The verdict in three sentences
A commercial real estate advisory in Riyadh is judged by corporate real estate directors, office tower landlords and investors, who look at its website before agreeing to a first meeting. A redesign usually costs USD 16,000 to 50,000 with a local agency, while Kolonell's fixed grid runs from USD 2,900 (Starter) to USD 8,900 (Premium, the multilingual tier, with languages and right-to-left scope set in the quote). Budget matters less than three points: real listings, credible published research and a migration that does not make your pages vanish from Google.
What occupiers, landlords and investors check first
The Riyadh market has changed a great deal with the arrival of regional headquarters and the major projects announced under Vision 2030. A corporate real estate director looking for 3,000 sqm in King Abdullah Financial District or on Olaya Street does not read your site like a private buyer: they look for proof of market knowledge.
| Audience | What they check | Page that must prove it | Signal that drives them away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate real estate team | District knowledge, indicative rents, occupier advice | Business district pages, tenant representation page | Generic copy that fits any city |
| Building landlord | Leasing capability, contact base | Leasing mandates page, current listings | Expired listings still online |
| Institutional investor | Market research, method, team | Dated research notes, bios | A 2022 report presented as current |
| International partner | Solid English version, named contacts | Team pages in English, direct contact | Machine-translated English |
| Senior recruit | Culture, projects, prospects | Careers page | No update in 18 months |
| Authorities and public partners | Licences, compliance | Legal notice, licence number displayed | Licence status nowhere to be found |
Listings must be real and current, and transactions cited only if they are public. Brokerage licensing rules apply to what you publish: stay factual. This is not legal advice.
Budget: Riyadh ranges and the Kolonell grid
Amounts are 2026 ballpark figures drawn from typical local agency quotes, converted approximately at around SAR 3.75 to USD 1.
| Option | Cost | Typical timeline | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | USD 4,000 to 12,000 | 6 to 10 weeks | Right-to-left Arabic often fragile |
| Local agency | USD 16,000 to 50,000 | 10 to 16 weeks | In-person meetings, high cost |
| Real estate specialist agency | USD 40,000 to 100,000 | 12 to 20 weeks | Listings software integration often included |
| Kolonell Starter | USD 2,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | Focused site, native copywriting |
| Kolonell Growth | USD 4,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | District pages, research, team |
| Kolonell Premium | USD 8,900 | 4 to 6 weeks | Multilingual tier, languages set in the quote |
| Annual maintenance | USD 3,000 to 12,000 (market assumption) | Ongoing | At Kolonell, on quote after the 3 included months of support |
Listing feeds connected to business software, protected investor areas and any integration are priced on quote. Tier details are on the international offer page. Every package includes a project manager reachable in your time zone and native copywriting in English or French.
A phased timeline
| Phase | Indicative duration | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory of URLs, research and listings to keep | 1 week | Firm and Kolonell |
| Copywriting and internal review (partners, lawyers) | 1 to 3 weeks | Firm |
| Design, build, right-to-left Arabic version | 2 to 3 weeks | Kolonell |
| 301 redirects, testing, launch | 1 week | Kolonell |
| Search Console monitoring and fixes | 8 weeks | Kolonell, within the 3 months of support |
Kolonell's 3 to 4 weeks (4 to 6 for Premium) start once content is ready.
The risks, and how to contain them
- Lost Google rankings: without a redirect plan, your indexed research notes can disappear. A URL inventory and 301 redirects limit the damage; no serious provider promises a ranking.
- Listings migration: remove expired properties, keep the district pages that draw traffic.
- Regulated content: licences, market figures and transaction references reviewed before launch.
- Personal data: Saudi Arabia's Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), enforced by SDAIA since September 2023, governs your forms. Collect little and explain the purpose.
- Downtime: cut over outside office hours, bearing in mind the Sunday to Thursday working week.
For a concrete reference, Kolonell built the website of Orven Properties, a real estate agency in Dubai (orvenproperties.com), with a clear English presentation of its properties.
When a Riyadh agency is the better call
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
If you want weekly workshops in your offices, on-site photo and video production of your buildings or a deep CRM connection from launch, a local agency is justified. Kolonell suits the firm that wants a clean site, native copy, a fixed budget and delivery within weeks.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Najd Workplace Advisors, a tenant representation firm, receives 3 qualified corporate inquiries a month through an ageing site. The partner chooses Premium at USD 8,900 for a polished Arabic and English version.
One typical mandate, a search for 2,000 sqm at a rent of SAR 1,500 per sqm per year, means an annual rent of SAR 3,000,000. If the fee is 5% of the first year, that is SAR 150,000, about USD 40,000. A single additional mandate therefore covers the redesign more than 4 times over. A worked assumption, not a promised result.
FAQ
Should we show our transactions on the site?
Only those that are public or authorised in writing by the parties. A list of 5 to 10 authorised references is worth more than an unverifiable counter.
Should the site be Arabic first?
For many local clients and public bodies, yes. The Premium tier at USD 8,900 is the multilingual tier; languages and right-to-left scope are set in the quote.
How long does the redesign take?
3 to 4 weeks at Kolonell once content is ready, 4 to 6 for Premium. Allow 1 to 3 weeks of internal review beforehand.
Can listings update automatically?
Yes, through an integration with your listings software, priced on quote. Many firms start with 20 to 40 listings managed by hand.
What happens after the 3 months of support?
Maintenance is on quote depending on update volume. In the market, assume USD 3,000 to 12,000 a year.
Let's scope your project. A Growth redesign at USD 4,900 or Premium at USD 8,900, with district pages, research and delivery in 3 to 6 weeks, can be scoped in one call. 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.
