New website for a commercial real estate advisory in Tokyo: real cost vs local agencies (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

A commercial real estate advisory in Tokyo will typically be quoted JPY 2 to 5 million (about 13,300 to 33,300 USD, 2026 ballpark) by a mid-size local web agency, against a fixed 2,900, 4,900 or 8,900 USD with Kolonell. The comparison only becomes honest once you add Japanese copy, research report design and three years of upkeep, because a CRE site lives or dies on how current its market content looks. A Tokyo agency remains the right choice when Japanese-first copy, in-person reviews in Marunouchi and a live listings feed are all needed on launch day.

Price comparison: Tokyo agencies versus a fixed grid

Your audience splits in two. Corporate occupiers, often the Japan head of a foreign group, look for office, logistics or lab space and need an advisor who reads the Tokyo market for them. Investors and landlords, domestic and international, want data, research and proof of execution. Both groups judge a site in under a minute: is the market view current, is the team credible, can I reach a senior person in English?

Local figures below are prudent 2026 ballparks from typical agency quotes and public rate pages in Tokyo, converted at roughly 150 JPY per USD.

All Kolonell tiers include a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks (Premium 4 to 6) and 3 months of support. Japanese copy is either supplied by your team or translated by a third party. A listings database, a gated research library or a CRM integration is scoped on quote. Details sit on the international offer page.

Pages a CRE advisory site must carry

An occupier or investor arriving from a search or a referral looks for specific evidence. A site that converts in this niche usually holds:

• Services by client type: tenant representation, landlord leasing, capital markets, valuation support, workplace strategy, each with what you actually do.
• Sector and submarket pages: Grade A offices in Marunouchi and Otemachi, logistics in the Tokyo Bay area or along the ring roads, as far as you genuinely cover them.
• Research and market commentary, dated, with the period covered stated clearly. Stale quarterly notes damage credibility faster than having none.
• Listings, only real and current, with a clear "updated on" date.
• Team pages with languages spoken, sector focus and licences held.
• Transactions only if public or approved by the client in writing.
• Privacy notice under the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI), whose regulator is the Personal Information Protection Commission, plus a clear purpose statement on every enquiry form.

If your firm brokers transactions, Japanese real estate licensing and advertising rules govern how licence details and property listings are shown; have your compliance lead or counsel review listing pages. This is not legal advice.

Hidden costs and the three-year view

Three-year totals, using market assumptions for maintenance across every column so they compare like for like (Kolonell maintenance after the included period is on quote):

When a Tokyo agency is the better fit, and what to ask

A local agency earns its fee if your site must be Japanese-first with copy written natively in Japanese from day one, if your partners expect monthly reviews in person, or if listings must sync live with an existing property database. In those cases, JPY 3 million or more can be justified.

Before signing with anyone, ask: who writes and who approves the Japanese copy? How are listings kept current, and by whom? Who owns the domain, code and photos? Where is personal data stored, and how is the APPI purpose statement handled? What exactly does maintenance cost after launch, in writing?

Mini case study

*Illustrative example, fictional firm.* Marunouchi Workplace Advisors, a 12-person tenant representation and capital markets boutique, receives a JPY 4.2 million quote from a Tokyo agency, about 28,000 USD. It chooses Kolonell Premium at 8,900 USD, adds 4,500 USD of Japanese translation and 1,800 USD of photography: 15,200 USD in total. The 12,800 USD saved pays for roughly 51 months of maintenance at a 250 USD monthly market assumption, or for a listings integration scoped later on quote.

FAQ

How long does a new CRE advisory website take?

With Kolonell, 3 to 4 weeks for Starter or Growth and 4 to 6 weeks for Premium. Mid-size Tokyo agencies commonly plan 3 to 5 months.

Is Japanese copy included in the price?

Kolonell copywriting is native English or French; Japanese is a third-party translation, around JPY 300,000 to 900,000 for 15 to 25 pages in 2026. Premium is the multilingual tier, with languages set in the quote.

Can we show our deal track record?

Show only transactions that are public or that clients have approved in writing. Many firms present sector experience and anonymized deal types instead of names and figures.

Can the site host live listings?

Yes, but a listings database or feed is scoped on quote, as costs depend on your current systems. A simpler route is a curated, dated list of 10 to 30 current opportunities.

What does maintenance cost after the first 3 months?

Kolonell maintenance is on quote. For budgeting, 200 to 400 USD a month is a reasonable 2026 market assumption for a site of this size.

Let's scope your project. Send us your services, languages and the research you publish, and we will match them to Starter, Growth or Premium with a fixed price and a 3 to 6 week timeline. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.