McKissock Learning Review: Is It Right for Your Real Estate Education?
Gina is a licensed real estate salesperson, experienced trainer, and former high school educator of 1,000+ learners. She writes for Fit Small Business with a focus on real estate content.
Aloun Khountham is a contributor to Fit Small Business. Her real estate experience stems from over five years as a New York City real estate operations executive focused on implementing processes, procedures, and new technology solutions designed to help agents succeed.
This article is part of a larger series on How to Become a Real Estate Agent.
What We Recommend McKissock Learning For
The McKissock Learning program is recommended for its course format and flexibility. It also provides resources to help students become real estate agents and continue a long-term career in this field. These include new and updated courses, career resources, and real estate coaching and training.
Beyond real estate licensing, it offers courses on appraisals, home inspection, land surveying, and engineering for a wide variety of real estate career paths. Although the real estate programs are strictly online, there is one-on-one interaction with live instructors along with customer support available through phone and email to kick-start a successful real estate career.
Who McKissock Learning Is Good For
- Students interested in pursuing real estate-related careers: McKissock Learning offers online courses beyond real estate licensing to include appraisals, land surveying, and home inspections. It is one of the best accredited real estate schools for online learners. If agents would like to make a transition into one of those areas, this online real estate school is a great option for both agents and other real estate career paths.
- Those who are looking for a CE membership: For students looking to expand their skills or meet their licensing renewal requirements, McKissock Learning memberships are available to provide access to CE courses for a fixed price. The packages also include webinars, Homebuyers Toolkit, Educating Sellers Toolkit, and over 500 professional development resources. It’s one of the best choices for agents in Minnesota, Vermont, New Mexico, and Michigan to renew their licenses.
- Busy students who prefer learning at their own pace: McKissock Learning’s self-paced courses with 24/7 access provide an opportunity for students who may be transitioning into real estate or have extremely busy schedules. Access to customer support and one-on-one instructor assistance in states like Connecticut, Idaho, and Ohio can ensure you’re still getting the best experience from the program.
Who McKissock Learning Is Not a Good Fit For
- Students who learn better with a live class experience: Some students prefer a more interactive or traditional learning environment to better understand the coursework. Although classroom real estate courses are usually held with local-based real estate programs, agents can obtain livestream online courses through Kaplan, which provides a variety of learning formats to fit the needs of the students. Read our Kaplan review to learn if this is a better fit for your needs.
- Students looking for budget-friendly courses: Although the starting packages with McKissock Learning real estate school can be affordable, they are limited in package features. For more affordable learning packages, consider Aceable Agent’s prelicensing courses for similar formatting but at a more affordable price point.
- Agents wanting to complete broker licensing at the same school as prelicensing education: The states covered for broker licensing through McKissock’s partner company Real Estate Express are limited to California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, and Texas. If you’re looking to obtain licensing outside of the listed states, you would have to consider another program like The CE Shop, which covers additional states. For more information, check out our The CE Shop review.
McKissock Learning Overview
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Courses are iPad compatible | Live Q&A sessions with instructors only available on some packages |
| Ability to extend courses for a small fee | Livestream learning available in only a few states |
| One-on-one instructor assistance | Limited states covered for broker licensing |
| Printed online course materials available | Software is not supported on smartphones |
| Customer service available by phone or email | Continuing education membership renews automatically, causing difficulties if agents forget to cancel |
| Accredited by Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) and International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC) | |
McKissock Learning Pricing
The pricing structure for McKissock Learning real estate courses varies based on which state you’re located in, the plan chosen, and the type of education you’re looking to obtain. The prelicensing courses start at $129 and could increase based on additional features like the instructor Q&A, pass or don’t pay guarantee, textbooks, and real estate dictionary.
Students can pick and choose the courses according to their budget and what’s included in the plan packages. Generally, the programs available through McKissock Learning will provide students with a self-paced learning format, a learning hub, electronic textbooks, customer service support, and access to courses 24/7.
Types of Education Plans* | Prelicensing | Post-licensing | Continuing Education | Broker Licensing | Exam Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Who It’s Best For | Agents looking to complete their real estate licensing strictly online | For students who want to keep their license active in a state that requires post-licensing requirements | For realtors wanting to improve their professional development or renew their license | Agents looking to further their career in CA, FL, GA, IL, MA, MO, NY, or TX | Best for students with the desire to complete the residential appraisers program |
Annual Price Range (per Course) | $129 to $883 | $85 to $389 | $14 to $519 | $19 to $888 | $199 |
Learning Hub | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
User Controlled Pacing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
24/7 Access to Courses | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Real Estate E-books | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
CE Membership | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
One-on-one Instructor Assistance | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
Customer Service Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Pass or Don't Pay Guarantee | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
*All of the courses—except for CE—are offered by its partner, Real Estate Express
Types of Education Available
McKissock Learning and its partner school Real Estate Express support agents through every stage of their real estate careers—from prelicensing to exam preparation in multiple states across the country. Some states may not require certain courses to be completed, like post-licensing education. Therefore, the course is offered in a limited number of states. We’ve identified which type of education is offered along with the states they are available.
