There are very few places online that we would recommend to buy a website from. Here are a few of the players we consider major.

SitePoint MarketPlace

SitePoint’s marketplace is in our opinion TOP NOTCH. Now, that’s not to say that you don’t have to be leery of posters that are trying to get something for nothing, but in general, the marketplace seems to be monitored in a way that posts from scammers are deleted pretty quickly.

Sitepoint has been around since 1999, and posters have to pay for each ad that is placed in the marketplace. This fact alone tends to get rid of most scammers. There is a wide variety of sites to choose from and some of the factors that we pay close attention to on each ad before buying are:

Date Established
Monthly Revenue (proof must be provided)

If all things seem to add up, we throw in a bid or choose the ‘Buy It Now’ (BIN) option. It’s shopping the way we like it.

When buying in the SitePoint MarketPlace - Check the Facts and Get Ready to Buy!

DigitalPoint Forums

If you’re new to website buying then please beware, because DigitalPoint’s Forums can be addictive. There are lots of sites (some scams, others not) added daily and the prices are reasonable for the most part. Sites on DigitalPoint Forums are not the best investment websites, but they are good starter sites if you’re just trying to own a site that Generates money using Adsense.

When buying on the DigitalPoint Forums : Gather as much information as you possibly can (including the seller’s phone number and address) and Proceed with Caution.

Webmaster-Talk.com

Webmaster-Talk.com has a common problem…people looking to make a quick buck off of a site they threw up in a day or so. And, not to say that all of the sites being sold are garbage (because they’re not), finding the perfect gem in the coal mine over there can be difficult.

There is also no legitimate rating system for posters as someone selling a product gets credit for responding to their own ad (for example, if I place an ad, and answer 50 questions regarding that ad, then I am considered an Experienced Talker).

When buying on Webmaster-Talk.com, beware of those looking for a quick dollar (at your expense).

Sedo.com

Sedo is top notch in secure domain buying, but their market for buying websites has much to be desired. First of all, we stated previously that we absolutely hate to bargain and attend auctions. We are people that like ’sure bets’ and don’t mind if we have to pay a bit more to get them. That being said we do buy on Sedo.com on occasion.

Sedo allows registered users to sell their websites and domains. However, there is no obligation for the user to sell it even if you offer them more than what they originally asked for. This irritates us to no end.

For example, the website tortillas.com has been on sale on Sedo for who knows how long. It’s been there for at least a year, and there have been 158 bids on the website to date. However, the website has yet to be sold. Why? Because the seller is not obligated to complete the sale even if the bid they are looking for is made. To us, this is irritating beyond belief. And although it doesn’t happen on all listings, this top listed site shows a major flaw in their system.

Another problem is that you can bid what the seller is asking for, and they can respond, “I got a bigger offer on another site, so the price is now x.xx more than it’s listed for. WTF.

Sedo.com is a great website for window shoppers, but may require patience and valium if you’re serious about buying.