The verdict in three sentences
For a Wellington luxury real estate agency, especially one focused on rentals and executive relocation, a redesign must first fix a quiet problem: agent profiles and a brand that no longer match across the website, Trade Me Property and social channels. As a 2026 ballpark, a local agency charges NZD 12,000 to 40,000 (≈ USD 7,200 to 24,000), Kolonell USD 2,900 (Starter), USD 4,900 (Growth) or USD 8,900 (Premium), listings feed on quote. The timeline fits in 3 to 4 weeks once team photos and bios are ready, with a 301 for every profile and archived property.
What happens when your team changes?
Oriental Bay, Thorndon, Kelburn and Seatoun draw senior public servants, diplomats and executives on assignment, who often choose a person before a property. When a consultant leaves, their profile sometimes stays online for months, their photo is still on Trade Me and their direct line no longer answers. A client comparing both sources sees two different agencies.
| Item | On the current site | On the portals | Fix in the redesign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Departed consultant's profile | still live, or 404 | sometimes still active | 301 to the team page, coordinated removal on the same day |
| Team photo | three different styles | cropped by the portal | one photo guideline, fixed format |
| Bio | written by each agent | copied, then diverging | shared template, reviewed by the principal |
| Licence wording | missing or incomplete | inconsistent | dedicated field in each profile, to be checked |
| Logo and colours | old version | new version | brand files delivered for the portals |
| Contact number | direct line | main switchboard | one rule decided before go-live |
If team members are licensees under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008, regulated by the Real Estate Authority (Te Mana Papawhenua), the details shown must match their licence; have the wording checked by your adviser.
What does a Wellington redesign cost in 2026?
Ranges are a 2026 ballpark, based on public local agency rate pages and typical quotes, converted approximately (NZD 1 ≈ USD 0.60).
| Option | Build | Profiles editable in-house | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wellington freelancer | NZD 4,000 to 10,000 (≈ USD 2,400 to 6,000) | depends on the theme | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Local web agency | NZD 12,000 to 25,000 (≈ USD 7,200 to 15,000) | often yes | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Premium local agency | NZD 25,000 to 40,000 (≈ USD 15,000 to 24,000) | yes | 10 to 14 weeks |
| Kolonell Starter | USD 2,900 | yes, simple team page | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Growth | USD 4,900 | yes, individual profiles and blog | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Premium | USD 8,900 | yes, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote | 3 to 4 weeks |
Included with Kolonell: a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support. On quote: maintenance afterwards, the Trade Me Property feed, connection to your property management software or CRM, a tenant portal. Team portraits and property photos are third-party costs paid to a local photographer. See the international offer page.
Typical timeline: week 1, URL inventory (properties, profiles, suburb pages) and consistency audit against the portals; week 2, profile template, photo guideline, copywriting; week 3, build and migration; week 4, 301 map, wording review, go-live and portal updates on the same day.
Which risks should you watch?
- SEO: suburb pages and agent profiles often get name searches; full inventory and one-by-one 301s, Search Console monitoring for 4 weeks.
- Leased or sold properties: archive per suburb, never a run of 404s.
- Relocation forms: name, contact, arrival dates, optional budget. No passport copy or employment contract in an open form; documents go through the agency's secure channel, and anti-money-laundering checks remain its process. The Privacy Act 2020 and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner govern this data.
- Claims: the Fair Trading Act prohibits misleading claims; no unsupported 'best agency in Wellington'. Overseas buyers, largely restricted since 2018, are pointed to the official source. This is not legal advice.
- Switchover: a Tuesday or Wednesday, away from open-home weekends.
Questions to ask: who updates the portals on launch day? Can an agent edit their profile without a developer? Is the feed priced separately? A local agency is the better choice if you want one on-site provider for both the team photo shoot and the site, or if a full rebrand (name, logo) is planned.
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Mini case study
Illustrative example: Kelburn Key Relocations, a luxury rentals and executive relocation agency with 7 consultants and about 5 team changes a year. Today every profile change goes through a developer: 2 hours at NZD 150, so NZD 300. Over 3 years: 5 x 3 = 15 changes x 300 = NZD 4,500 (≈ USD 2,700) of developer work avoided with in-house editable profiles. The agency picks Growth at USD 4,900, plans one 301 per departing consultant and books portraits with a local photographer, a third-party cost.
FAQ
Should we delete a departing agent's profile?
Redirect it with a 301 to the team page on their last day. Over 3 years, a 7-person agency often builds up 10 to 15 such redirects.
Are our Trade Me listings pulled in automatically?
Only if the feed is ordered, always on quote. Without a feed, Growth at USD 4,900 includes listings entered in the CMS.
How long does it take to align site and portals?
The consistency audit takes 1 to 2 days in week 1; portal updates happen on go-live day.
Can the site be offered in several languages for diplomats?
Yes, with Premium at USD 8,900, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote. Plan one native review per language.
Does a redesign guarantee more listings?
No, no website guarantees new listings. Track enquiries and profile visits over 90 days to judge the effect.
Let's scope your project. A redesign with editable agent profiles, brand consistency across your portals and a 301 map at a fixed USD 4,900 for Growth, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
