Does link history matter on this domain?

[garrett]

I'm currently participating in an auction for an expired domain. I backordered it (along w/ 30 other people) and now it has gone to auction.

I'm trying to figure out (in my mind) how much I'm willing to pay for this domain. The site went dead a few months before the domain expired. So, domain is no longer indexed in Google, but is still indexed in Yahoo & MSN. Yahoo shows several thousand inbound links.

So, my real question is, does any of the previous indexing and link history matter at this point (since site has been dead for months and whois has been changed)? Are those thousands of links (which still exist out there) completely devalued from an SEO/juice perspective?

I currently own/operate a website in the same niche as this domain, so if link value is zero, I can still benefit from the link clickthrough traffic and potential domain type ins (I plan to 301 redirect to my existing site).

Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Thanks. -G

[bwnbwn]

The answer is a hard one to answer. I would get the domain for the traffic since it is in the same vertical any links juice passed it just another +

2 k in backlinks is a good domain worthy of a serious offer and or bidder. I would assume why there are 30 more after it.

Does it have any Good directory listings?

How did you find it available?

[garrett]

Thanks for the reply.
No Yahoo Dir or DMOZ listings are evident.

I found the domain just by becoming intimately familiar w/ who's in my niche. I actually tried to buy the full website from the owner about 1.5 yrs ago, but he wouldn't sell it (damn damn damn!). I made a note of the expiration date in my Treo and backordered it. A few months ago the site just randomly went offline and then the domain renew was missed (perhaps something happened to the owner?...hope not).

Anyway, I've only got enough cash for a low 4-figure bid here. I'm totally expecting to get blown out of the water in the last few mins of the auction by someone else w/ deeper pockets.

[edited by: Webwork at 7:36 pm (utc) on Sep. 10, 2008]
[edit reason] TMI - Too much information isn't always "good for you" (your interests) [/edit]

[bwnbwn]

Well ya got 3 days or so to do some real good looking into the links and see the possibility of traffic justifies the expense. I fell ya got a real good chance at buying it myself. I would wait and watch for the most part and see how the bidding goes.

Smart move on sticking a random backorder on it. I ran across some domains names I should have done that to myself...

Post back on the sale ok and let us know how ya did.. Oh yea welcome to the board as well..