Newbie buying domain name question

[jakobn]

Hi

I'm based in the UK and thinking of buying a .com domain from a US ISP. The owners have offered a reasonable price.

However, I am unsure of how to proceed. Does the current registrant just inform the registrar (DomainPeople) that I am the new owner, and then I can change registrar later on if I want to?

Do I need an account at DomainPeople first?

How do I go about paying the current owners (e.g. on registrant transfer and not before?).

Previous postings have helped, but I'm still a bit in the dark here.

Thanks in advance

JN

[jimbeetle]

Hi jakobn,

Each domain registrar works a bit differently but in normal day-to-day business only the current registrant can make the changes to transfer a domain name.

Your best bet is to contact the current owner AND the registrar for the specifics.

And of course, don't pay anything over the normal registration fee (if that) until the transfer is complete.

Jim

[Shakil]

Are you using a lawyer to handle the transaction, if not, I suggest you do.

These things can come back and haunt you at a later stage.

Shak

[jakobn]

Thanks for both your answers.

Do others out there that regularly buy 'second-hand' domain names get the lawyers involved for security?

I was hoping to avoid the expense.

JN

[Shakil]

I regularly buy pre-registered domains and ALWAYS use a lawyer if the transaction is over £500

On one transaction, the lawyer discovered some interesting facts which could have meant us losing the domain at a later stage.

Shak