A lot of people nowadays are considering real estate as a side job and for good reason. A career in real estate allows you to have virtually unlimited income potential while having a flexible schedule – which means you can juggle it with your 9-to-5 job on weekdays.
But before you can get your license, you’ll first have to go through a required 60 hours of pre-licensing education.
The good news is that you can take an online real estate course. This would be ideal, considering the pandemic restrictions. It would also allow you to take lessons at your own pace and schedule, especially if you have another job.
We’ve compiled 5 of the best online real estate schools in Alabama where you can get a full real estate course and be a step closer to becoming a real estate agent.
Top 5 Best Online Real Estate Schools in Alabama
Here are the top 5 best online real estate schools in Alabama:
1. Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate is one of the most popular online real estate schools in Alabama. It offers four packages with fully accredited courses that you can choose from – Basics, Exam Preparation, Exam Preparation Plus, and Ultimate Learning.
The Basics include the essentials: a 60-hour pre-license course, state-approved instructor support, and 3 real estate books.
Exam Preparation adds exam prep, a Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee, and prep for Success Basic Membership on top of this.
Exam Preparation Plus also includes a 30-hour Post-License Course, a real estate dictionary, and instructor Q&A.
And finally, Ultimate Learning adds a printed course textbook and a 1-year Professional Development Membership.
Colibri Real Estate is overall the best online real estate school in Alabama. It is accredited by the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) and the International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC).
It is known for having straightforward and easy-to-learn lessons with good teachers and lots of resources. It is also quite affordable compared to many online real estate schools, putting it at the top of the list for best online real estate schools in Alabama.
Here is an inside look at Colibri Real Estate:
2. PDH Real Estate Academy
If you’re looking for affordable course options, then PDH Real Estate Academy should be your first choice in Alabama.
Their 60-hour pre-licensing course comes out at around $320. And this already gives you everything you need to clear the final state exam.
With their many promo offerings, you may be able to get the course for even less if you’re lucky.
They make it easy to learn away from the classroom, even topping the charts for their stellar customer support. Their staff is always lending a helping hand.
A pass or don’t pay guarantee is also offered. This gives you the luxury of knowing that if you don’t pass, you won’t have to pay anything!
And PDH Real Estate Academy has good reason to be so confident.
Besides the comprehensive curriculum, there are over 800 practice questions bundled in with the lessons. Here you will get ample practice that helps you be perfectly ready for the exam.
Although the lessons are mostly text-based, there is a sprinkle of interactive content here and there — videos, quizzes, and images.
But compared to the other offerings on this list, you will have to be more willing to work with long strings of text.
That said, if you’re looking for affordability and a surefire way to get your real estate license in Alabama, then PDH Real Estate Academy is a great fit.
Check PDH Real Estate Academy Here
3. Kaplan Real Estate Education
Kaplan is one of the largest online education companies and offers a variety of courses in more than 30 countries. While it offers only one course package, it allows you to choose among a variety of options for studying, including home study, on-demand, and live classes.
Although it has a higher price range compared to its competitors, you get your money’s worth with their courses. They also have practicing real estate agents as instructors who can teach you the ins and outs of the career.
All of its courses have an interactive study group feature. The study group is done in a live webinar format wherein you can join a discussion with Kaplan’s instructors.
Kaplan’s courses are ideal for people who want a traditional study approach but also want to do it at their own pace and place. Its exam prep is known to be exceptional and covers everything that comes out in the real examination. Kaplan has a passing rate of 80% for new licenses in Alabama, one of the highest among all the real estate schools in the state.
4. The CE Shop
Although the CE Shop is known for being the best in continuing education, it is also competitive when it comes to pre-licensing education. It has one of the highest passing rates for new licenses in Alabama at 77.6 %.
The CE Shop offers four tiers of course packages, starting from a Courses Only package that does not include exam prep, which is included in the higher tiers. Its highest tier, the Premium Package, also comes with a 30-hour Salesperson Post-License Course.
The lessons are done through an interactive method using their own custom online learning solution called LEAP. The material is prepared in a way that is easy to understand and learn.
The CE Shop also offers a money-back guarantee (with certain terms and conditions) if you are unsatisfied with their courses. This is only allowed if the course is not yet 50% complete and if it is still within 30 days from the purchase.
Here is an inside look at The CE Shop:
5. 360 Training
If you are looking for an affordable online real estate school, 360 Training offers the best value. There are two course packages available that use courses approved by the Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC). They offer two courses for individual purchase namely Alabama Pre-license Fundamentals and Real Estate Math.
360 Training has competitive and useful resources. They offer all the basics at the lowest price you can find among the top online real estate schools in the state. However, their lessons are not as interactive compared to their competitors.
You are given a Certificate of Completion upon completing the whole course. If you fail your course final, you are allowed to retake the exam two more times, with a scheduled proctor.
Purchased courses are available up to one year after the purchase and will expire afterward. They allow a refund within 72 hours of the purchase, with certain terms.
What to Do After?
After you have taken the required 60 hours of pre-license education, you will be eligible to take the state examination. Applicants are required to pass the exam within 6 months of completing their pre-license course. If you are unable to do so, you must retake the entire course.
After passing the exam, you are issued a temporary license which is active for the first 6 months after issuance. You will then have to do a post-licensure course. This is a 30-hour course that has to be done within the first twelve months of your licensure. You will be issued a permanent license afterward.
ALABAMA Online Real Estate Schools FAQs
Can I get a real estate license online in Alabama?
Yes, Alabama has several online real estate schools that offer the complete pre-licensure course required to take the state exam. However, the state exam is done in designated locations.
What are the requirements for online real estate school in Alabama?
In order to take the course for online real estate school in Alabama, you are required to meet the criteria set by the Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC), which is as follows:
- You must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident alien, or legally present in the U.S.
- You must be at least 19 years old
- You must show proof of bona fide residency in any state in the U.S.
- You must show proof of high school graduation or the equivalent
- You must not have been convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude
- You must not have had a real estate application or license rejected or revoked in any state within the past two years
Additional requirements aside from these may vary depending on the school.
Is it better to take the real estate classes online or in-person?
Although it depends from person to person, taking online classes is recommended especially in the time of a pandemic.
Online classes also allow you to have a more flexible schedule so you can easily do the courses whenever and wherever you prefer. This is especially advantageous to people who are working in a 9-to-5 job and are unavailable to take in-person classes.
How long does online real estate school in Alabama take?
The entire required course runs for a total of 60 hours as required by AREC. However, this is divided into smaller and shorter lessons which you can take at your own pace. How fast you finish the entire course depends on how much time you spend time studying.
Conclusion
Getting your real estate license takes quite a lot of work, but it is worth the time and effort. You will be diving into a career with unlimited potential and a lot of room to continue learning.
In real estate, hard work always pays off. So work hard, and all the best to your real estate career journey.
Get started the right way by signing up for the best online real estate school in Alabama. Any of the schools we listed above are solid choices, so compare them all and see which one you like best.