7 Best Online Real Estate Schools in California (2022 Updated!)

The California real estate industry has been making waves for decades, and the high home prices continue to make California a desirable career path. With people relocating, wanting to invest in new property, or those interested in buying vacation homes, there’s lots of money to make as the market remains red hot. 

If you’re looking to get in on this, it’s important to know that a successful career path starts with your real estate education. That’s why getting inside knowledge from industry experts is crucial when deciding where to get your real estate license in California. In fact, making the right choice for your real estate school is one of the most important choices a new agent can make!

Our in-house real estate experts spent hundreds of hours researching, scoring, and ranking the top California real estate schools.  Our experts also took into account the ratings and reviews from thousands of Agent Advice agents who have taken the courses themselves. 

We’ve ranked and rated each school on 8 different factors to come up with the very best real estate schools in California. Our full guide on how we rank courses is available here, but the short version of factors considered are: 

1. Course value

2. How easy the courses were to navigate

3. If there were any technical glitches

4. Return policies

5. Overall performance of each school as a whole

6. Reviews directly from agents who’ve attended the school

There are dozens of options (some of them not so great!), so we’ve taken the work off your plate by narrowing down the list to only the ones that scored high enough. Whether you’re dedicating yourself full time to your new career, are looking to fly through the courses quickly to get them over with, or are busy and looking to work through them when you have downtime, here is a list of the best online real estate schools in California you should consider.

 

AceableAgent

Editor’s Score: A+

AceableAgent is one of the biggest and most popular real estate schools in the US. It was just recently certified in California, so their courses are recent and up to date with the latest information. In addition to this, AceableAgent has a mobile app compatible with both Android and iOS devices to give students more flexibility and the freedom to study on the go. 

Besides their courses being approved by the California Department of Real Estate, AceableAgent is also approved by both IDECC and ARELLO.

 

Course Content

AceableAgent was recently approved in California, so for now it’s taught through PDF documents that have the following content:

• California Real Estate Principles – 45-hour course

• California Real Estate Practice – 45-hour course

• California Legal Aspects of Real Estate – 45-hour course

The format is important to note, because AceableAgent does have interactive courses in other states. However, they are not available in the state of California. Students are instead given an open PDF final exam after each course so they can test their knowledge and receive the course certification which is later required to take the final California Real Estate Licensing Exam.

That being said, there are packages you can upgrade to that offer more engaging material.

• The Basic package includes:
  • A self-paced online PDF Format
  • Instructor Support- Email course experts anytime
  • A 30 day money back guarantee
• The Deluxe package includes:
  • 75 Videos, 70 Audio Lessons, Plus Digital Flashcards
  • Deluxe Exam Prep- Unlock 1,300+ unique practice test questions
  • Real Estate Exam Prep E-book- Over 100 pages to prepare you for the real estate test
• The Premium package includes:
  • One Hour of Private Tutoring With a Real Estate Expert
  • Live Webinars 5x/Week
  • Access to Webinar Archive- Watch hundreds of hours of educational videos anytime
  • Live Q&A- Hosts pull questions from social media and answer them live

Ratings & Reviews

AceableAgent has a wide variety of reviews, some suggest that their courses are reliable and help students pass the final exam. However, reviews on Agent Advice show that AceableAgent still has some areas where the school can improve. Students felt like the courses were way too long and could have been shortened to make sure all information was retained. 

Want to learn more about AceableAgent? Check out more here.

What are the best parts?

AceableAgent is the most recently approved online real estate school in California, which means that their courses are all updated with the most recent and relevant information. In addition to this, the course is very affordable and can often be found at a discount rate, so it’s also a great option for students that want to stay on a budget with their pre-licensing education. 

What are the worst parts?

AceableAgent uses PDF documents to deliver their course materials, so it can sometimes get boring or tiring to keep reading through pages and pages of text. This has been a struggle for many students who have reported to have found it difficult to go through the whole packet of material. 

Return policy/cancellation policy

AceableAgent’s courses are refundable if a student hasn’t completed the course and requests a refund within 30 days after purchase. Completion of a course is when the student has completed all three levels of the course, regardless if they have taken or passed the final exam.

