If you’re looking for a career that’s flexible, offers unlimited earning potential, and allows you to work outside of an office, real estate is the perfect fit. But if you want to get your new career off on the right foot, you must start by choosing the right online real estate school.
5 Tips for Picking the Right School
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There are dozens of popular online real estate schools. And though it’s great to have options, the choices are admittedly a bit overwhelming. They all seem to offer fairly similar things, but with different pricing, class structure, and unique material, it’s not as simple as closing your eyes and picking one.
The difference between an average online real estate school and a great online real estate school looks razor thin on paper, but is actually quite significant. Here are a handful of helpful tips:
1. Know What You Need
The first step is to know what you’re looking for in an online real estate course. In other words, what are your priorities?
Do you want the cheapest possible course? Are you looking for good support and direct access to instructors? Is flexibility and accessibility your biggest need?
Every online real estate school has its own strengths and weaknesses. By identifying what you need/want, you can make a more educated decision.
2. Browse the Website
Any time you run across an online real estate school — either via a Google search result, a recommendation, or a direct hyperlink — you should visit the website and poke around.
It’s important to remember that a website is going to be biased. It’s always going to show the school in the best light. The testimonials, reviews, and copy will all be carefully curated and tailored to serve the company’s best interests. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t get some value out of navigating the site.
One of the most important things to determine is whether or not the school offers courses for your state. Every state has its own unique test and you’ll need to take a course that’s specific to where you want to be licensed. If you live in Nashville, for example, you’ll need a Tennessee real estate license course (which is 90 hours). If you live in another state, you might only need 60 hours or 72 hours. (Always verify the information you find on a school’s website with your state’s real estate commission.)
3. Consider the Schools’ History
As the number of real estate agents has increased over the past decade, there’s been an uptick in the demand for real estate schools. This has led to the creation of a handful of new online education companies. The long-term credibility of these schools remains to be seen.
“As you choose an online school to study real estate, it is important to ensure that you pick one which has experience in teaching this subject,” Wondershare mentions. “Normally, institutions that have been running for some years are more likely to be reliable. This is because they are familiar with real estate regulations at the state and federal levels.”
History isn’t always indicative of the future, but it’s one of the best options you have for determining credibility.
4. Ask for Recommendations
Everyone knows a few real estate agents. As you’re networking with other agents, ask for recommendations. Pay close attention to anyone who has become an agent in the last three to five years. (You should also listen for anyone who tells you to stay away from a certain school. Where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire.)
5. Consider the Class Format
Every online real estate school has the ability to use their own unique format. Consider your personal learning style and whether you need live training, recorded training videos, audio, written material, or a combination of different mediums. By working with your learning style, you can increase your odds of passing the exams.
Jumpstart Your New Career
There’s no formula for real estate success. There are, however, proven principles that increase your chances of becoming successful in this field. And though it might seem like a small element, the online real estate school you select will influence how well prepared you are for what lies ahead. Make the right choice!