If you’re a busy working professional in Oakland, California, there’s a good chance you’re strapped for time and eager to find new opportunities to improve your financial outlook. There are many options, but the time has rarely been more advantageous than it is now to pursue a real estate license.
But how do you go about obtaining a real estate license? There are dozens of schools to choose from, but it’s essential to find a modern one — online or in person. To help, we have picked the six best schools for Oakland, California residents.
While obtaining a license is certainly a challenge, success rates have jumped up recently with a crop of great programs. Many schools deliver study materials online, have virtual classrooms and exam prep, making the requisite three 45-hour courses much easier to follow.
Obtaining a real estate license is a great way to supplement income, make new contacts with banks and realtors, and get access to deals on properties that you can take advantage of yourself in the future!
Quick Picks: Top Online Real Estate License Schools Approved In California
Is An Online Real Estate School In Oakland, California Better Than A Traditional Classroom?
A decade ago, most real estate schools were held in person in local classrooms or offices. There are undoubtedly benefits to having a stable education environment to convene in. These include in-person access to your instructor, immediate tutoring help, and the bonus of making professional friendships with your peers.
However, traditional courses have some drawbacks compared to their online counterparts. First, they are generally more expensive.
Plus, many online classes give students more technological tools, virtual learning capabilities, and the flexibility to learn on their own schedule. With so many of us having multiple jobs, side hustles, and families, there’s a lot to be said for being able to control when and where you study.
Everyone learns differently. For some, the intimacy offered by in-person classes is essential. Others don’t necessarily prioritize the classroom courses. Just remember: enrolling in an online real estate course will require a lot of self-discipline. Highly motivated people will have no trouble with the 135-hour load — just make sure you’re up for it!
Reviews Of The 5 Best Online Real Estate Schools In Oakland, California
While both in-person and online courses have their pros and cons, we’re just going to review online courses in this article. If you think your ideal learning environment is the classroom, no problem–below, we’ll talk about what to look for in the best brick-and-mortar real estate schools in Oakland, California.
In this review, we have narrowed our list to 5 excellent online programs. All are high-quality courses that work well on mobile devices, have high student pass ratios. Additionally, they offer money-back guarantees, low prices, and tons of positive student feedback.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the review of the 5 best online real estate schools (NOTE: courses listed in no particular order.)
1. Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate is our top-rated online real estate school. Student reviews are glowing–praising the affordable price, the customizable license packages, and their prized “Instructor Q&A” leaders and tutors.
With alumni of over 350,000 real estate professionals, Colibri Real Estate is probably the most popular course in California. Their online hub is totally mobile-friendly and super intuitive to use, so late nights studying will be easier on the eyes than on other sites.
Students can personalize the materials they want to fit their budget. The introductory 3 45-hour package runs $119 (discounted to $77.35 with their 35% sign-up bonus), while their most advanced package costs $449 ($291.85 with discount). Included with the premium package is Instructor Q&A, their tutoring service, membership to a professional development group, and dozens of exam prep materials. It’s truly a library’s worth of extra help. Check out the full Colibri Real Estate Review here.
Colibri Real Estate Video Review
Get The Best Price On Colibri Real Estate Here
2. AceableAgent Real Estate Education
AceableAgent also enjoys a huge number of positive student reviews. Of particular mention in reviews is their Career Mentors program–available for all students to ask content-specific questions seven days a week.
Another reason to check out AceableAgent is their self-paced course packages. While it is CA state law that 18 days have to pass from the time you purchase a course to taking the license exam, AceableAgent is confident that its course materials will prepare its students in that short time. But there’s no hurry! You can take your time and the exam on your own time.
Their pdf textbook can be accessed anywhere with an internet connection or printed off at your leisure. Tablets, phones, and laptops all sync with their material. Check out the full AceableAgent review here.
AceableAgent Video Review
Get The Best Price On AceableAgent Here
3. Allied Real Estate Schools
Allied has been a trusted exam-prep course in Oakland, California, for over 20 years. Their package rollout is similar to Colibri Real Estate’s, with the bonus (at the premium of $226.20), including hard copy textbooks and other learning tools like flashcards and cram videos.
