[bhartzer]

If you have a brand new domain (i.e., you just registered it and it's "create date" is very new), then you'll want to buy an expired domain that has some history behind it...and a create date that's at least one year old. Redirecting an old expired domain will give your brand new domain a lot of benefits, especially when it comes to search engine rankings.

How do I find a quality expired domain?

There are several ways to do it, and I actually like the free service called Fresh Drop. You can search through the various auction listings like Godaddy's auctions and others. Sorting is pretty easy, I personally like to pick up domains that have .GOV backlinks (you can sort the domains and see which ones have .GOV links) and I also like to pick up domains that are currently in the Yahoo Directory (can help you save the $299 submission/review fee if you redirect the domain to your current domain).

If you find a domain that's not necessarily the "best sounding domain" or if it's not a keyword rich domain then using a 301 redirect from the expired domain you buy to your new or current domain will help with traffic and rankings.

Or what about looking for former "real estate" related sites that expired..but they have history, traffic, and backlinks (and PR, etc.). Searching for former real estate-related domains is an option, as well, can work to help increase traffic, backlinks, and rankings. Keyword searches through the drop catching services and other sites that list expired domain names can certainly reveal some great domain names that you can either use to set up a new site or simply redirect to your current site.

Have you tried buying expired domain names and redirecting them (with a 301 Permanent Redirect, of course!) to your current site?