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Set Up a Custom Domain

Last updated May 18, 2026

Connect a domain you own to your Hometrace Site and verify the DNS records.

Every Hometrace Site has a Hometrace URL. A custom domain lets buyers use a domain you already own, such as inspectorbob.com, while Hometrace hosts the site and manages the certificate.

You keep ownership of the domain. Hometrace does not become your registrar. You only add the DNS records shown in the site editor.

Before you start

You need:

  • Access to the domain's DNS settings at your registrar or DNS host
  • A Hometrace Site with the basics filled out
  • The exact domain buyers should use, such as inspectorbob.com or www.inspectorbob.com

Connect the domain in Hometrace

  1. Open Site -> Custom domain.
  2. In the Custom domain card, click Set up custom domain.
  3. Enter the domain buyers should use.
  4. Click Connect domain.

After the domain is connected, Hometrace shows a status badge and a DNS records table. The table lists the record type, name, and value to add with your DNS provider.

Add the DNS records

  1. Open your registrar or DNS host.
  2. Find the DNS settings for the domain.
  3. Add each record exactly as shown in Hometrace.
  4. Save the DNS changes.
  5. Return to Hometrace and click Check status.

DNS changes can take time to propagate. If the status stays at Pending DNS or Verification required, wait a few minutes and check again. If Hometrace shows Issue detected, compare the DNS records in your registrar with the values shown in the editor.

What each status means

  • Not set up: no custom domain is connected yet.
  • Pending DNS: Hometrace has the domain, but DNS has not verified yet.
  • Verification required: Hometrace needs the DNS records to resolve before the site can go live on the domain.
  • Issue detected: Hometrace received an error while checking or configuring the domain.
  • Live: the domain is connected and the public site can use it.
  • Removing: Hometrace is disconnecting the domain.

Hometrace URL vs custom domain

Your Hometrace URL still exists after a custom domain is connected. If the custom domain is live, Hometrace uses that as the primary public URL in the editor. If you disconnect the custom domain later, your Hometrace URL remains available.

Tips

  • Enter only the domain, not a full URL. Use inspectorbob.com, not https://inspectorbob.com.
  • Make sure you are editing DNS for the same domain you entered in Hometrace.
  • Do not delete unrelated email or website records unless you know they are obsolete.
  • If you use an external website today, wait until the Hometrace domain status is Live before replacing public links.

Next step

Open Site -> Custom domain to connect or check your domain.