In addition to this, AceableAgent also has a “Ace or Don’t Pay Guarantee” through which you can receive your money back if: 

• You have taken at least three attempts at the State Exam within 90 days of completing the pre-license course

• You have purchased the course directly through AceableAgent’s website

AceableAgent ProsAceableAgent ConsTablet and mobile compatiblePDF option onlyStudy at your own paceLimited technical supportHigh pass ratesMobile app glitches

The CE Shop

Editor’s Score: A+

The CE Shop is a true leader among online real estate schools in California and the US in general. They are a relatively newer school that opened back in 2005, but they have quickly gained popularity due to their high pass rates and great reviews. Although their focus is mainly continuing education courses, they have expanded their education to every aspect of real estate licensing, from pre-licensing to business development and everything in between. 

They are accredited by ARELLO and have received many awards and recognitions for the short time they have been around, showing they are as reliable as the schools that have been around for decades. 

Course Content 

As in other states, the course packages offered by The CE Shop in California are: Courses Only, Standard Package, Value Package, and Premium Package. 

Courses Only

This basic package prepares students to pass the licensing exam and gives them the basic knowledge and tools to start a real estate career in California. It does this through the following:

• 45-Hr. CA Real Estate Principles Course

• 45-Hr. CA Real Estate Practice Course

• 45-Hr. CA Real Estate Finance Course

• California Exam Prep Edge

Standard Package

This option is similar to the one above, but has the added comfort of a pass guarantee which refunds students for the course if they don’t pass the licensing exam. . 

Value Package

As its name suggests, the Value Package is CE Shop’s top pick when it comes to offering the best value for the cost. Besides having all the features from the previous packages, the Value Package also comes with business building courses designed to help future real estate agents get their career off the ground. Along with the Pass Guarantee, the Value Package also gives you three building business courses. You can test the waters of commercial real estate, build up your network, and learn tips to help launch your career. 

Premium Package

The final package is the most comprehensive one available and contains everything a future real estate agent needs to pass the exam and become an expert in the real estate sphere. It also includes the required continuing education courses needed for your first renewal period. This includes everything the Value Package contains, but also throws in a 45-hour first renewal package with 18 mandatory hours and 27 hours of electives to help you figure out your path in real estate. 

Purchasing any of the offered packages will grant you access to business eBooks written by experts, a schedule to help you find time to study, a real estate glossary to learn industry terms, digital flashcards, and career resources. 

Individual Courses

Students can also purchase each of the 45-hour mandatory courses separately through The CE Shop, specifically the following:

• • 45 Hour Real Estate Principles Course

  • 45 Hour Real Estate Practice Course

  • 45 Hour Real Estate Finance Course

Exam Prep Edge

The exam prep is designed to give students a fully comprehensive study experience that will help them ace the exam by giving them an initial assessment with immediate feedback about which areas the student needs to focus on more. 

In addition to this, the exam prep edge has dynamic practice exams that present the results in a way that will let you know how you have progressed on each topic. 

Ratings & Reviews 

The CE Shop has thousands of reviews with more coming in daily, which shows The CE Shop is a reliable real estate school with a good reputation among many students. 

Looking at Agent Advice, one of the most reliable websites to turn to for real estate school reviews, The CE Shop has an average rating with most students saying it was easy to use and very comprehensive. However, others felt like there were some things that could be improved. Some students felt that the course could be better organized because they felt it was slightly difficult to navigate with the many sections. 

Want to learn more about The CE Shop? Check out more here.

What are the best parts?

The best part about studying with The CE Shop is their high pass rate. They have one of the highest pass rates among online real estate schools across the US. This means that their courses have been proven to help students pass the exam, which shows in their reviews.

What are the worst parts?

Some complaints previous students have had about The CE Shop were about the exam prep materials which they often found didn’t match the final licensing exam, so a lot of them had to purchase an additional exam prep course. 

