It all depends on what your goals are. If you just want a website for the sake of having a website, go for it. There is no money in a website if you just want a website though.

You'll have to expect that you're going to have to send the traffic to your website and then they'll hopefully convert but it's probably not going to bring you any business if you do it yourself or even have a freelancer do it. Freelancers are essentially web designers who want to deliver you a website that looks pretty but their interest isn't in helping your business grow. Essentially it's just a commodity which is why they're so cheap.

This article might be helpful in learning what to expect if you do it yourself (or hire a freelancer).

$1500 for a freelancer to just build a website is very expensive but I'd also say that about a freelancer that charges you $10. A website for the sake of a website is a waste of time unless your goal is to just have a website in which case spend as little money as possible on it.