Ask ten brokers what makes a domain valuable and you'll get the same six answers. Here they are, in rough order of importance.
1. The right extension
.com is still the global default and commands the highest prices. Strong country codes (.co.uk, .de, .ca) are valuable in their local markets. Newer extensions (.ai, .io, .co) can be valuable in context — .ai is hot for AI startups — but generic new TLDs (.xyz, .online) usually sell for less.
2. Length
Shorter is almost always better. One-word names are the prize; two common words can still be strong; four-word phrases rarely retain value.
3. Brandability
Can someone hear it once and spell it? Does it sound like a company? Brandable, pronounceable names (think "Stripe" or "Vercel") outperform keyword-stuffed phrases for end-user sales.
4. Commercial intent
A name that maps to a money-making industry — finance, legal, software, health — is worth more than one tied to a hobby. High search-volume, high-CPC keywords add real, measurable value.
5. Clarity and risk
Is it free of trademark conflicts? Does it have awkward hyphens or numbers? Is it easy to confuse with another brand? Risk is a value killer; cleanliness is a quiet multiplier.
6. Age and history
Older domains with a clean history and past inbound links can carry SEO value. A brand-new registration starts at zero.
The pattern
Valuable domains tend to be short, brandable, on a strong extension, in a commercial category, with no legal risk. Miss one of these and the price drops; miss several and it may not sell at all.
Want a read on your own name? Run an appraisal and see how it scores on each of these traits.