Return policy/cancellation policy

The CE Shop offers a full refund of the cost of the course if the student hasn’t gone through more than 50% of the content and they request the refund within 30 days of purchasing. The Exam Prep Edge cost can also be refunded if no initial assessment was made and the refund is requested within the first 30 days. 

The CE Shop ProsThe CE Shop ConsMultiple course study packagesNo instructor helpA lot of study aids and recommendationsOnline onlyInteractive and user-friendly platformState portion of course is outdated

Real Estate Express

Editor’s Score: B+

Real Estate Express is a leading online real estate school with thousands of students in their education history. They are also one of the oldest real estate schools in the US, opening their doors for students back in 1996. 

Their business relies on having state-approved, as well as ARELLO and IDECC accredited courses, so they provide reliable, proven educational services to all their students. To back up these claims, they provide a 100% satisfaction guarantee and a pass or don’t pay guarantee for their exam preps.

Course Content

Real Estate Express currently has four course packages in California: The Basics, Exam Preparation, Exam Preparation Plus, and Ultimate Learning. 

The Basics

According to Real Estate Express, The Basics package is intended for disciplined self-starters with some real estate experience behind them. This course includes the required 135-hour pre-licensing course, instructor support that is state approved. It also includes three real estate books that you can access at anytime online. 

Exam Preparation

Exam Preparation comes with extra exam simulation and weekly real estate insights so students can get an extra boost while they’re studying. The course content includes everything that the basic package includes, but also throws in exam prep to help students feel better prepared. This package also comes with a student favorite – the Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee. Students can also become a Prep for Success Member to help them retain the information throughout the course. 

Exam Preparation Plus

In the Exam Preparation Plus package, students get the chance to talk to an expert regularly and get additional audio and video learning resources besides the basic one. Other than that, the package content adds in an exam cram video, a real estate dictionary to help students brush up on the technology agents use in the industry, and provides them with time for instructor Q&A. 

Ultimate Learning

The Ultimate Learning package offers everything a person needs to pass the exam on the first try and become a real estate expert in California. It includes everything the other packages have, but throws in a printed textbook that students can take with them on the go and access at any time. It also allows students to go through a 90-day boot camp before taking the licensing exam to make sure they are ready to pass. 

Individual Courses

Besides these basic course packages, Real Estate Express gives you the option of getting the mandatory pre-licensing courses individually. Students can choose between classes related to real estate principles, or elect to take courses on real estate practice instead. 

As the California Department of Real Estate requires completion of the two mandatory courses and one of a specific selection of courses, Real Estate Express also offers individual courses that meet these requirements:

• Real Estate Finance

• Legal Aspects of Real Estate

• Real Estate Economics

• Real Estate Office Administration

• Real Estate Appraisal

• Property Management

Exam Prep

The exam prep is designed to help students pass the real estate licensing exam by providing digital flashcards to help student memorize key terms and phrases. It also has final exam examples to mimic taking the actual licensing exam. However, the student favorite is the Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee, which helps give them a peace of mind going into the exam. 

Real Estate Express also allows students to customize their exam prep course and choose what they want from the features we listed above, so everyone can pick an exam prep course that will give them the best chance at passing the exam on the first attempt. 

Ratings & Reviews 

Real Estate Express is offered in a wide variety of states, so it is known for it’s stunning number of reviews. While thousands of students leave high reviews on the school’s website, their unbiased reviews left on Agent Advice show that their score is slightly slower. While it is one of the most popular schools offered, it does get a mix of both high and low review numbers. Real Estate Express students enjoy most things about the school, there are some areas for improvement. 

Want to learn more about Real Estate Express? Check out more here.

What are the best parts?

Studying with Real Estate Express gives you access to a whole library of study courses, books, guides, and other study aids. This makes it easy for students to find and enroll in a course that will help them prepare for the exam better and pass it on the first attempt. 

What are the worst parts?

Although there is the option of customizing the exam prep course, students have often criticized it in their reviews. The most common critique is oriented towards the content of the exam prep. Many students considered that the content doesn’t match the licensing exam, so they had to purchase an exam prep from another school additionally. 

Return policy/cancellation policy

Real Estate Express gives a full refund to students that aren’t satisfied with the course within one week of purchasing it. If you haven’t started the course, you can request a refund within one month.

