The verdict in three sentences
In Houston, a website for a commercial real estate advisory costs a 2026 ballpark of USD 15,000 to 45,000 at a local agency, and more than USD 50,000 at a premium agency, while Kolonell's fixed grid runs from USD 2,900 (Starter) to USD 4,900 (Growth) and USD 8,900 (Premium). For a firm advising occupiers, landlords and investors, the site's value lies in proof of market knowledge: published research, listings that actually exist, a licensed team, transactions already public. The useful question is not "who builds the prettiest site" but what each piece of proof costs, and who keeps it current.
Price grid: Houston vs a fixed grid
Local ranges come from typical Houston agency quotes and public rate pages. Kolonell prices are fixed, in USD.
| Provider | 2026 build budget | Typical timeline | Strengths | Common limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local freelancer | USD 4,000 to 12,000 | 4 to 8 weeks | Low cost | Dependence on one person |
| Local agency | USD 15,000 to 45,000 | 8 to 14 weeks | On-site workshops | Copywriting budget often extra |
| Premium agency (Galleria, Downtown) | USD 50,000 to 120,000 | 12 to 20 weeks | Brand, video, integrations | Cost, long cycles |
| Kolonell Starter | USD 2,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | Clear site, native copywriting | Deliberately simple scope |
| Kolonell Growth | USD 4,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | Service pages, research, blog | Integrations on quote |
| Kolonell Premium | USD 8,900 | 4 to 6 weeks | Multilingual tier, languages set in the quote | Portals and data feeds on quote |
Every Kolonell tier includes a project manager reachable in Houston's time zone, native English copywriting and 3 months of support. Details are in the international offer. A Spanish version can make sense in Houston for some industrial or logistics occupiers: that is the role of the Premium tier.
What the site must prove to occupiers and investors
A corporate real estate director at an energy company looking for 40,000 square feet in the Energy Corridor, or an investor eyeing industrial assets near the port, judges quickly. The pages that make the difference:
- Services by client type: tenant representation, landlord agency, investment sales, project management.
- Submarket expertise: Energy Corridor, Galleria, Westchase, Downtown, Northwest industrial, Port Houston.
- Research and market notes, published, dated, with the method explained.
- Available properties, only real and current, ideally fed automatically, on quote.
- Team: licenses, specialties, languages, direct contact details.
- Transactions: only those already made public and with the parties' consent.
In Texas, brokerage activity falls under licenses issued by the Texas Real Estate Commission, and certain regulatory notices are usually reachable from licensed firms' websites: check with your designated broker. ADA Title III complaints over website accessibility are frequent in the US, hence a WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA target. Email campaigns follow the CAN-SPAM Act, and state privacy laws, including in Texas, keep evolving. This is not legal advice.
Total cost over three years
| Item | Local agency (USD) | Kolonell Growth (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Website build | 15,000 to 45,000 | 4,900 |
| Writing research and submarket pages | Often 3,000 to 10,000 extra | Page copy included, research supplied by the firm |
| Property and team photography | 2,000 to 6,000 | 2,000 to 6,000 (third-party supplier) |
| Listings feed or CRM integration | 5,000 to 20,000 | On quote |
| Accessibility audit | 2,000 to 6,000 | WCAG target built in, external audit on quote |
| Maintenance over 33 months | 8,000 to 25,000 (market assumption) | On quote after the 3 included months |
| Indicative total | 35,000 to 112,000 | 6,900 to 10,900 + items on quote |
Figures labeled market assumption reflect common maintenance plans of USD 250 to 750 per month.
When a Houston agency is the better call, and what to ask
A local agency makes sense if you want video shoots of your buildings, in-person brand workshops with every partner, or heavy integration with your deal management tools. For a clear, fast, carefully written site that is easy to update, a fixed grid is often enough.
For example, Kolonell built the website of Orven Properties (orvenproperties.com), a real estate company in Dubai: a different market, but the same need for clarity on properties and team.
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Questions to ask any provider: who updates available properties, and how often? Is the site tested with keyboard and screen reader? How are research reports published, in PDF and HTML? Who owns the domain and accounts? What does a new submarket page cost after launch?
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Bayou Gate Advisors, 12 advisors in Houston, receives a local quote of USD 38,000 excluding copywriting. The managing partner chooses Kolonell Growth at USD 4,900, adds USD 3,500 for photography and USD 4,000 for a listings feed priced on quote.
Total: 4,900 plus 3,500 plus 4,000, which is USD 12,400, against USD 38,000 excluding copywriting. The USD 25,600 gap funds two years of quarterly market notes written by a part-time analyst. A single tenant representation assignment on an office lease is often enough to cover the site.
FAQ
Is the USD 2,900 Starter tier enough for a commercial real estate advisory?
For a small firm with 5 to 8 pages and no online listings, yes. Once you publish research and submarket pages, Growth at USD 4,900 is a better fit.
Can we show our recent transactions?
Only those already public and with the parties' consent. Six verifiable deals beat 30 names without context.
How long until the site is live?
3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth, 4 to 6 weeks for Premium. Gathering internal content remains the main timing factor.
Is accessibility really an issue in Houston?
Yes, ADA Title III complaints regularly target business websites across the US. An external audit usually costs USD 2,000 to 6,000 on the market.
Do we need a Spanish version?
It depends on your clients. If a meaningful share deals in Spanish, the Premium tier at USD 8,900 covers multilingual, with languages set in the quote.
Let's scope your project. A Growth site with submarket pages and research can be live 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.
