So you have decided to create a new web site, you first must see whether the domain name is available. If you want a domain name that is already taken, you can try to get it on backorder. There are websites where you can see when the domain names will actually expire. Domain names are not free and you will have to pay a fee to host your website. There are quite a few sites that you can go to when trying to place a domain name on backorder one of those being GoDaddy.com. They vary in price but you can expect to pay somewhere between $10.95 and $20.95 to place a backorder on a domain name that is set to expire.
When a domain name expires, it is not immediately up for purchase. The previous owner still has time to keep his or her name, for 40 days after the expiration date the site will be shut down but they still have the ability to renew their claim on the name. There is an additional 30 day redemption period that the name must go through after the initial 40 day period. The previous owner can still renew, but most times it will be for a higher fee. Once the redemption period ends, the domain name is deleted this process takes 5 days. So from the day a website expires it actually takes 75 days before it is available.
Even if you have back ordered a domain name, there is no guarantee that you will get it. Multiple people may have that domain name on backorder. During the time when the website is being deleted you can try to register it but you may get beat out by companies that specialize in claiming domain names. A few of these are GoDaddy, Snapnames.com, Network Solutions and Pool.com.
Domain names which have expired and placed on backorder cannot just be purchased like an original one. Instead, they are placed up for auction. There are companies which can be hired to place these bids for you. A bid must be placed on each domain name even if only one person is interested in aquiring it. The company that you enlist to help you get your domain name will inform you of when someone else has bid and this gives you the oportunity to place a higher bid.
If no one else has placed a bid for the domain name you can state how much you want to pay for it. If other people are bidding the price can increase very quickly. In the auction process you may easily end up paying between $50 and $500. If someone is very interested in the domain name the price may be much higher though.
Placing a domain name on backorder in no way guarantees that you will actually get the name that you want or for the price you orginally paid for the back order.