Purchasing the exam prep grants you access to Real Estate Express’ “Pass or Don’t Pay” guarantee through which a student can refund the exam prep course cost if they:

• Have at least 80% score on all the Progress Exams and the Final Exams

• Request the refund within 30 days of purchasing the exam prep

Real Estate Express ProsReal Estate Express ConsMultiple course packages offeredOne-dimensional course contentAdvanced exam prep free with courseSome exam prep complaintsPass or don’t pay guaranteeState portion of the course is outdated

RealEstateU

Editor’s Score: B

RealEstateU has grown leaps and bounds in the last decade or so. As of date, they have had over 60,000 students take their courses, more than some long-standing real estate schools. 

According to the president of the school, “The mission of RealEstateU is to provide practical, innovative, and quality online education for those seeking to enter into the real estate industry, and for existing practitioners seeking to renew their real estate license.” 

Course Content

RealEstateU’s courses are taught through audio recordings. Similar to most other California online real estate schools, the content of the course has the state-required courses which are broken into three major sections:

• 45 Hour Real Estate Principles Course

• 45 Hour Real Estate Practice Course

• 45 Hour Legal Aspects of Real Estate

Exam Prep

The exam prep filters out all the important information found on the final licensing exam, a summarization of the key concepts, practice exams, and other tools and study aids. By going through the exam prep, students can be better prepared for the licensing exam and pass it more quickly. 

Ratings & Reviews

RealEstateU has more reviews than other schools on the Agent Advice review page. There is an even mix of high and low scores with many students finding the audio recordings to be easy to follow and very convenient for studying on the go. However, others felt like they would better retain the information if there were visuals they could also follow. 

Most reviews are similar to the following: “Being able to do it remotely from home was awesome. I would suggest redoing the quizzes before taking the actual exam. The one thing that was a bit tedious was having to look at a blank screen while listening to audio. I think it would make it more entertaining with a visual of anything, like maybe key points or vocabulary words.”

Want to learn more about RealEstateU? Check out more here.

What are the best parts?

The best aspect about studying with RealEstateU is the ability to study at your own pace. All courses are taught through audio classes without tracking, so students can study whenever they want and wherever they want. This makes RealEstateU’s courses perfect for people with a busy schedule or those that don’t want to have the pressure of a scheduled class.

What are the worst parts?

As you see from the review quoted above, the most common complaint about RealEstateU is targeted at their one-dimensional delivery method. Listening to hours of audio classes was often a challenge for many students, so a lot of them would like to see a bit more interactivity in the courses. 

Return policy/cancellation policy

All courses purchased on RealEstateU’s website are eligible for a refund within 30 days of purchase if the student hasn’t completed more than 50% of the course and they pay a $20 administrative fee. Books are not eligible for a refund.

RealEstateU ProsRealEstateU ConsSelf-paced courseMinimal number of study materialsAffordable course pricesOne-dimensional delivery methodGreat customer supportNo free refund 

 

Allied Real Estate Schools

Editor’s Score: B-

Allied Real Estate Schools is one of the most recognizable real estate schools in California with almost 30 years of education history in the state. They opened in 1992 and currently offer pre-licensing courses in California and Texas with a heavy focus on the California real estate market. As part of Colibri Group, a family of brands that offer education services for various industries, they have access to  a wide range of tools, study aids and professionals available for students. 

Course Content

Allied Real Estate Schools currently offers three course packages to real estate students in California: California Real Estate Fast Track Program, California Real Estate Fast Track PREMIUM Program, and California Fast Track Premium Plus Program. 

California Real Estate Fast Track Program 

The basic package includes all pre-licensing courses, eBooks that you can access online throughout the courses, practice exams, and access to live instructors if students have questions about the content. 

California Real Estate Fast Track PREMIUM Program

The next premium package includes everything the basic package includes. It also throws in an exam cram video, digital flash cards that can help you study to take the exam, a real estate dictionary only accessible online, and a student favorite, 100% money back guarantee. 