Some reviewers have commented that Allied is not as modern as other courses (mobile-friendly texts have been slow to roll out). Their student pass ratios are among the lowest in California real estate license schools. However, they offer a 110% money-back guarantee if you don’t pass your exam–if that doesn’t show confidence in their teaching method, I don’t know what does!
Get The Best Price On Allied Here
4. The CE Shop
Another super popular course option in California is The CE Shop. Their modern course is quickly catching on, and more and more people are starting to choose them for their pre-licensing, exam prep, and continuing education courses.
The CE Shop boasts high pass rates, an engaging curriculum, and above average customer service.
The CE Shop Video Review
Get The Best Price On The CE Shop Here
5. Kaplan
If there were one real estate course that everyone recognized in our review, it would probably be Kaplan.
Their courses are well-known and trusted in all 50 states, with many California locations reporting over 80% pass rates for their real estate students. That makes Kaplan one of the most successful courses around.
Of course, many people have seen Kaplan classrooms in local brick-and-mortar locations. Before the internet, Kaplan led the country as a reliable in-class site for studying and taking the licensing exam. With their experience comes a higher price tag than competitors, but their instructors are some of the best available.
Kaplan Video Review
Get The Best Price On Kaplan Here
What To Look For In A Good Online Real Estate License School
With all the information online comparing real estate schools, it can be overwhelming to decide to enroll in one. That’s why we hope our review has made one or two of the best real estate license schools in Oakland, California, more suitable for your needs.
We picked the six best schools available right now, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t others out there–classroom or online–that fit your budget, learning preferences, or motivation level. It’s a good idea to click the links above to research in more detail what they offer. Who knows, you might find a particular instructor or textbook is exactly what you wanted!
How To Find A Good Classroom-Based Real Estate School In Oakland, California
As we mentioned above, online learning contexts aren’t ideal for everyone. It’s hard to beat the competitive and cooperative energy that comes when you step into a classroom–it almost breeds intellectual intensity. So, if an in-person experience is what you need, what should you look for in Oakland, California?
- Ask friends and coworkers for recommendations. Chances are someone in your work circles will know about a successful (or not so successful) school nearby.
- Check out the curriculum. You want to be sure course content is up-to-date and matches CA state requirements.
- Will you be able to practice exam questions? The best schools will include lots of opportunities for students to prepare for the exam repetitively.
- Class size is critical. Generally, the smaller the class size, the more frequently you can engage with the instructor. Just call them to be sure there aren’t 50 to a class.
- Investigate CE (continuing education). Enrolling in a real classroom means networking is simple. Good courses that allow you to expand your education after the exam.
Merritt College
Address
12500 Campus Drive,
Oakland, CA 94619
Phone
(510) 531-4911
The first brick-and-mortar school that we decided to add to this list is Merritt College.
They specialize in student-centered real estate education. This ensures that each individual that enrolls graduates with all the skills and knowledge they will need to become one of the best in their careers.
Aside from the focus on student learning, Merritt College also allows its enrollees to choose between remote and in-person learning.
This is a fantastic way to cater to both those who prefer face-to-face interactions with professors, and students with busier schedules that prefer self-paced learning.
Either way, your instructors will not only teach you the ways to succeed as a realtor but also how you can make smart real estate investments for your personal financial goals.
These are only a few of the many benefits of studying at Merritt College. So if you’re liking what you’re reading, make sure to get a closer look at their offers on their website!
Get The Best Price On MERRITT COLLEGE Here
Delvin Real Estate School
Address
1569 Sloat Blvd #300
San Francisco, CA 94132
Phone
408-572-8377
Located in San Francisco is Devlin Real Estate School. This is one of the most widely used real estate schools in the Oakland area. This is a hybrid-type real estate school as they offer a mixture of in-person and online learning options. Some of their online learning options include live video lectures or totally independent learning. Other packages also include in-person classroom and instructor time, so they have options that will likely meet your needs and wants.
