FREE to get to and hopefully EASY to remember and SPELL.
Fifth and MOST important, you must realize just how VALUABLE that real estate
REALLY is.
I have said one thing numerous times since I started down this path.....and 3
years later......I believe it stronger than ever!! 'The price of domains
(Electronic realestate) will go up faster than ANY other land EVER known to
man' I had made $0 at the point that I BELIEVED that statement to be true.
When I talk about domains I talk of PRIME domains. Not some of my silly
'cams' or 'gos' or 'starts' or other such veins.
(That is for down the road)  I am talking
corner properties in Manhattan, Beverly Hills, South Beach.
1 or 2 word domains that are TARGETED to a SPECIFIC group of people.
So where do I see myself at this point.......
I see myself in Times Square and I own a few corners plus a BUNCH of land on
42nd st.
When I arrived.....it was like a ghost town....it was barren and empty and MORE
than scary.
Today......I hear the sounds of a MASSIVE construction project underway. Trucks
and cranes and banging and digging and everything else you can imagine.
AND IT HAS EXPANDED!!
Those sounds are being heard in other geographic regions as well. It's not only
Manhattan!!
They have expanded to KANSAS if you were talking in domain terms, and with new
highways opening up in the form of different extensions......things get even
more interesting!
THIS is the year that the mainstream WILL figure it out. I started this journey
expecting it to be 4 or 5 years down the road before it hit. That would make my
ultimate predictions come true in the next 18 months.
So What will happen??
First of all how many of you would have imagined a year ago that the board
would have soooo many postings in references to domains....buying, selling,
trading? That IS significant.
I believe that the 'Multi national' companies of the world may begin
to see what I see. When that happens....AND IT WILL HAPPEN.....you will see a
significant amount of buying going on and the prices will go thru the roof! I
see numerous domains that will become next to priceless BECAUSE they WON'T be
for sale. THAT will cause other domain prices to rise.
Location! Location! Location!
I always believed it was a lot easier for a crummy restaurant to be successful
in a prime location with built in traffic than a GREAT restaurant that nobody
is able to find. Doesn't mean the GREAT restaurant won't be
successful.......but it DOES MEAN:
that he MUST be MUCH BETTER!
that he has to work MUCH harder!
that he has to give them a reason to go out of their way!
that he will always look down on the guy with the great location!
BUT
At some point......the GREAT restaurant may want BOTH! Wink
The BIG money IS coming! REALLLLLLLLLLY Big!
I believe it. I believed it in 1995. And I believe it stronger on THIS July 4th
than any other!
I remember last July 4th when I said to friends and such that a company's
website address would appear in every commercial, every magazine ad, every
billboard and at some point in time will become MORE important than even their
800 number. Guess what - yes, they laughed at me. I got more than a FEW raised
eyebrows.
I would say on THIS July 4th that ANY company without a presence on the net is
LOSING BUSINESS and their competition is gaining it! It indicates a company
with little foresight and if you were an investor in one of these companies I
would say it was time to change.
Keep your eyes on Disney, Microsoft, and some OLD GIANTS, plus a few unknowns
to lead the hottest race you have EVER seen. Look at the domains Disney and
Microsoft are buying up RIGHT NOW.
The BIGGEST factor!
Let's say Sears decides to build a store in Osh Kosh......It costs them $25
million, takes them 2 years to build after 5 years of planning.
VERY SLOW......VERY EXPENSIVE!
And if they get it wrong.....Ha ha!!
Now if Sears decides to build NUMEROUS websites TARGETED at different groups of
people they could take that same $$$$ and do some SERIOUS damage on the net!
AND they can do it overnight!
WHY did I stop advertising my Dirty phone numbers in all those magazines I was
in back in 1996?
Cuz on the net I could take it and turn my money around in days and I no longer
had to wait 6-9 months to get a return!
Maybe others will come to the same conclusion......If they follow the
$$$$$......then there isn't a doubt in my mind.
Sorry for the Long and Boring post......But I LOVE tradition!!
Have a happy and SAFE 4th!!
Rick Schwartz