Individual courses

Allied Real Estate also offers the option of purchasing several of the courses (both mandatory and elective) separately, namely the following: 

• Legal Aspects of Real Estate

• Real Estate Appraisal

• Real Estate Economics

• Real Estate Escrow

• Real Estate Finance

• Real Estate Office Administration

• Real Estate Practice

• Real Estate Principles

• Real Estate Property Management

Exam Prep

The Exam Prep offered by Allied Real Estate has several features designed to help students pass the exam on the first try and with a higher pass score. It does this by offering ten progress exams to test your knowledge, digital flashcards, and custom exams where you can choose to be tested on the areas of content you may be struggling with. 

Ratings & Reviews 

Reviews on Agent Advice show Allied Real Estate Schools has a very average rating. Most reviews are positive and praise the convenience of studying at your own pace, with a few students complaining about having some difficulties with the user interface. Here is what one student had to say about the course:

“I like that the whole course was online, flexible and that I was able to work on it at my own time. They have wonderful customer service and were available whenever I needed them. They would also provide users with all the supplies and make sure to send any updated versions of the resources, which was outstanding. I think it would be beneficial if they would have someone like professor follow up on the progress of the courses. That way, you’ll be more engaged in completing it. All in all, I think it was a really great course, and I found it to be very effective.”

What are the best parts?

One of the best things about choosing Allied Real Estate Schools for your pre-licensing education is the option to choose from one of the widest range of individual courses and course packages. While many other real estate schools offer only one or two elective individual courses, Allied Real Estate Schools has seven elective courses students can choose to enroll in. 

What are the worst parts?

Allied Real Estate Schools was most commonly criticized for their exam prep and outdated curriculum. Some students have found the exam prep not matching the final licensing exam, while others thought that the content of the course is somewhat outdated and needs some newer and fresher information. 

Return policy/cancellation policy

Buying any of the California Real Estate Fast Track PREMIUM Program or California Fast Track Premium Plus Program grants you access to Allied Real Estate Schools’ 100% Money Guarantee through which you will receive 100% of your money back if you don’t pass the exam on the first try after purchasing  an Exam Prep. 

Allied Real Estate Schools ProsAllied Real Estate Schools ConsAffordable coursesOnly online option availableWeekly live webinars with the founderNo return policyExcellent customer service and teacher supportNo live instructor classesUpdated course materialOnly 90-day access to classes

 

CA Realty Training

Editor’s Score: B-

CA Realty Training was founded by Robert Rico, a successful real estate agent and his wife, Carolee. Robert and Carolee are both active real estate agents. Robert was an educator in the Californian real estate sphere as well as an educator for the LA Unified School District for years, so opening a real estate school was an ideal choice. Starting with a humble seven student class, CA Realty Training quickly spread to over 50 locations after 10+ years in business. The current CEO, Chase, has enrolled 20,000+ professionals seeking their real estate licenses, and received full accreditation from the California Bureau of Real Estate to provide coursework.

As you may have guessed from its name, CA Realty Training specializes in real estate training in California. Their main focus is providing students with the best training experience by working with experienced and proven instructors with knowledge from the real estate sphere, which shows in reviews and student satisfaction. 

CA Realty Training has a unique way of teaching – blended classes. Students are required to complete the course in any of the available formats. Students can choose between online only classes, online + videos, live webinar, or in-person classes. All classes are taught by instructors who work or have worked as real estate agents. 

Course Content

Currently, CA Realty Training offers broker’s licensing courses, continuing education, and real estate salesperson courses package. The salesperson course content includes: 

• California Real Estate Practice 

• California Real Estate Principles

• California Real Estate Finance as the elective course

Individual courses

In addition to the Salesperson pre-licensing package, students can purchase each of the courses separately. Upon completion of each course, students receive a CalBRE course completion certificate.