Prelicensing
Prelicensing courses are offered through McKissock Learning’s partner company Real Estate Express, and the courses cover national and state-specific topics to prepare you for your licensing exam. These classes are offered online in a self-paced format to be completed at the student’s leisure. Some states, like Alabama, Georgia, and Missouri, offer a livestream option.
Some prelicensing packages include a live instructor Q&A option that supplements the self-paced format, enabling students to interact and post questions to a live instructor. Prelicensing courses should be sought out by students looking to obtain their license for the first time.
If you’re looking for additional education, such as post-licensing, continuing education, exam prep, or broker’s licensing, McKissock Learning is an option for you. Page through the below images and descriptions to see if McKissock Learning offers the required education in your state.
Post-licensing
Post-licensing courses are only required in selected states and are completed through Real Estate Express. The courses are real estate board-approved and cover the necessary subjects to fulfill the initial license requirement for agents looking to get license in a state with this requirement.
Agents have the option of selecting a post-license package that contains all the courses required to pass the requirement, or they can purchase individual coursework to meet their licensing requirement. Each state’s requirement varies, but McKissock Learning offers post-licensing courses for the following states:
- Alabama
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Mississippi
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Texas
- Virginia
Continuing Education
McKissock Learning offers a comprehensive continuing education program for students looking to expand their careers or need to complete continuing education requirements for license renewal. These courses are state and board-approved and, depending on your state, provide education for both brokers and salespersons.
Courses are offered through a membership program or can be purchased individually. A self-paced online course format is offered on all courses, but some states may have livestream and paper correspondences available as well.
Broker Prelicensing
Agents looking to further their careers with a broker license can upgrade their license with broker prelicensing courses available through Real Estate Express. The program offers the same flexible learning formats with one-on-one instructor assistance, and is backed by ARELLO, IDECC, and your state’s real estate board. The broker package available includes required learning hours, e-books, a discussion board, and instructor support to complete the state requirements. Broker prelicensing is offered for the following states:
- California
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Massachusetts
- Missouri
- New York
- Texas
Exam Prep
McKissock Learning is one of the best online real estate appraiser training providers helping students pass their Licensed Residential Appraisers or Certified Residential Appraisers exams. The exam preparation is for students who already have completed the required number of licensing education hours and would like additional practice to pass the national exam. The exam prep package includes eight practice exams, flashcards with over 700 questions, five weighted final exam practice tests, and a performance dashboard to display your available practice tests and scores in one place.
McKissock Learning Features
McKissock Learning is a one-stop shop for students looking to have a successful real estate career. It provides the required real estate learning hours along with the supplemental e-books and resources needed to understand the coursework. Additionally, the multiple plan options allow students to pick and choose which plans are best for them according to their learning styles.
Here are the standout features to help students excel:
General Features
- Learning hub
- One-on-one instructor assistance
- Customer service support
- Continuing education membership
- Real estate coaching and training
- Live Q&A with instructors
With years of experience, McKissock Learning has developed a robust online program providing students with learning resources, all created and taught by real estate professionals. Its membership options allow students full access to continuing education, and their programs are all state and board-approved and also certified by ARELLO and IDECC.
Course chapters
Instructor access supplements online learning, so students can have some interaction with text-based learning. The coaching and training services ensure agents can develop their careers beyond state requirements.
Learning Hub
- Can add courses for multiple states
- Shows course completion percentages
- Can contact customer service through the hub
- Simple and easy-to-navigate interface
The learning hub students use for McKissock Learning’s CE program keeps all courses in one place while also tracking your progress. Certain states will require a set number of continuing education hours to renew your license. Therefore, having a single location that tracks your hours and course completion is helpful for staying on track.
McKissock Learning course dashboard
Example course final exam
The learning hub also becomes your go-to resource for professional development. Coupled with the continuing education membership, agents will have ample resources to reference when needed, covering a variety of topics.
One-on-one Instructor Assistance
- Instructors are real estate professionals
- Live session or email options
- Instructor response within 24 hours
Students participating in the prelicensing and broker prelicensing courses through the partner school Real Estate Express will receive one-on-one instructor assistance to supplement their online learning.
