When a funded startup asks about a taken domain, the price jumps. Stealth buyer representation keeps your identity sealed until the deal is done. Here is how the process works, what it costs, and who does it well.
Why asking directly backfires
Domain owners research every inquiry. A message from a corporate address, a founder with recent funding news, or anyone adjacent to a trademark filing tells the owner exactly how much the name is worth to you.
Brokers see the same names change hands for fair market value when approached anonymously. The difference between a direct inquiry and a represented one is routinely a multiple of the price, not a margin.
How a stealth acquisition runs
The lifecycle is the same at every serious firm, from Saw.com to MediaOptions to Grit Brokerage. Only the names and minimums change.
- Valuation: analysts weigh comparable sales, search demand, and registry history to set a ceiling before anyone makes contact.
- Blind outreach: the broker approaches the owner under agency cover. Your identity, funding, and brand strategy stay sealed.
- Negotiation: terms are drafted as an outright wire purchase, performance milestones, or Lease to Own installments matched to your runway.
- Escrow close: funds sit with Escrow.com or an attorney trust account. The registrant updates and DNS verifies before a cent releases to the seller.
What stealth representation costs
The standard boutique rate is 10% to 15% of the final price, paid only when the domain changes hands. Saw.com publishes 9% for self-serve marketplace sales and 15% for full managed brokerage. MediaOptions charges a flat 15% with a minimum fee. DomainAgents runs lower at 10% under $25,000, scaling down to 7.5% above it.
The number to watch is the upfront retainer, not the percentage. Premier agencies charge $0 before outreach. GoDaddy charges $99.99 per domain query and keeps it even if the owner never replies. DomainAgents charges a $19.95 make-offer credit. A retainer is not automatically a trap, but a non-refundable one on a cold outreach is money spent before anyone knows if the owner will even answer.
Who actually does this well
Twelve of the fourteen brokers we track offer stealth representation. The shortlist for funded founders: Saw.com for zero-upfront boutique execution with Lease to Own, MediaOptions for ultra-premium six and seven figure assets, Lumis Group for enterprise divestitures, and Grit Brokerage or Snagged for founder-to-founder exact-match .com buys.
Check minimums before you brief anyone. Enterprise firms set floors from $10,000 to $50,000. Below that, a negotiation platform or a direct marketplace listing is the honest route.
The escrow rule that is never optional
Legitimate brokers always settle through licensed third-party escrow, principally Escrow.com, or an institutional attorney trust account. The buyer deposits funds, the seller pushes the domain, transfer verifies, and only then do funds disburse.
Any broker willing to skip escrow, accept direct wires to the seller, or rush you past verification is a broker to walk away from, regardless of pedigree.
Questions this article answers
What is a stealth domain acquisition?
A broker contacts the domain owner as an independent intermediary, without revealing who wants to buy. Your company name, funding status, and brand plans stay confidential, so the owner quotes a market price instead of a startup price.
How much does stealth buyer representation cost?
Most boutique and enterprise brokers charge 10% to 15% of the final sale price with zero upfront retainer. Twelve of the fourteen brokers we track include stealth representation, and most charge nothing unless the deal closes.
Will the domain owner ever learn who I am?
Only at closing, and only as much as the purchase agreement requires. During outreach and negotiation the broker negotiates under agency cover, and funds move through third-party escrow rather than from your corporate account.
Do marketplace platforms offer stealth buying?
Generally no. Self-serve marketplaces such as Atom.com and Namecheap Marketplace are built for listed inventory, not confidential outreach to off-market owners. For a taken name you need a broker with a stealth practice: Saw.com, MediaOptions, Lumis Group, Grit Brokerage, and similar firms.
When should I hire a broker instead of asking myself?
Whenever the domain is already registered and matters to your brand. If the owner can trace your inquiry to an active startup, venture backing, or a trademark filing, asking prices routinely jump from thousands to six figures.