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The
seven-figure sale
of
Denver.com
that we told you about yesterday
has understandably created quite a buzz
in the geo domain community. One
of those most excited by the news is Scottsdale.com
owner Fred Mercaldo who also
manages dozens of key geo websites
through another of his companies - CitiesPlanet.com.
Mercaldo also serves as President
of GeoPublishers.com,
a trade association that represents many
top geo domain owners and was the
organizer of the first GeoPublishers.com
Expo that was held last fall
in Chicago).
Mercaldo
told us, "This deal is a win-win-win
situation. It is a win for seller Dan
Pulcrano, a win for buyer Peter
Niederman (who already owned Boulder.com
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Fred
Mercaldo |
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DenverRealEstate.com)
and a win for Denver.com and the
Geo Domain industry, as the domain is
now in the hands of a local (and
brilliant) businessman." |
"Both
of these gentlemen are friends of mine, and I
could not be happier to hear the news,"
Mercaldo continued. "Not only the
validation of another City.com
transaction in seven figures, but the
future of Denver.com will now become much more hyper-local,
which will ensure its success.
We have been stating and speculating for years
now that City.com’s are best run in the hands
of local operators, whether they be local
newspaper, TV station, advertising agency, media
company, or in this case, the largest realty
company in the Denver market." (Editor's
note: Niederman's company sold well
over $1 billion worth of real estate last
year and is having an even better year in 2012).
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Mercaldo
added, "This purchase by Peter will
support his real estate business for years
to come, and his local presence and
his commitment to excellence will no
doubt bring Denver.com to the next level.
Personally, with the 65 City.com
sites that we manage, I look for further
deals like this to happen in
the |
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coming
year, as major media cleans up their
balance sheets, and other local
players in each market understand and
grasp the power of the pure City.com
brand." |
While
it does indeed look like a deal that benefits
everyone, Dan Pulcrano has to be especially
happy. He told me that he originally acquired
Denver.com back in the mid 1990s for a mere $6,250.
From that number to somewhere in seven figures
(the exact price was not disclosed) is enough of
an ROI to make anyone smile :-)
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