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Lease-to-own contract - Via Escrow or others

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Does anyone have any experience with "Lease-to-own" contracts made via Escrow.com or other well-known -and-trusted 3rd party?

I have a potential buyer interested in "lease-to-own" a low 5-digit range domain, as it is hard for them to afford the whole amount right now.
I checked Escrow https://www.escrow.com/services/domain-name-holding-escrow
and they have a "Domain Name Holding Purchase" agreement allowing this kind of transaction.
However, it seems that Escrow's agreement is protective of Escrow itself, but very raw on the seller's part.

1. Escrow seems not to handle the defaults, curation, nor resolution in case of defaults, leaving all that shitty work on the seller's part - I was looking for an agent that could handle defaults automatically on behalf of the seller;
2. The contract also seems not to provide any basic protection for the seller regarding potential misuses of the domain by the Purchaser during the contract (eg: trademark infringement, spamming, scamming, or illegal activities that would rip the domain and eventually even the seller).

For higher price domains, a custom contract via an attorney would probably be the way to go.
But for a low 5-digit like this one, I'm looking for something more simple, standardized, and yet protective of all parties.

If anyone carried such "lease-to-own" deals via Escrow or others, I would appreciate any feedback or even a sample of the contract you used.
 
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Hi

i have written such agreements in notepad and had them notarized/sent via snail mail.

you can write any precautions, protections into the agreement you want, such as late fee's, compounded interest, and default clauses in the event buyer fails to pay according to agreement.

pm if interested
 
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Thanks Biggie. Did you use any 3rd party to hold the domain during the contract? Or was just you and the lesser/buyer with you holding the domain until all paid?
PM sent

I'm in a remote country in the EU and buyer is in the US, which makes using a trusted 3rd party in the US (to hold the domain until all paid) more comfortable and safer for the buyer.
 
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no 3rd party used

i held the name ( 3yr lease) until last payment was received
 
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Hi Bulga,
I'm happy to jump on the phone and talk you through the protection we offer for sellers, a quick summary is:
  1. In the case of default we work with the buyer and seller on a cure period. If the buyer can't pay within the cure period or the seller elects against it we return the domain directly to the seller.
  2. When you use Escrow.com to manage the DNS we can act on your behalf to protect the domain name from misuse. What's considered misuse varies from domain to domain, so best to outline that and the actions to be taken in the contract between yourself and the buyer.
Cheers,
Jackson Elsegood
 
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Thank you Jackson.
Sent you an email.

I understand that in some cases customization is needed.
However, in many cases of low end deals, I believe the market really needs a more standardized, simpler, and well-tested solution. That would make the process smother for both sellers and buyers.
Specially when these kind of agreements seem not be yet very common.
 
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Hi Bulga,
I'll definitely take a look at how we can add a couple of these options into the contact. Thanks for the feedback.

Cheers,
Jackson Elsegood
 
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no 3rd party used

i held the name ( 3yr lease) until last payment was received

it would be if there standard domain name rental and or lease contracts that a domain investor could print off or that they could email to their lease customer and possibly a domain insurance form that insures the interests of both parties in the event of a dispute down the line
 
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Epik offers leasing services. Domain must be registered there, never used it before.
 
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I have leased domains without using a 3rd party. I created an agreement and received the money via paypal.

In one case, the lessee paid me thousands of dollars under a 24 month lease-to-own agreement. Eventually, the company folded and I retained ownership of the domain.

I would much rather get paid AND retain ownership than sell low / give up ownership.
 
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