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Mbition |
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Colibri Real Estate |
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If you have career aspirations of becoming a real estate agent in Texas, there are several requirements you must complete before you can begin. For starters, you have to take 180 hours of training. After completion, you have to pass a challenging licensing exam. To succeed, you need a real estate school that not only offers the required classes but can provide the resources necessary to pass the test.
In Texas, there are 30 approved schools that offer the required curriculum to become a real estate agent in the Lone Star state. All of the schools on the list below are approved education providers by the licensing agency, the Texas Real Estate Commission.
The schools that we selected were evaluated by pricing, course availability, test preparation, customer feedback, and their exam pass rate.
- Pricing: Pricing must be competitive and offer all of the required courses.
- Course availability: Courses must be available to begin immediately.
- Test preparation: Test preparation varies, we wanted to highlight the differences.
- Customer feedback: Feedback varies, we wanted to provide a few pros and cons.
- Exam pass rate: Schools must have an exam pass rate higher than 50%.
Required classes to become a Texas real estate agent
Before exploring the list of real estate schools in Texas, it’s important to know which classes you’re required to take. Class requirements differ from state to state. Obtaining a real estate license in Texas requires that students take six classes, each totaling 30 hours of instruction. The classes required are:
- Principles of Real Estate I (30 hours)
- Principles of Real Estate II (30 hours)
- Law of Agency (30 hours)
- Law of Contracts (30 hours)
- Promulgated Contract Forms (30 hours)
- Real Estate Finance (30 hours)
Best real estate schools in Texas
Of the 30 real estate schools in Texas, we’ve narrowed the search down to the following for prospective real estate agents to research.
Aceable Agent
Acebable Agent is an online company offering online classes available on any device. You can take classes on iPhone, Android, or your laptop anytime – and at your own pace. You can log in during your lunch break for 30 minutes, save your work and pick up where you left off later. The courses include videos, study guides, mini-quizzes, and what they call “bite-sized” content that makes learning easier.
Pricing: The pricing structure for Aceable Agent is one of the best values you’ll find. You can take the required courses, totaling 180 hours of instruction, for $420.
Course availability: You can start working to obtain your Texas real estate license immediately. As you complete each course, your completion certificate is sent right to the Texas Real Estate Commission for you.
Test preparation: There are a variety of testing materials available for students. In the last two years, 894 students have gone through the course and taken the exam. Of those, 750 students passed the exam. The school’s pass rate is 83%, which is higher than the state’s average pass rate of 60%.
Customer feedback: Customers rave about the company. Many applaud the interactive content, as it’s a nice switch from boring textbooks and mundane professors. Real-life examples are incorporated into the videos and lessons as well. Customers also say the interface is easy to use, and they love the convenience of the multi-device concept. There are currently no negative reviews about the company on the Better Business Bureau website.
Mbition
Exam pass rate: 77.6%
- Description: Mbition offers online courses that you can take at your own pace. The company offers self-paced courses for all 50 states, so it doesn’t specialize in Texas education only, but it does offer the required classes.
- Price: The pricing structure varies between four different packages. The most affordable option is $342 and the highest is $615.
- Course availability: The classes are online and self-paced, so students can start anytime they’d like.
- Test preparation: The company offers a guarantee that students will pass the real estate exam on the first try. Its prep courses use adaptive learning technology to create tailored prep questions to help each student focus on the necessary material. The company offers eight practice exams, 1600 practice questions, and customized study plans. If you fail the exam, the company will refund your state licensing fee. The refund is contingent on taking the exam within six months of completing the courses and finishing at least 80% of the prep plan. The school had 262 students take the exam within the last two years. Of those, 183 students passed; making their pass rate 70%. The school’s pass rate is above the state average of 60%.
- Customer feedback: Real estate agents enjoy the flexible course work and say they are well prepared for the exam. The test guarantee offers reassurance, according to students, who are nervous about taking such a challenging exam for the first time. Negative feedback on the Better Business Bureau website mentions troubles with vague material and a glitchy platform.
Learn Texas Real Estate Online
Exam pass rate: 84%
- Description: Learn Texas Real Estate Online offers online courses for those looking to kick start a real estate career. The company boasts one of the highest exam pass rates of all approved schools, hitting 84%. The company is Texas-owned and has been an approved real estate school since 2005. It’s run by a small staff that’s committed to creating a great student experience.
- Course availability: Students can start anytime. Classes are online and include videos as an educational tool. The classes are timed, making sure that you hit the required 30-hour mark per class. You are tested at the end of each chapter and must pass a final exam at the end of each course. The course finals are proctored online.
- Pricing: Classes for pre-licensing cost $498, which includes the cost of proctoring course exams.
- Test preparation: The company doesn’t explain its test preparation strategy, just highlights its high pass rate. They do offer a money-back guarantee to students who don’t pass the exam.
- Customer feedback: Students praise the company for their customer service and efficient answering of questions via email. The company does have one bad review on the Better Business Bureau website that complains about specific computer requirements to access the course material and test.
Champions School of Real Estate
Exam pass rate: 60.9%
- Description: Champions School of Real Estate is the most popular schooling option. The school boasts the largest enrollment rates in the state. It’s also one of the oldest on our list, dating back to 1983. The school offers a combination of online real estate courses and traditional in-person classes. The ability to select the best course options is an attractive feature for many.
- Price: Champions School of Real Estate offers several different packages, each varying in price. For people looking to obtain their Texas real estate license for the first time, the course and exam prep cost $980. For that price, customers get six classes, an exam prep course, free study materials, and free exam proctoring.
