History of the TLD

.house is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) created as part of ICANN's new gTLD program to expand Internet naming options. The registry agreement was signed in 2013 and the TLD was delegated to the DNS root zone in December 2013. It was introduced to serve the real estate and housing sectors with a descriptive and memorable domain extension.

Main Use and Industry Position

.house is primarily used for entities and content related to houses and residential property. Typical users include real estate agents, property sellers, contractors, home inspectors, builders, interior designers, and home improvement services. The extension conveys a clear focus on home and real estate topics and improves brand relevance for related websites.

Comparison to Other TLDs

Compared to general purpose TLDs such as .com or .net, .house provides a more specific context for property and housing-related content. It differs from broader real estate TLDs like .realestate or .homes by explicitly highlighting houses. It contrasts with country code TLDs which are tied to specific jurisdictions. .house offers unrestricted global registration without geographic constraints.

Pros and Cons of the TLD

Pros

• Clear and specific association with real estate and housing industries

• Open registration without restrictive eligibility requirements

• Supports modern DNS features such as DNSSEC and IDNs

Cons

• Can be more expensive than generic TLDs like .com or .net

• Less established recognition compared with legacy TLDs

• Market competition with a large number of niche real estate TLDs

Registration Criteria

Registration of .house domains is open globally on a first‑come, first‑served basis. No special eligibility requirements are imposed beyond standard compliance with naming rules. Domain names must not violate trademarks or be used for illegal activities.

Summary

.house is an active generic top-level domain introduced through ICANN’s new gTLD program in 2013. It is widely used by real estate professionals, housing businesses, and home‑related content creators. The TLD provides targeted branding opportunities for housing and property services with open registration and support for modern DNS standards.