Exam Prep & Crash Course

Aside from the individual and package courses, students can also choose a variety of exam preps and crash courses. The Crash Course and Online State Exam Preparation Course are designed to help students pass the real estate license exam on the first try. To do this, they currently offer four different packages:

Online State Exam Prep Course with the following content:

• Over 1,000 Practice Test Questions

• Unlimited Test Variations

• Exams Per Category

• Over 3,000 Flash Cards & Definitions

Video Crash Course + Online State Exam Prep Course

This option includes everything the Online State Exam Prep Course offers. It also gives you access to exam-taking hints, helps you learn the key terminology needed to communicate effectively in the real estate industry, it also provides tips and tricks to memorize certain concepts, and gives you 16-hours of crash course material to ensure you are able to pass the exam on the first try. 

Live Crash Course + Online State Exam Prep Course

This option is very similar to the above option. It also provides more than 3,000 flash cards and definitions, unlimited test variations, student packets that you can take with you on the go. However, the most valuable part of this package is the live 2-day crash course that helps students make sure they are retaining the information necessary to pass the licensing exam.

Live Crash Course + Video Crash Course + Online State Exam Prep Course which is the most comprehensive exam prep and crash course package that helps students pass the licensing exam through combining the benefits, resources, and trainer mentorship opportunities of all three course selections.  

Ratings & Reviews 

Here are a couple of reviews left on Agent Advice about CA Realty:

“I cannot tell you how much I loved the teacher, Rico – he really cares about the students and does such a good job of conveying the information in an engaging way. Although you definitely have to put in the work to succeed, they do everything they can to help you do so.”

“I am trying to complete a class to apply for the my brokerage license. I met all the requirement for taking the final exam (18 days, completed the quizzes) but CA Realty Training portal isn’t working. I have been calling for three days straight and keep being told there is nothing they can do except wait for the technical team. I would not use them again if I had the choice so many other real estate training programs out there for such a simple issue.”

What are the best parts?

The CA Realty Training is often praised for the amazing teachers it has. They have been praised for constantly being dedicated to helping students and creating a friendly atmosphere where it’s easy to learn and grow. In addition to that, most instructors have experience from the real estate world which they can share with students to help expand their knowledge with real-life scenarios. 

What are the worst parts?

Many students complain that the information and curriculum is repetitive. Other students feel that the online courses are un-structured and leave them feeling a bit lost after they finish a course with what step they need to take next.

Return policy/cancellation policy

If a student is not happy with their regular courses or course package, they can receive a refund only if:

• They haven’t completed more than ⅔ of the course

• Send a written request

• Pay a non-refundable $25 registration, shipping, and handling fee

Video purchases aren’t eligible for refunds.

Supplemental training purchases have different conditions for refunds, which is as follows: 

• If you have completed between the first week and the first month of training, 33% of the refundable tuition will be deducted.

• If you have completed between the first month and second month of training, 66% of the refundable tuition will be deducted.

• If you have completed between the second month and third month of training, no refund will be provided.

Live Crash Course Refund:

• Live Crash Courses can be rescheduled more than 48 hours prior to the training. If the student is rescheduling the course less than 48 hours before start, there is a $50 fee. 

• There is no refund for the Online Exam Prep 

• There is a partial refund of $125 for the Live Crash Course, but it has to be requested 48 hours in advance of the scheduled exam crash course date.

CA Realty Training ProsCA Realty Training ConsGreat teachersRepetitive curriculumA lot of exam prep and crash course packagesPortal can be glitchyFree career events and resourcesNo free refund 

 

Kaplan

Editor’s Score: C+

Kaplan is one of the world’s leading education providers with a history spanning over 80 years. They are an accredited real estate school that offers one of the most versatile education providers with learning opportunities for everything from SAT to corporate training and professional licensure. 

What is included in the study packages?

Kaplan offers students the option to choose how they want to take the classes with the following options: 

OnDemand: Features pre-recorded classes. This delivery method has two packages you can choose from: The On-Demand Solution and the Career Launcher package. 

Live online: you can do it from your office or home without having to commute. The available course packages are Live Online Solution and Career Launcher Live Online Package under this delivery method.

Textbook Home Study: Includes a printed-textbook with some chapters offered online. You can also choose from two different packages within this category: Home Study Solution and Career Launcher Home Study Package.

The offered packages can be either taken fully, with all courses included or individually through any of the delivery methods.