- Course availability: Champions School of Real Estate offers a variety of classes. You design your own education. You can choose a Blended Classroom, which is a combination of classroom and online instruction; Online-Correspondence, which is a self-paced set of classes available online anytime; Classroom, which is the traditional option in a classroom setting, and ChampionsLive Broadcast, which gives remote students the ability to access a virtual classroom.
- Test preparation: The school offers a specific exam preparation class and study materials. In the last two years, 19,459 students have taken the exam and 11,888 of them have passed; making the pass rate 60.9%. The school’s pass rate is consistent with the state average. You can also take the exam online from your home. An instructor will verify your identity and proctor the exam.
- Customer feedback: Customers love the flexibility of the courses and are also thrilled with the instructors. Many aspiring real estate agents say they learned from experienced teachers that were able to help them understand the material and prepare for the exam. Agents that have passed their exam return to Champions Real Estate School for continuing education. There are two negative reviews about the company on the Better Business Bureau website, but the company offered refunds to both people.
360training.com
Exam pass rate: 54%
- Description: 360training.com is an online school that offers classes for several different careers, including real estate. The company offers 6,000 courses for career development, making it well versed in the world of online education.
- Course availability: Courses are available online, giving aspiring sales agents the ability to pick their start date. You work through the classes at your own pace. Upon competition of each class, you’re emailed a certificate. You must keep the certificates and send them to the licensing board, the Texas Real Estate Commission, to move forward with licensing.
- Pricing: Like many others, 360training offers several different packages. To obtain your Texas real estate license for the first time, you can buy the 180-hour pre-licensing package for $344. In addition, you can select from a series of add-ons like Texas exam prep for an additional $79.
- Test preparation: The company does offer a specific test prep package, but doesn’t mention anything else on its website about its test-prep practices. Students from the school have a 54% pass rate for the Texas real estate exam. In the last two years, 1,368 students took the exam, and 740 of them passed. The school’s pass rate is slightly below the state average of 60%.
- Customer feedback: Customers praise the affordable prices and flexible class schedule. There are several poor reviews on the Better Business Bureau website that list a number of complaints including poor customer service, navigation issues, and problems with timed-sections of various courses.
Kaplan Real Estate Education
- Description: Kaplan Real Estate Education offers online real estate education, which they have offered for more than 30 years. The school offers pre-recorded instructor-led classes that are available on the go. In addition, there are live classes available online so students can interact with the teacher and other classmates.
- Course availability: Students utilizing Kaplan Real Estate Education can design their own class structure. They can choose between video-on-demand courses, live online courses, live classroom courses, and textbook home study. Live classrooms have locations in Dallas and Houston.
- Pricing: Each of the different formats has its own package price. Pricing ranges from $389 for the home study option to $1389 for the career launcher, live classroom package. In the last two years, 106 people have taken the Texas real estate exam after completing courses through Kaplan. Of those, 82 have passed. The school’s pass rate is 77%, which is higher than the state’s average pass rate of 60%.
- Test preparation: The school offers a two-day exam prep course in a live classroom and online on-demand delivery. The test prep courses aren’t included in the pricing packages. The additional cost is $99 or $169, depending on the format and whether or not you want exam practice drills. In addition, the school says they incorporate test-worthy topics into its curriculum, which limits surprising on test day.
- Customer feedback: Students like that they can design their own education. There’s also positive feedback written by students regarding teachers and exam preparation. The Better Business Bureau does have several negative reviews from students who asked for a refund.
Additional research tips to find the best real estate school
As you search for the best real estate school, you’ll weigh a lot of options. While the list above offers a great starting point. You might also consider researching these additional items:
- Teaching staff: Ideally, you want a teaching staff with both real-world experience and resources to help you pass your exam. As you research, look into the teachers to make sure you’ll get the most out of the courses. Many of the review sites speak about specific teachers. In some cases, teachers were willing to give out their personal cell phone numbers to students to help them through the course material.
- Customer service: All of the options on our list of best real estate schools have an online option. While online classes provide a lot of flexibility, they also remove in-person communication. What happens if you have a question or need additional help understanding a particular concept? Make sure the real estate school that you select is known for excellent customer service. Some of the schools offer virtual study halls or live office hours so students can ask questions and get the help they need.
- Device mobility: If you want to take classes via your smartphone, make sure the education provider offers device-flexibility. Many of the schools do offer this as an option, but others don’t offer device specifics. If you think the majority of your virtual classroom time will be on a phone, confirm that the provider offers this choice before paying.
- Proctor fees: As you work through each of the courses, you’ll take several tests. The tests that you take are proctored. Someone verifies your identity online and is virtually there while you take the exam. Typically, there’s an extra cost for exam proctoring. Some of the schools including exam proctoring in their package options, while others do not. It’s something to watch out for.
- Continuing education: Once you are a licensed real estate agent, you’re required to take continuing education. Many real estate agents return to the education provider that provided the pre-licensing courses because of the familiarity. While you research choices, see if the education provider offers continuing education, or CE, for future use.
- Ask questions: If you can’t find a specific answer to a question on the educator’s website, send an email. It’s best to get your questions answered before you chose a real estate school. Remember, you’ll work with the educator you select for 180 hours of class time and likely rely on their testing materials to pass the exam. Given the gravity of the decision, getting your questions answered is important and valuable.
Bottom line
A career as a Texas real estate agent offers a lot of perks, from flexible schedules to graduated commission possibilities. If you’re thinking about becoming a sales agent or are contemplating a career change, one of the first things you should do is investigate real estate schooling options. Texas has a wide variety of real estate schools to choose from. From online courses to traditional classrooms, many formats are available. As you investigate your options, you should look at class availability, pricing, exam pass rate, and customer feedback to do a thorough review of your choices.