Being able to improve your career is something that has become more possible than ever thanks to the rise of the internet and the growing acceptance of online courses. And today, it’s even possible to enroll in and complete the training required to earn a real estate license. While not all states offer real estate courses online, those that do make it easy enough to sign up for the program and go through the process of completing it.
However, different real estate courses will likely offer you different things. Websites like Real Estate Express let you get a fast look at the different programs available to you, but after you have them for review you’ll still need to determine exactly which one is best for you. Doing so will mean taking the time to complete a quick comparison of the top online real estate courses.
Best Online Real Estate Schools For 2021
What To Look For
There are too many online real estate courses for us to break them down individually for you. Instead, let’s take the time to look at some of the primary things you should be looking for when you begin considering your options. All programs will likely offer you the basics, but knowing what else you can obtain from a good school is something that’s well worth doing.
With that in mind, here are some of the key points to consider when comparing online real estate courses.
- Coursework – The first thing to look at is simply the kind of coursework covered in the program. Online real estate courses should offer you the full pre-license course that is required to be eligible to sit for the realtor exam. If not, you may need to consider a different program. Additionally, you should compare the different options to make sure the program you’re choosing is offered entirely online. Some real estate courses may require you to complete part of the program in person.
- Eligibility – Make sure that the course you’re looking at also makes you eligible in your state. Sites like Real Estate Express or KAPRE let you view your available courses based on your location – Florida, Texas, and so on. Be sure you choose a program that is for your specific state.
- Exam Prep and Practice – Some courses do more to make sure you’re ready for the final real estate exam. See what extra features each of the different real estate courses offer you. Some may just be bare bones, while others could offer things like post-license courses or exam prep and practice guides. The more you get from a class, the better.
- Forums – Another thing to look at is the interaction that could be offered to you. Online real estate classes can feel lonely at times, and some of the programs out there will include access to student forums that let you connect and interact with other students and potentially even instructors. This helps you get answers, guidance, and motivation when you need it most.
When you begin comparing the different online real estate courses available to you, it’s also important that you take the time to look not just at what the classes offer when compared to each other, but also that you pay attention to different tiers of programs as well.
Certain schools, for example, will offer you a basic pre-license course that meets all the requirements for taking the exam. However, you may be able to pay a few dollars more to increase the level of help offered – paying a bit more for an exam prep or a live course question and answer session or even a textbook, for example.
When you’re comparing online real estate courses, compare them to themselves as well as to the other schools available. This way you’ll be able to find the perfect program for your needs.
It’s a great idea to start off by using sites like Mbition or KAPRE to get a look at the different real estate courses available online and even to compare them to one another. However, you need to remember that the information that they provide to you is very direct and only covers the basic idea of what’s provided – essentially, those course descriptions are the ‘on paper’ definition of what a course offers.
To understand how the course works for you and how effective it is, you may want to spend some time doing research into the real estate courses you’re considering and paying attention in particular to user reviews.
These are honest reviews written by students who have completed the online real estate courses in question, then posted online. Much like reviews of products you would find on shopping sites, these reviews give you a clearer insight into what it’s like to take a particular course and how effective it is. When looking at the reviews, you’ll want to pay attention to things like:
- Whether or not the student qualified for the realtor’s exam after completion of the course
- Flexibility of deadlines and ease of fitting the course into their schedule
- Additional resources and extras provided along with the basic class
- The eventual outcome of their career and whether or not the school readied them for life as a real estate agent.
Along with these basic points, you can also find out more about specific parts of a program that you may want to know about. Combining the information from sites like Mbition and the online reviews available on the internet, you should be able to quickly determine which courses are the best for you.
Also keep in mind that reviews are subjective and that you’ll want to read several before trusting them to provide you with honest assessments of a program. Some people may simply have given up due to the hard work involved and want to blame it on a course, for example.
If you’ll keep all of this information in mind when looking at online real estate courses, you should be able to find the ones that match your needs the best. It’s a great path to a great future, but the first step is finding the right class.