Educational Approaches for Real Estate: Brokers and Agents

You’ll gain a ton of real-world, practical knowledge from your broker and coach once you start working as a real estate agent, such as should you participate in a statewide MLS or your local board and explaining the real estate sales cycle.
But before that, you’ll need to obtain a real estate license. And to get a license, you’re required to complete a pre-licensing course, take the end of the course pre-licensing exam administered by your school, and pass your state’s licensing exam.
Simply put, you’ll need to attend a state-approved real estate school.

And this brings us on to the question: What is the best real estate school for you?

Online vs In Person Real Estate Classes

When it comes to real estate education, you’ll have two options to choose from.

Either attend:

• Online real estate classes
• In-person real estate classes

So which of the two is the better option for you? It will boil down to your personal preferences. In this article, we’ll delve deeper into both approaches and leave it up to you to decide the better option for you. But first, here are a few things to consider before you make that decision.

Can You Study Real Estate Online in Your State?

Today, many states allow candidates to complete the pre-licensing coursework online. And with the recent push to online learning due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the few remaining states are likely to begin allowing online classes soon.

Currently, only these three states require in-class training for real estate education.

• Idaho
• Connecticut
• Rhode Island

But it’s not a completely hopeless situation, though.

Connecticut, for instance, has a reciprocity agreement with Massachusetts so it’s still possible to get an online license in Connecticut if you’re licensed in Massachusetts. The same goes for Rhode Island as it also has a reciprocity agreement with Massachusetts.

Online Real Estate Classes: The Basics

In an online environment, classes are taught over the internet.

Online classes are typically a mix of live lectures and video recordings supplemented with reading materials and tests that students can complete on their own time.

The nature of online classrooms varies from school to school. But generally, students log in to a learning management system (LMS) or a dashboard where they can access the course materials, monitor the course progress, contact instructors, and access support services.

Where the classrooms are live, learning is conducted via live webinars and facilitated via video conferencing tools like Zoom. In some schools, like Kaplan, you get the option to choose between online classes, live classroom, or text-based home study courses.

Leading real estate schools, like Real Estate Express and Kaplan, come with live interactive study groups or forums where students can ask questions and have instructors and other students participate. This way, they’re able to emulate the interaction you’d get in a physical classroom.

Many students love online real estate classes due to the flexibility and time-saving features that these classes offer. Plus online real estate courses tend to be less expensive than in-class courses.

On the downside, online classes can be an obstacle if you lack self-discipline and time management skills. Also, with online classes, students don’t get the opportunity to interact and network with their peers.

In-Person Real Estate Classes

In in-person classes, training is conducted in brick & mortar real estate schools or community colleges.

Attending real estate courses in the classroom allows you to have face-to-face interaction with your peers and instructors. Classroom learning is mostly lecture-style with some independent reading and possible group discussions from time to time.

Thus, in-class learning is considered more engaging than online learning. But with online schools adopting a more engaging approach through live discussions and student forums, classrooms might not have the edge for long. 

On the downside, in-person real estate classes lack flexibility when compared to online classes. Plus they come with additional costs—costs of traveling to classes and other expenses you might incur to take classes in-person (babysitting, coffee, snacks, etc.).

Wrapping Up

Choosing the right real estate school and the right mode of learning can make the difference between passing your exam the first time and having to do it again.
Our advice is to choose the approach or mode of learning that works best for you. If you learn best from face to face instruction, then in-person classes are best for you. But if you’re a busy person who loves to work at your own pace, the online route will certainly work best for you.