Check Out Devlin Real Estate School Here
CA Realty Training
Address
Keller Williams Oakland
4937 Telegraph Ave, Ste A
Oakland, CA 94609
Phone
888-317-8740
Located in the heart of Oakland is CA Realty Training. This real estate school offers locations all over the state of California and is well versed in helping new real estate agents fulfill their mandatory training as well as help students pass their California real estate license exam on the first try. They offer many course options ranging from 100% online to 100% in-class and all options in-between.
Check Out CA Realty Training Here
Athalia Institute
Address
18 Bartol Street Suite 998
San Francisco, California 94133
Phone
510-516-1019
One of the longest-running real estate schools on this list is Athalia Institute. A short drive to San Francisco will get you to this in-person real estate school. As with most other real estate schools in the Oakland area, Athalia Institute offers training both online and offline. Their class schedule is always changing and sometimes their website lags behind, so the best thing to do if you want to enroll is to give them a call.
Check Out Athalia Institute Here
CES Real Estate School
Address
2089 Vale Rd
San Pablo, CA 94806
Phone
510-223-2636
While it’s a bit of a drive for many of you, CES Real Estate School should still be a consideration as they are one of the best real estate schools in the Oakland area. Plus, they offer options where you only have an in-person classroom session about once per week. This allows you to do the bulk of your studying independently from home, while still having the opportunity to ask questions in a more personal environment. They have also really been pushing their Zoom and online live video streaming programs lately.
Check Out CES Real Estate School Here
Noble Fields School Of Real Estate
Address
428 Oakland Avenue
Oakland, CA 94611
6121 Mission Street
Daly City, CA 94014
Phone
415-608-1388
Noble Fields has a location right here in Oakland, so this is one of the most local and convenient options. They also have a location in Daly City. Not only do they still offer classroom real estate courses, but they offer several different class times to choose from. This is another real estate school in Oakland that has been pushing their Zoom and online video streaming options, so be sure to check those out as a fair compromise between classroom and online.
Realty School 101
Address
548 Market St
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone
888-385-0087
Realty School 101 has a long history in the Oakland area. Their current office location is a short drive into San Francisco. The best way to establish a relationship with Realty School 101 is to give them a call. They have people available to talk to you 24/7, so even if it’s 2 am you can call and even register for the school. They, like most schools listed here, offer a variety of learning methods including some online and home-study programs.
Check Out Realty School 101 Here
License Masters
Address
268 Bush St
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone
888-544-4403
License Masters is not currently offering classroom courses. However, this is a local Oakland area real estate school that offers online and home study real estate license training. This is a real estate school that stands behind their training as they offer a 100% money-back guarantee. If you want to take a real estate course online but still want to support a local company, this is definitely a school to look at.
Check Out License Masters Here
FAQS
With all the different offers from the list of schools we mentioned above, your mind is probably filled with a lot of questions about real estate courses.
So we’re here to help you out by answering a few frequently asked questions:
Is it better to go to an online real estate school?
Well, this depends on your own priorities and lifestyle. If you like face-to-face learning, then we encourage you to go for in-person classes. If you have a busier schedule or prefer self-paced learning, then online real estate courses are for you!
Will your school’s name affect your success in the real estate world?
Not really. Sure, it might help if you work with schools that have built a reputation of being one of the best in the industry. However, at the end of the day, your performance as a realtor is what will ensure your success in your career.
Should you go for the most expensive offers on the list?
No. It may seem like you are getting a better deal or better-quality education by choosing the most expensive course, but that is not always the case.
We encourage you to make your choices based on whether or not you feel like the school “fits” your learning style or is able to meet all your goals as an aspiring realtor.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been thinking about getting your online real estate license, the time is now! With so many of us stuck at home under the coronavirus crisis, the setting is right to take the 135-hour course, pass the exam, and add a massive accomplishment to your professional resume by acquiring the license.