Kaplan also backs up students with Salesperson Exam prep courses available in three delivery methods: On-Demand, Live Online, and Online.

Suppose you’re having trouble with the mathematical and financial areas during the pre-licensing courses. In that case, you can also purchase an on-demand real estate math course that helps you get prepared with:

• Commission and Net to Seller

• Value and Rate of Return, Depreciation, and Closing Math

• Loan, Measurement, and Property Tax Math

Pass Rates in California

Kaplan has one of the highest pass rates in Texas among the top-ranking schools. The pass rate over the last two years is an impressive 76.16%. The Salesperson exam solely had a successful 76.60% pass rate, while the Broker’s exam was passed by 25% of the overall number of students that took it during this period. 

Ratings & Reviews 

Kaplan has one of the highest ratings of real estate schools on Agent Advice, however, there have been more negative reviews in recent months. Many course-takers found the server technology to be slow, and began to get frustrated with the amount of times videos would stall, or the quizzes would time out.

What are the best parts?

When studying with Kaplan, the courses you get are written by people who work in real estate, giving you some valuable insight into a specific area that some other providers don’t necessarily provide. 

There are multiple course packages, so anyone can choose the delivery method and price that best suits their financial and educational needs. 

Users have also praised Kaplan for the additional study resources they provide during their courses. Students get access to a lot of interactive course study groups and online learning tools that will help them ace the real estate exam on the first try.

What are the worst parts?

Most complaints on their official website and reviews left on Agent Advice were towards the test prep program. Some of the students found it a bit redundant, and others complained about the instructors who teach the curriculum. 

Return policy/cancellation policy

Kaplan offers price reductions, transfers, cancellations, price adjustments, period extensions, product returns, and refunds to students if necessary. 

Kaplan ProsKaplan ConsCan choose between in person, online, or hybrid coursesLack of tutoring assistanceInstructors are people working in real estateRedundant materials High pass rates Hard to get a refund

Final Thoughts

In the end, it’s important to find a school that will meet your pre-licensing educational needs and your budgets. Each school excels at one thing and is criticized for another one, so before you make a final choice, make sure you have considered all your options. 

Advice from the Pros:

Here’s what licensed California real estate agents say about the licensing process

Brendan Gail
Realtor in San Diego, California
Priority Estates Realty

“In California, you have to study for a minimum of 18 days before taking 3 different online tests. The test covers 3 different textbooks. I took each book and broke it down by chapters. I knew how many chapters I had to cover each day including the quizzes at the end of each chapter.

As I was getting ready to take the online tests I would plan time to take practice tests in the days leading up to the exam. This way I had an idea of what areas I didn’t understand and that would allow me to go back and review that material more thoroughly. After completing the 3 online exams you pick a date to go sit for the licensing exam.

Personally, my wife gave birth to our son in between finishing the online tests and sitting for the license exam so I was a little out of rhythm. However, I just started scheduling 2 hours per day to review. This process worked well for me as I passed on the first try!”

 

 

Courtney “Court” Maynard
Realtor in Calrsbad, CA
First Team Real Estate

“My best advice for others, as they prepare for the exam, is for them to immerse themselves in the subject as much as possible. After passing my forty-five hours of licensing coursework, I did this primarily by taking as many practice exams as possible and then making a flashcard for every question I missed.

Secondarily, I read as much of the California Department of Real Estate handbook as I could in the week preceding the test, I found that most of the test items could be answered by those materials. Lastly, I encourage others to show up to the testing site early, well rested, and after eating a healthy meal, it may sound trite, but it definitely helps to remove as many potential distractors as possible.” 

 

 

Tony Mariotti
Realtor in Los Angeles, CA
RubyHome brokerage

“The best thing to do is really understand the particularities of the state you live in when it comes to leases and property ownership. Take state-specific practice tests and you’ll quickly uncover the sticky and problematic topics for you. YouTube can actually be a gold mine for resourceful real estate intel. If possible, try to go to a structured “study” session right before your test to cram in as much as you can right before your state test. Make sure it’s right before so all the information is super fresh!”