Ok, a domain I have always wanted recently expired, and I want to be sure I get it immediately after it becomes available for registration. How should I go about this? It is still in the (possible renewal phase) or whatever, but when will it be officially available for registration? Any help would be great.
I think you have to wait 1 month after the domain has expired, in order to be able to purchase it. During that 1 month, the owner can decided whether he will renew his domain registration or not.
If the owner of a domain does not renew by the expiration date of the domain, the domain goes into “expired†status. For 40 days, the domain is in a grace period where all services are shut off, but the domain owner may still renew the domain for a standard renewal fee. If a domain enters this period, it is a good first indicator that it may not be renewed. After 40 days are up, the domain’s status changes to “redemption periodâ€. During this phase, all WhoIs information begins disappearing. Finally, after the redemption period, the domain’s status will change to “locked†as it enters the deletion phase. The deletion phase is 5 days long, and on the last day between 11am and 2pm Pacific time, the name will officially drop from the ICANN database and will be available for registration by anybody. The entire process ends exactly 75 days after the listed expiration date.