TOP-RATED Online Real Estate Schools in Texas in 2023
If you are tired of working for other people and ready to be your own boss, becoming a real estate agent is a great option. It doesn’t require any prior experience, doesn’t cost a lot to get started, and gives you the ability to make as much money as you want. You are basically an independent contractor, so it is like you get to run your own small business.
The first step is to get the Sales Agent license. You achieve this by completing 6 real estate courses (180 total hours) and passing a real estate exam. Currently, there are 60 different colleges and education providers where you can go to take your classes, and the list grows longer every year. Which one should you pick?
There is no right answer that applies to everyone. Every school is different and has their own strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, everyone has their own personal style and needs when it comes to their study habits. Some people prefer to learn in a live classroom environment while others thrive in an online program where they can study independently.
After researching and analyzing the long list of schools, we’ve narrowed it down to 5 schools that we think offer the best programs to get a real estate license in Texas.
Aceable Agent is our top pick for the best real estate school in Texas. At the time of this writing, they have an overall exam pass rate of 74.4%. This is the best pass rate out of all the largest online real estate schools in Texas. This is an official statistic published by the Texas Real Estate Commission.
To get some perspective on how this compares to other real estate schools, here is a chart that shows the top five largest real estate schools in Texas and their respective overall pass rates on the real estate exams.
What makes them different is how they incorporate a lot of new technology into their learning systems and are the first online real estate education provider that designed their courses specifically for mobile and web application. They actually have a mobile app that you can download on your phone, so that you can study on the go. Believe it or not, most schools still don’t do this.
Another big difference with Aceable Agent is the different options they have available to help you stay focused and engaged. There is an audio version of the course available, so you can listen to the course while your are stuck in traffic or exercising. If you are more of a visual learner, there are recorded video lessons and live webinars that you can attend.
They recently added a lot of supplementary courses that you will need later on for continuing education as well. This means you will be able to get all your courses done in one place for the duration of your real estate career. Having a trusted education provider that you can count on as you grow in your journey will give you a sense of familiarity, so that you don’t feel like you’re starting from scratch every time.
Best School for Busy People
Aceable Agent is leading the industry when it comes to finding new, innovative ways to study. They incorporate advanced video technology and cutting-edge learning techniques that appeal to the ever-evolving study habits of today’s professional. If you already have a full-time job or just don’t have a lot of time to commit to studying, this program will work around your schedule and stick to the stuff you actually need to learn.
Colibri Real Estate, which was recently rebranded from Real Estate Express, is currently the largest provider of online real estate education in the country and has been at it since 1996. They have a solid program with high marks in pretty much every category and typically really good promotions available.
Colibri Real Estate offers the Texas courses in the traditional online book format. This is where you get 6 months to read the book online and/or with a printed copy of the book and complete online multiple-choice tests. If you want to be able to finish the course faster or just prefer to study independently, this is a safe best to go with.
They also are one of the handful of schools that offer a livestream video option. You get to watch the instructor teach the class in real-time over a Zoom internet meeting from the comfort of your own home. There is limited course availability, so you do need to make sure you will be able to make the scheduled dates and times.
What really separates Colibri Real Estate from other schools is all the options and study materials you have to choose from, no matter your budget. On top of the hardcopy textbooks, practice tests, real estate dictionary, hundreds of short video courses, and live instructors available to answer your questions, they also just came out with a live webinar course specifically designed for the real estate exam. This is a 6-part course with a live instructor that will cover the most important areas you need to know to successfully pass the test. If you can’t decide on all the options when you sign up, you can always add them on later.
Best School with the Lowest Prices
Colibri Real Estate crams so many courses and tools into their packages that you get the best value compared to any other school in the industry. Not to mention with their ongoing promotions, they also have among the lowest prices. Regardless of how committed you are about starting a new career in real estate, Colibri Real Estate has something that will work with your budget.
The CE Shop offers one of the most comprehensive online programs in the industry. The interface is sleek and clean. The course content is text-based, so it is primarily reading. However, they incorporate various formats on their quizzes and final exams, such as matching, multiple-choice, fill in the blanks, etc… The CE Shop also base the course material on real-life scenarios and actual situations that real estate agents have encountered, which makes it more interesting to read.
This type of learning requires your active participation and helps you absorb the material better. You will not be able to just skim through the content. You will have to read each question and answer carefully. This also means that you will probably take longer to complete the program than compared with other programs. Nonetheless, this rigorous preparation is most likely why they have one of the highest state exam pass rates of 72% in Texas.
The CE Shop packages come with nice perks. They just launched an advanced learning platform that is mobile friendly, so you can study from your smartphone. They include a generous 30-day refund policy if you change your mind, a money-back guarantee if you fail the state exam, and support by phone, chat and email 7 days a week.
Everything is strictly online, so they do not offer printed textbooks or any other additional study materials.
Best School for Knowledge Seekers
The CE Shop puts maximum focus on learning and specifically designed their courses to be hard. This is the ideal program for you if you want to learn as much as possible about real estate and are not in any rush to get licensed. You may end up spending longer to finish the course, but you’ll have the best chance at passing the exam.
If you feel like going big on your real estate education, Kaplan Real Estate is the way to go. They are a billion-dollar company with millions of students located in over 100 countries all around the world. They have been around for over 80 years and are the experts when it comes to education.
Kaplan Real Estate has every option available when it comes to a real estate school. You can take a regular online course where you are basically just reading an online book and taking multiple-choice tests. This is their Home Study Solution package. The benefit with this approach is that you can take your time studying.
Or, if reading a text-book is too boring for you, you can go with the OnDemand Solution package where you watch pre-recorded videos of an instructor walking you through the material. You can watch (and re-watch) this at any time, and it feels like you are in a classroom. This is great if you are already working a full-time job or just have a lot on your plate, because it keeps you more engaged than reading a book.
Whatever course format you choose to go with, Kaplan RE includes plenty of additional support to supplement your learning. You will get access to their Qbank online practice test engine, which are thoughtfully developed questions and answers that show you where you should focus your study efforts for the best possible test outcome. You also get access to the Interactive Study Groups. These are live, small-group study sessions held regularly.
Best School for Formal Training
Kaplan Real Estate has maintained a conservative approach to online learning. They don’t try to make their courses look too flashy or cartoony. Their pre-recorded video courses will fit perfectly with busy schedules, allowing you to get an interactive experience while having the freedom to watch them at any time.
5. Champions School of Real Estate
Champions School of Real Estate is the undisputed champion (pun intended) for getting a real estate license in Texas. More people have taken their award-winning courses to get licensed than any other real estate school.
Champions School of Real Estate offers the “total education experience.” They focus on providing students with the most up-to-date information coupled with passionate instructors who teach with enthusiasm and support.
Although they offer an online program, they are more well-known for their live classes. Champions School of Real Estate currently has nine campus locations in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth, and San Antonio.
As glowing as many of the reviews are about Champions School of Real Estate, it is worth noting that their pass rate on the state exam is only 60% according to the Texas Real Estate Commission, which is just average among all real estate schools. They also don’t offer any money-back guarantee like some of the other schools do.
Best School for Learning in a Classroom
Champions School of Real Estate provides you with an immersive, learning environment. This program is perfect for someone looking for both an education and an experience. Although on the higher end of the price range, you will not be disappointed.
