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The order members actually follow: posting a name with an ask, waiting out the appraisal replies, agreeing terms in the marketplace board, then running escrow and the registrar handover. Timelines below reflect real threads, including the quiet stretches where nothing seems to happen.
The order below is the one most members follow. It is not a rulebook, and threads regularly go sideways at step three, but the sequence keeps expectations honest on both sides of a .co.za or .com deal.
Drop the domain into the appraisal board with the figure you have in mind, the registrar it sits at, and any renewal date coming up. Members reply with recent comps, comparable sales from the last twelve months, and a straight read on whether the ask holds up.
Appraisal threads rarely agree. The useful part is the spread: what a reseller would pay, what an end user in that niche has paid before, and where the name sits against similar keyword or length patterns. That spread becomes your floor and your target.
Whether the buyer came from the marketplace listing or an outbound email, the first reply sets the tone. Members post the wording here before sending, and the room flags low anchors, brush-offs dressed as interest, and the point where a counter stops being useful.
Once a figure is accepted, the terms go in writing: who pays escrow fees, how long the buyer has to confirm receipt, and what happens if the name does not move. For .co.za handovers this is where the EPP code and registrar confirmation window get scheduled.
The name moves, the registrar updates, and both sides check the WHOIS record before escrow releases. This is the step where deals stall most often, usually because the buyer went quiet between payment and confirmation. Post the timeline in the transfer board so others can see how long it actually took.
Closed threads get a short follow-up: final figure, days from first contact to handover, and any registrar friction worth noting. The same post usually triggers a portfolio pass, dropping names that no longer fit and flagging renewals coming due.
New to the boards? Start with the appraisal section, then read the board breakdown on Offerings before you post. If you are still mapping the whole sequence, the walkthrough on Solutions covers the same steps from the buyer side.
The order below is the one most members settle into after a few deals. Nothing here is mandatory, but skipping a step usually shows up later as a stalled transfer or a thread that goes quiet for a week.
Step 01
Put the domain in the appraisal board with the number you have in mind and any comps you already found. Vague posts get vague replies. If it is a .co.za name, say so in the title so the right people open the thread.
Step 02
Expect replies over two or three days, not minutes. Members post comparable sales, recent drops and the occasional blunt "leave it". Read the reasoning, not just the verdict, and ask follow-up questions in the same thread rather than starting a new one.
Step 03
Once a buyer is in play, move the discussion to the aftermarket board. Keep the timeline visible: first contact, first offer, counter. Screenshots of the exchange help when someone later asks how the deal actually went.
Step 04
Agree on the escrow service before anyone touches the registrar panel. Have the EPP code, account details and any company paperwork ready. This is where most .co.za handovers lose a day or two, especially when the buyer sits outside South Africa.
Step 05
Submit the transfer, confirm the registrar window, and check WHOIS once the name lands. If the buyer's registrar is slow, note it in the thread so the next person knows what to expect from that route.
Step 06
Post the final number, the timeline and anything that went sideways. Closed threads with real figures are what make the appraisal board useful for the next person holding a similar name.