If you have possession of an Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address, you may be eager to sell it because you think you can make a nice profit. However, if you don't know much about the buying and selling of so-called IP addresses, you might set a price that isn't high enough or is too high for the value of the address you're holding. Here's what you should know when you're trying to price an IPv4 address so that you can sell it right away.

Do You Actually Own the Address?

Many people don't know this, but if they are assigned an IP address by their ISP (internet service provider), the address itself is still owned in many cases by the ISP. Any sales of this type of IP address are for use only, as the actual ownership never changes hands. These types of addresses are typically priced lower than others because an ISP retains ownership of it.

Does Your Address Predate the Creation of the Relevant Registry?

Today, there are five regional internet registries. These organizations, operating on a nonprofit basis, are charged with overseeing and administering space for different internet addresses. However, the earliest of these registries was formed in 1992; any of the IP addresses that existed before the creation of the relevant registry are sorted separately and are referred to as "legacy" addresses. Some of these legacy addresses are still in use, but some have been lying dormant for some time. If the IPv4 address you'd like to sell is a dormant legacy address, that could mean a big payday for you.

Will You Ask an IP Broker to Assist You?

Once you know whether your IPv4 address is dormant, a legacy address or neither of those, it's time to start looking for a professional IP broker. Not only can such a broker help you come up with the right price for your address, but many brokers have contacts that may want to buy your address right away. When you work with a broker, you can relax a bit, as you can lean on the broker's experience working with IP address sales and come up with both a price and a buyer sooner than you might on your own.

With the information you've read in this article, you can more deeply understand the factors affect the selling price of your IP address. Ask your broker any questions you might have about the process so that it can proceed smoothly for everyone involved and you can make a great profit.