Some students may thrive in an online learning environment with the freedom of the self-paced format, but in the event that students have a question, they can feel supported by this feature. Depending on the plan chosen, students can email or have live sessions with an instructor to ask questions.
Customer Service Support
- Live chat and email options
- Extended phone hours
- Comprehensive frequently asked questions (FAQs) section on website
The McKissock Learning customer support options help students get all their questions answered. Students can choose to send an email or call during extended business hours or even on the weekends, and their FAQ contains answers to the most asked questions.
All customer support options
Email directly in course dashboard
If nearby, they even have an office location located in Warren, Pennsylvania. Having support available is helpful if there are ever questions regarding the plans, program, or state requirements for licensing.
Continuing Education Membership
- Access to all CE materials
- 12-month memberships
- Continuously updated with new materials
A continuing education membership is available for students who want unlimited access to all the education materials, webinars, and over 500 professional development resources that McKissock Learning has to offer. The membership provides training for areas like sales, marketing, and technology, along with toolkits to help you educate your clients on the homebuying and selling process.
Example membership plan for Georgia education
The membership comes at a flat annual fee, which varies per state, and is a resource to reference as you navigate your real estate profession to build your business and gather more leads.
Coaching & Training
- Assist with career advancement
- Connect with real estate coaches
- Increase real estate earnings
To assist with the advancement of real estate careers, McKissock Learning offers coaching and training to students interested in additional professional development. Agents have the opportunity to connect with real estate coaches, participate in non-credit webinars, and select a number of online courses to refresh their skills.
The additional coaching and training are created to help you grow your business, generate more leads, and help you efficiently develop your real estate career.
Live Q&A With Instructors
- Available with specific plans
- Over 40 hours of instructor access
- Live interaction
Combining online components with live interaction adds to the overall learning experience. Instructors can help fill in any gaps and provide deeper insights that may arise while learning online. Live Q&A with instructors is only available on certain prelicensing plans through McKissock Learning and partner Real Estate Express.
Students may also email instructors throughout the program. Each instructor is well-versed in their licensing states and can provide insights on how to pass exams and develop a successful real estate career.
Ease of Use
At first glance, navigating the McKissock Learning website can be overwhelming because of the number of course options and states covered. But once you locate your program and understand how to navigate to the plans, it’s a fairly straightforward process to sign up and check out.
McKissock Learning course checkout
McKissock Learning’s learning hub makes accessing your continuing education courses and resources all in one location. The hub shows your productivity to track which courses you’re enrolled in and your progress. It also lists your state’s education requirements and any newly released resources. If you exit your course partway through, your progress will be saved, so you can return at your convenience.
Launching and completing the courses are very easy for students. The courses are completed directly using your website browser, so no additional software is needed. The page has easy-to-find navigation buttons along with a progress tab to identify how far along you are in the course.
A table of contents for each chapter in the course is displayed prominently on the right side of the screen, so you can jump to each chapter to review if needed. Students can also easily print chapter materials with a simple click of a printer icon on the bottom of each web page.
McKissock Learning Alternatives
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
Best For: Real estate agents who prefer a technology-focused learning platform | Best For: The ability for agents to choose between a variety of learning formats | Best For: Students who prefer having a pass guarantee |
Price Range: $119 to $600* | Price Range: $19.95 to $449* | Price Range: $19 to $799* |
Key Features:
| Key Features:
| Key Features:
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*Pricing here is for comparable options; the exact price range depends on course selection and format.
What Users Say in McKissock Learning Reviews
Most McKissock Learning reviews say the courses are easy to navigate and are informative. They found the courses prepared them for the licensing exams. Some students mentioned the online format and flexibility, which allowed for some freedom to complete the course along with the ability to retain the course information easily.
- Indeed: 4.5 out of 5 based on 42 reviews
- Agent Advice: 2.75 out of 5 based on eight reviews
There were very few negative McKissock Learning reviews in regard to their real estate program. One student mentioned that online learning required you to be self-motivated in order to finish the course in a reasonable amount of time. For students who would prefer live online sessions, consider Kaplan’s online livestream courses for real estate licensing.
Bottom Line
For those interested in obtaining their real estate license or furthering their real estate careers, McKissock Learning has the necessary programs to help you achieve that. Our McKissock Learning review identifies it as one of the best online real estate programs, especially for its CE courses. Its easy-to-follow online programs allow for extreme flexibility while keeping you in line with your state’s licensing requirements. The ability to supplement online learning with instructor interaction helps students further understand the material to successfully pass their licensing exams.
