A successful career as a real estate broker begins with the right education. Online real estate courses offer a variety of options for those interested in a lucrative career in this fast growing industry.
The following overview of the top five online real estate courses will provide you with a good starting point on your way to success. Please note that each state has its own licensing requirements. You will want to confirm that your state’s real estate division approves of the course before enrolling.
Top Five Online Real Estate Courses for your Consideration
1. Kaplan
Kaplan is by far the top rated online real estate school. Their website lists a summary of each state, which you can review in advance to ensure your state’s requirements are met. Kaplan offers approved courses in 20 states, and if their coursework is not offered in your state, their website shares invaluable links to other resources.
As with any online platform, you set your own pace at Kaplan, though the coursework needs to be completed within six months or repurchase is required. Students learn by watching videos of instructors teaching a class, similar to the in-person classroom learning experience. The instructors, most of whom are real estate professionals, lead interactive study groups on a wide variety of real estate topics. However, the interactive study groups are not available in all states. Kaplan offers licensing exam preparation services and practice exams.
One disadvantage to Kaplan is the price. Of the five online real estate courses reviewed in this article, Kaplan is the most expensive option. Kaplan does not offer payment plans or a money back guarantee if you do not pass your licensing exam.
2. Career Webschool
Career Webschool offers their online real estate course in a package format or as single courses, which will work to your advantage if you have previous credit hours to be applied to your state’s pre-licensing requirements. The advisers at Career Webschool will guide you through the state requirements so you can be certain that your courses will be approved by your state licensing division.
Short, interactive segments are the unique feature of Career Webschool’s online learning platform. Students read approximately 20 to 30 minutes worth of material, then answer a few questions to assure understanding. Incorrectly answered questions are reviewed again before you move on to the next section. Their website has a course demo so that you can see if this technique is a good fit for your learning style. In addition, Career Webschool’s courses are mobile accessible, so you can study on the go. Career Webschool also offers a practice exam.
After completion of their coursework, if a student achieves an 80% or higher grade but fails their state licensing exam, Career Webschool will pay the cost of the retake exam, which could benefit those students who feel pressured to pass their exam on the first attempt.
3. Real Estate Express
The online real estate courses provided by Real Estate Express are taught by licensed real estate professionals, who are available to answer your questions via email or phone call within 24 hours. Real Estate Express is well priced, with single basic courses starting at $99. Many states approve their online real estate courses to be applied to the necessary hours in order to pre-license to take the state exam.
Another unique feature of Real Estate Express is their money back guarantee if you do not pass your licensing exam. However, you must complete your coursework within six months or purchase the course again. Real Estate Express offers students a payment plan option, which can make the difference between starting your education immediately or waiting until financial resources are available.
Real Estate Express offers exam preparation services for 38 states, which is an excellent option for students who have studied independently but would like to take a variety of practice exams prior to taking the state licensing exam.
4. VanEd
If you are looking for online courses with the option to attend webinars and interact directly with instructors, VanEd might be an excellent option for you. Students can participate in live webinar tutorials on specific topics for personal interaction with instructors and other students, similar to the in-person classroom experience. Instructors are licensed real estate professionals who respond to questions via phone call or email.
VanEd offers payment plans, a free trial period, and a money back guarantee if you follow their criteria and still do not pass the state’s licensing exam; though the money back guarantee is currently only available in Colorado. These online real estate courses are available for purchase either in packages or as individual modules, and include exam preparation services. VanEd also offers a 10% Veteran discount on their courses.
Unfortunately, VanEd has a limited number of states in which they currently offer courses. However, they are adding courses for other states as they rapidly expand their website.
5. 360 Training
For a basic and affordable online real estate course, 360 Training meets all the essential criteria. Their study guides are concise and to the point, and their instructors are licensed real estate professionals available to answer questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week either online or via phone call.
Unlimited practice exams are one of the key advantages of 360 Training for those individuals who might want plenty of practice before sitting in their state’s licensing exam. Course purchases include exam preparation services and are approved by each particular state licensing division.
Their reasonably priced courses can be canceled within three days if you are not completely satisfied.
Depending on your unique learning style, you may prefer an online real estate course which offers the support of interactive study groups, or you may prefer self-study. With the reviews above, you are now prepared to make an educated decision for the online real estate course that best suits your needs and sets you on the path to becoming a successful real estate broker. Best of luck!