History of the TLD

The .immobilien top level domain was introduced as part of ICANN’s expansion of generic top level domains aimed at creating industry specific internet namespaces. The word “immobilien” is German for real estate. The TLD became available for general registration after its sunrise periods in early 2014. The registry operates under United TLD Holdco Ltd.

Main Use and Industry Position

.immobilien is designed for real estate professionals, agencies, brokers, property managers, developers, and related services. It is especially relevant in German speaking markets where the term “immobilien” has direct meaning. The TLD helps convey real estate focus immediately through the domain name.

Comparison to Other TLDs

Compared with generic extensions like .com or .net, .immobilien offers clear industry specificity. Against other real estate TLDs such as .realestate or .property, it has linguistic relevance for German speaking audiences. Unlike country code TLDs, it does not indicate geographic origin but focuses on the real estate industry.

Pros and Cons of the TLD

Pros

• Clear industry relevance for real estate and property sectors

• Improves brand recognition in German speaking markets

• Available for registration without restrictive criteria

Cons

• Less universal recognition outside German speaking audiences

• Generally higher cost compared to traditional generic TLDs

• May not convey trust equally across all regions outside core market

Registration Criteria

Open to any individual or organisation without special restrictions. Although intended for real estate related entities, there are no strong eligibility barriers preventing general registrations.

Summary

.immobilien is a generic real estate focused TLD introduced through ICANN’s new gTLD program. It targets professionals and businesses in the property sector, particularly in German speaking markets. It competes with other industry specific extensions by offering descriptive value, though its appeal is more niche compared to globally recognized generic domains.