Illinois real estate classes online give working professionals a way to change the career path that works for them. No longer do you have to juggle working full time and completing in-person courses, and you’re given the opportunity to manage your education as your time permits. Real estate agents in the state of Illinois can expect to make around $46,000 per year on average, and with experience and drive, this number can rise as high as $100,000. The best Illinois real estate license classes online will prepare you for your new career, and leave you feeling inspired to take yourself as far as you can go.
How to Get a Real Estate License in Illinois
Before enrolling in Illinois real estate license classes, one should first make sure they meet all requirements and are prepared for the process of earning their licensure. All states uphold their own real estate licensure requirements, so even if a person has looked into obtaining their real estate license in another state, they should still review what the specific requirements for Illinois are.
The process of taking your Illinois real estate license classes online and obtaining your licensure can be done with the following steps:
Must be 21 years of age
In most states, the age requirement for working towards your real estate license is 18, but Illinois observes an age requirement of 21.
However, a loophole does exist that allows an 18-year-old to begin the pursuit of their Illinois real estate license classes if they’ve completed specific pre-requisite education courses first.
In addition to the age requirements, the prospective real estate professional must have obtained their high school diploma or GED equivalent.
Enroll in Illinois real estate license classes online
If you meet the age requirement of 21 or the pre-requisite age requirement of 18, you can then begin looking to enroll in Illinois real estate license classes online.
Colibri Real Estate provides prospective real estate agents in Illinois with various packages they can choose from in order to complete their necessary 90 credit hours in real estate education.
These classes can be completed almost entirely online, making it the perfect option for working professionals looking to change their career path, or those taking care of their families and in need of a more flexible education option. 75 hours may be taken as online self-study, while the final 15 must be taken in an interactive classroom or by webinar.
Send in your application
Before taking your final exam, but after completing your 90 hours of education, you’ll need to send in your application for real estate agent licensure. License applications are processed through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and come with a fee of $125.
In order for an application to be approved one must also be sponsored by a currently managing real estate broker within the state.
Take your exam
After your application has been sent in, you’ll then be ready to prepare for your exam. The cost to take the exam is $45, and if one does not pass on their first try, they will need to pay the fee again in order to retake the test.
In order to pass the exam, a scaled score of 75 or higher is required, and exam prep makes taking the exam a much more confident experience. Through Colibri Real Estate or Mbition, one can prepare for the exam online just as one would take their initial course credit hours.
These exam prep packages are designed specifically for preparing someone for the Illinois real estate license exam and can be used to review the material as often as you would like before sitting for the exam.
The exam itself must be taken in person and not through an online course.
Retaining Your License
Illinois real estate license classes online aren’t just for those looking for their initial real estate licensure.
In order to keep your license in good standing in the state of Illinois, continuing education is required, and Illinois real estate license classes online make continuing your education while working professionally and full-time as a licensed real estate agent much more convenient.
The requirements for continuing your education using the best Illinois real estate license classes are a little different than some other states, with different requirements during your first renewal than for subsequent renewals.
For your first renewal, a licensed real estate agent will need to complete a 30-hour post-licensure course and pass a final exam on the 30 hours of material.
The 30-course hours are comprised of 15 hours of broker post license topics and another 15 hours of broker post license applied real estate practices, and both may be taken through Illinois real estate license classes online.
After your first year, subsequent renewals are a bit simpler. You must complete 12 hours of continuing education comprised of 3 hours of Core A, 3 hours of Core B, and 6 hours of relevant electives. The elective courses allow real estate agents in Illinois to explore other facets of real estate, and develop for themselves specialty areas that can really propel their careers going forward.
A proctored exam must be completed for all continuing education courses, and taking these exams online is possible depending on the particular course offerings and requirements.
Continuing education courses must be completed prior to April 30th of every even-numbered year.
Taking Illinois Real Estate License Classes Online
Taking Illinois Real Estate License Classes Online provides several benefits. 75 out of 90 pre-licensure credit hours may be taken entirely online, along with all continuing education courses, so professionals in Illinois real estate, or professionals looking for a change, can improve their career path on their own time as it works for them. No longer do you have to struggle to juggle working for your in-person classes with managing your family or working full-time, and your class time can be whenever you find yourself with free time. Illinois real estate license classes online open up a world of possibilities for Illinois residents who want to reach their full potential.
Here are our picks of the best Illinois real estate schools you can enroll to:
The CE Shop
The CE Shop is a popular real estate school amongst aspiring real estate professionals. Their courses are ARELLO-accredited and approved by the Illinois Division of Real Estate.
Here, you can choose the Courses Only package, Standard Package, Value Package, or Premium Package. Exam prep is available in all packages so students can prepare for the national and state licensing exam.
Besides that, all packages also include business ebooks, career and downloadable resources, digital flashcards, a real estate glossary, and even a study schedule.
What’s more, all the lessons are divided into relevant topics so it is easier to digest. You can also track your current progress for each topic with a real-time dashboard.
Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate has built a reputation for providing excellent educational services to its students. They are accredited by agencies such as ARELLO and IDECC — and have helped students kickstart their real estate careers for over 20 years.
Like The CE Shop, you can select from different packages, with each one offering even more resources than the last.
Packages offered include The Basics, Exam Preparation, Exam Preparation Plus, and Ultimate Learning.
Aside from these bundled packages, you can also purchase Livestream packages. This allows you to study from the comfort of your home, but with a live instructor.
Colibri Real Estate’s main attraction is the many features it has. Even just the Basics package already comes with state-approved instructor support, 3 real estate study guides, and career support coaching videos.
As the packages go up, the features increase, too.
Kaplan Real Estate Education
With over 80 years of experience, Kaplan is a well-rounded online education provider. They make sure students get the best education by hiring professionals to teach their courses.
Students get a dynamic learning experience with interactive study sessions with discussions administered by experts in the field.
For Illinois, you can select packages that are either Online or Home Study.
If you don’t mind studying through a screen, then the Online option is a good bet. But if you prefer physical textbooks, then the Home Study package will send the materials to you.
If you want to mix it up, you can even select their Hybrid Package, which comes with both Online and Home Study.