The verdict in three sentences
A developer running more than two programmes in parallel loses huge time tracking units and payment schedules in Excel. In 2026, custom property-development software costs 15,000,000 to 40,000,000 FCFA (about 23,000-61,000 EUR), against an international real estate ERP that is often oversized and billed in hard currency. Custom wins the moment your buyer portal and payment schedules must fit the local market.
Custom or international real estate ERP?
An imported real estate ERP brings broad functional coverage but imposes its processes, euro billing and partial localisation. Custom fits your programmes, your payment methods (mobile money, bank transfer) and your real schedules.
| Criterion | International real estate ERP | Kolonell custom |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 25-60 M FCFA + licences | 15-40 M FCFA |
| Recurring cost | 800,000-3,000,000 FCFA/mo | 500,000-1,500,000 FCFA/mo |
| Time to go live | 8-14 months | 5-9 months |
| Unit tracking | Standard | Bespoke |
| Payment schedules | Generic | Local-market fit |
| Buyer portal | Often absent | Built in |
| Mobile payment | Rare | Native |
| Code ownership | No | Yes |
What the software protects on a programme
On a development, software cost pays back on how fast units sell and how reliable collections are.
| Module | Quantified impact | Dev time |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time unit tracking | -1 to -2 months of marketing | 6-9 weeks |
| Payment schedules | Arrears -20 to -40 % | 5-7 weeks |
| Online buyer portal | +10 to +20 % client responsiveness | 5-8 weeks |
| Automatic reminders | -3 to -6 days average delay | 3-4 weeks |
| Programme dashboard | -2 days/month reporting | 3-5 weeks |
Mini case study
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Mr Rahman runs a development company in Dubai: 3 active programmes, 210 units, average price 28,000,000 FCFA. He invests 30,000,000 FCFA in custom software, maintenance 900,000 FCFA/month. Automatic reminders and the buyer portal cut arrears by 30 %: on a 400,000,000 FCFA schedule of instalments, that secures about 120,000,000 FCFA of cash earlier. The cash-flow gain covers the project in under a year.
FAQ
What budget to start? Budget 15,000,000 FCFA for a core (units, sales, schedules) delivered in 5-6 months, up to 40,000,000 FCFA with a buyer portal and mobile payment.
Can it integrate mobile money? Yes, natively: buyers pay instalments by mobile money with automatic reconciliation. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for that module.
How much is monthly maintenance? Between 500,000 and 1,500,000 FCFA/month depending on the number of programmes, hosting and user volume.
How long until delivery? Allow 5 to 9 months depending on scope, with a usable first version from month 4.
Is the buyer portal really useful? Yes: it gives access to unit tracking, schedules and documents, improving client responsiveness by 10 to 20 % and cutting calls to the sales team.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of programmes, units and payment methods. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
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.
