Primary Domain or Redirect?

[Locals]

We are starting a new travel guide for a resort town. I have bought an expired domain with decent related links and PR (which seems to have survived the transfer (4 months ago).

Beofre we launch the new site I am trying to decide if we should use this expired domain as the primary URL for the new site or just do a permanent redirect and buy a new domain that better matches the theme of the site. I am obviously concerned with starting from scatch with a new domain. I am confident we can build some good rellevant links in a short time but this space is very competetive.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[Locals]

Thanks. It is a balancing act isn't it?

[Chris.Menke]

I think you should consider how successfully you can fold-in the old domain (name)  into the brand you want to create. Domain names as anchor text isn't that big of a think anymore--looking forward, the brand is more important thing.  If you think you might look back in a year or two and say "this domain name is just not working for us as part of our brand message" I'd go with the new domain.

[siteoptimo]

It's a factor, but not the only one. I wouldn't mind: it's already a win that you can create extra authority from the old domain.
In short term, it's more interesting to keep the old domain name. In the long term it's more interesting to have the new more relevant one, kickstarted with (301) links from the old one.

It's a preference, there's no right or wrong here. If going for the long term, relevance is my number one choice. You should see the old domain as a gift to kickstart it.

[Locals]

What about the fact that the new domain is not "aged" as opposed to the other domain?

[Locals]

The themes are close but not perfect...they should help, especially as we round out with other new links.

[siteoptimo]

Depends. If your domain name isn't that relevant for you business, I would buy the new domain name and do a 301 redirect. That way you can still profit from the authority of the old domain name. You won't get everything, but it will still kickstart your new domain.

Relevance is everything. You don't want to change domain names later on.

[Houses]

If you can get a better domain name, I'd do that because whatever domain name you go with will be referred to all over the place and if the name isn't a great fit with you, it isn't ideal.

[Chris.Menke]

I'd say it's not the domain name that's as much of an immediate issue as the link anchor text and the theme of the pages those links are on.  If those are not relevant to your site, and you have a domain name that is more appropriate to your business, I'd go with the new domain--I'm not even sure I'd do a redirect, in that case.  If the links are relevant and of decent quality, I think I'd go ahead and use the expired domain.