Launching a real estate website: What should we keep in mind when picking a domain and brand name?

Follow these steps in order: 1) Run a trademark similarity search on the Türk Patent site, 2) grab the .com and .com.tr immediately if they're available 3) check every social media handle individually. Lots of people forget social media and end up having to tack on weird suffixes later because their handles were already taken.

Three years ago we paid 35,000 TL to acquire an exact-match keyword domain. We got quick clicks in local searches for the first six months, but onboarding corporate brokerages was a nightmare—we looked amateur. We ended up spending 80,000 TL just to rebrand. Go with a clean, proper brand name from day one.

use the radio test. pick something u can say over the phone without having to repeat or spell it out. no hyphens, no double letters. anyway simple always wins.

Keyword domains don't pack the SEO punch they used to. Trying to build a brand around a generic name just because it has search volume is a waste of effort. Competitors with deeper ad budgets will still outrank you; the memorable brand name wins in the end.

Are you only listing your own portfolio on the platform or is it going to be a marketplace where outside agents can submit listings too? If it's a marketplace, an impartial brand name is non-negotiable—no agent is going to post listings on a site that looks like a competing agency.

When searching domain availability, don't keep running lookups on generic registrars. Once you decide, add both the .com and .com.tr to your cart at the same registrar and check out right away.

Dont you need company documents or a tax certificate to register a .com.tr? We havent incorporated yet. If we register the name individually first and form an LLC later is the transfer process a hassle?

A colleague of mine got sued six months after printing his storefront sign because he never trademarked the name. A competitor had already registered it and demanded 100,000 TL to settle. They had no choice but to shut down the site and start from scratch.

You're right, I've been down that road too. The biggest time-waster for us was not knowing who had the final say.

If you have questions, write them; I'll answer as best I can.

let me summarize the topic since several different answers were given. do a small three-month project before talking stocks so you see each other.

hope this helps.

I'm in the same situation, that's why I'm asking. Hasty decisions become decisions you have to fix six months later.

I'm also curious if anyone does it differently.

Absolutely. If I were to add anything: A partnership without a payment schedule locks up at the first split.

I'm also curious if anyone does it differently.

Generally correct, but one part is missing. btw solutions that work at a small scale collapse when you grow; I learned this late.

If you post the result here, it will help others too.

The discussion got scattered let me summarize. When making decisions, write down the worst-case scenario too, not just the best.

That's all, sorry if I went on too long.

We've heard this a lot, but it never happened like that for us. Mistakes made on the real estate website names side are usually reversible but expensive.

Any unwritten clause becomes a point of disagreement later, as both sides remember it differently. Of course, it varies if your situation is different.

you're right but when making a decisiion first look at what data you have on hand.

Thanks, that was the answer I was looking for.

I've been dealing with this for a long time. When making decisions, write down the worst-case scenario too, not just the best.

Just because everyone does it doesn't mean it's right. Just leaving this note, it might be useful.