“It is a hobby gone wrong. It’s definitely addictive.” 🏠
At DomainX in India, I spoke with Martijn Schneider, a domain builder from Amsterdam and owner of HOUSINGAGENT.com, about building a global real estate domain brand. 🎙️
📊 In this episode, we unpacked:
- 🏠 A portfolio built around one brand
- 💼 From Amsterdam Housing to a global play
- 🧱 A builder, not a flipper
- 🌏 Staying up to speed
🎥 Watch the full episode:
🏠 A Portfolio Built Around One Brand
Martijn owns up to about a thousand domains in total. The core is around 250 names built on “housing agent” variations: housing agent, housing agency, housing agents and more. The directory names are all .com. The HousingAgent portfolio covers 89 ccTLDs and 15 gTLDs. 🏠
The portfolio is built to sell. The logo is trademarked in the USA, Canada, Europe and Benelux, with Chinese and Australian trademarks pending. About 50% of his income comes from real estate itself. For another portfolio builder’s story, read Manmeet Pal Singh’s interview. 🔗
💼 From Amsterdam Housing to a Global Play
He had no mentor. With an IT background in the late ’90s, he moved into the expat housing market after Y2K and built a company called Amsterdam Housing. He envisioned the same name for every region. 💼
He sold that company in 2007 for six figures (after first saying five, he laughed that he always has to count in English). After an 18-month sabbatical, he decided to go global, bought HousingAgent.nl and HousingAgent.com in 2009, and started acquiring every extension, even buying names from other traders. For another domainer who built a real business, read Jon Yau’s StockPhoto.com story. 🔗
🧱 A Builder, Not a Flipper
For the Dutch market, he also holds real estate names for every zip code. 🧱
“I can be distinguished as a builder.” He doesn’t flip names daily. He tries to sell whole portfolios. For tips on valuing names, read Sedo broker Brian Michitti. 🔗
🌏 Staying Up to Speed
The domain space keeps offering new ideas. You have to follow where it’s going and stay up to speed, “otherwise we all become dinosaurs.” Attending domain conferences around the world adds value to the business. 🌏
He enjoyed DomainX on many levels: the country, the food and the people. He’d been to Kerala and was heading to Madurai next. 🍛
📝 Key Takeaways From the Martijn Schneider Interview
- 🏠 Build a portfolio around one strong brand
- 🌍 Secure the brand across many extensions
- ™️ Trademarks add value to a portfolio
- 🧱 Building to sell is different from flipping
- 🌏 Keep up with industry changes
❓ FAQs About Martijn Schneider
Who is Martijn Schneider?
An Amsterdam-based domain builder and owner of HousingAgent.com, with up to about a thousand domains.
How big is the HousingAgent portfolio?
About 250 names, covering 89 ccTLDs and 15 gTLDs.
Does Martijn flip domains?
No. He calls himself a builder and aims to sell whole portfolios.
🎙️ More Inside A Hustler’s Brain Interviews You’ll Love
- Interview with Anshul Goyal Owner of Big .Biz Domains at Domainfest 2015
- Interview with Arvind Reddy Big Time Domainer at DomainX 2015
- Zak Muscovitch Canadian Intellectual Property Lawyer Interview at DomainX
- Interview with Team Sedo.com Frank Tillmanns & Sophie Pieck
Would you build a brand across 89 country domains? Tell me in the comments. 💬
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Jitendra Vaswani is a well-known expert in SEO and AI-driven digital marketing. He has spoken at international events and founded Digiexe, a digital marketing agency, and AffiliateBooster, WordPress plugin designed specifically for affiliate marketers. With over 10 years of experience, Jitendra has helped many businesses succeed online. His bestselling book, Inside A Hustler’s Brain: In Pursuit of Financial Freedom, with over 20,000 copies sold globally, underscores his influence and commitment to empowering digital marketers.