6 Best Online Real Estate Schools in North Carolina (NC) 2023

Free downloadable e-books (Source: Superior Schools/Colibri Real Estate)

• Accreditations: Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO), International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC), and North Carolina Real Estate Commission (NCREC)
• Refund/cancellation policy: Before the start of the course, students can receive a full refund. Within seven calendar days of beginning the course, students may withdraw and receive a full tuition refund, less a $170 administrative fee.
• Professional development opportunities: Periodic free livestream career days and broker expos where students can interact with and learn various topics from local brokerage firms.
• Expert instructors: The instructors at Colibri are active real estate professionals in the industry
• Free downloads: Free prelicensing, post-licensing, and continuing education e-books.

Colibri real estate scores 4.6 out of 5 from student reviews. One student said the instructors explained complex concepts in a way that was easy to understand and broke down each topic to ensure that everyone in the class was on the same page. Another student reported that she loved the convenience of self-study, which she can fit around her life and work schedule.

Some students reported that the course platform had some technical issues, which slowed course progress, resulting in frustration. One student said that the course materials have multiple typos and are outdated. If you want a course that students say has a less glitchy platform, consider the CE Shop.

Prelicensing courses are the same price as text-only, self-study, or livestream. Broker post-licensing education options are the same price each, with various 30-hour package options. Continuing education is available as individual classes, or students can enroll in the annual CE Plus. Exam prep offers three options. Students can take the national and state exam prep portions separately or purchase a package containing both.

*Offered through a partnership with McKissock Learning

Features of its real estate education (Course: The Go School)

• Accreditation: NCREC
• Refund/cancellation policy: No refunds. Subscriptions are auto-renewal.
• Real Estate Bookstore: E-books covering different real estate topics in different states are available on The Go School’s online bookstore via RE Campus.
• Student portal: Upon registration, you can immediately log in to your student portal to access your prelicensing education, study materials, and practice exams.
• Private tutoring: If you’re struggling with certain real estate concepts, The Go School offers specialized one-on-one tutoring at your convenient schedule.
• Free Real Estate Quiz: This short quiz helps you determine how your personality can enhance your real estate career.

The Go School has a rating of 4.5 out of 5. One student says that the live instruction and study materials are more than adequate. Another states that it’s a very relaxed atmosphere, and the support and communication have been exceptional. Students in the in-person classes appreciate the provided snacks.

There weren’t a lot of negative reviews for The Go School. However, one student reports that only four passed the course in a class with over 20 people. This student is also dissatisfied with the instructor and says communication is poor. The school doesn’t guarantee a pass, so if you want this feature, check out Colibri Real Estate or The CE Shop.

Pricing at the Go School of Real Estate includes course packages offering prelicensing, post-licensing, continuing education, and exam preparations with all the required credit hours. Each program has various options from which to choose with corresponding rates.

A question in the free online assessment. (Source: The CE Shop)

• Accreditations: ARELLO, IDECC, and NCREC
• Refund/cancellation policy: Students can get a full refund within 30 days of purchase and before completing the course. The course cannot be more than 50% completed.
• Pass guarantee: The Exam Prep Edge program has a pass guarantee, offering students who don’t pass the licensing exam a full refund.
• Exam Prep Edge: An intuitive online study platform that includes initial assessment, individual lessons by topic, unlimited practice exams, and interactive dashboards.
• Math Handbook: This built-in math guide helps students grasp the formulas on the exam.
• Agent Essentials: A knowledge database with free resources, including blogs, e-books, videos, podcasts, and webinars, to help students establish a successful real estate career.

The CE Shop has a 3.6 out of 5 rating because of its easy-to-navigate platform and scheduling flexibility. Most students like the mobile and computer platforms stating the materials are easier to digest. Some students speak highly of responsive customer service, available seven days a week.

In less favorable reviews, one student says the technical issues slow his learning. Some students are disappointed in The CE Shop’s text-based content, which they described as “boring.” If you need more live interaction with instructors and peers, check out livestream classes from the Carolina School of Real Estate, The Go School, and Sea Coast Real Estate Academy.

The CE Shop offers individual courses and packages. Students can select packages based on the resources they need. Packages are tiered pricing.

ExamSmart brochure
(Source: Carolina School of Real Estate)

• Accreditation: NCREC
• Refund/cancellation policy: No refunds for withdrawals made less than two days before the class start date
• Additional study aids and learning materials: If you need more preparation for the state licensing exam, purchase additional learning materials, including prelicensing e-books, flashcards, and real estate math and exam guides.
• Professional development courses: Contact the school for more information about its professional development opportunities
• Blog resources: Blog posts are written by licensed agents to help you understand the licensing requirements and the challenges faced by a real estate agent in North Carolina.

Carolina School of Real Estate has an impressive 5-star rating. Students rave about the helpful instructors and the learning materials that helped them pass the NC real estate exam on the first try. They say instructors keep the lessons engaging as they share their real estate experiences. One student says the instructor takes time to ensure they understand the current licensing requirements and the reasons behind them.

While no negative reviews are found at the time of writing, the school’s live course packages don’t include multiple study tools. Refunds must be requested at least two days before the classes. For courses with a pass guarantee and 30-day money-back guarantee, check out courses from other NC real estate schools like The CE Shop.

Pricing at Carolina School of Real Estate includes full packages offering the complete number of required education hours, plus individual post-licensing and CE courses according to your needs for license renewal. Pricing is either for individual classes or packages.

Livestream course schedules (Source: Sea Coast Real Estate Academy)

• Accreditation: NCREC
• Refund/cancellation policy: No refund after the first class, but after that class, for a fee, students have six months from the start of their original course to re-enroll.
• Learn Test Pass Practice Exams: Free 90-day access for comprehensive national and state exams with question banks.
• Video library: Access free video resources, including a real estate math tutorial series, vocabulary, study and test-taking strategies, and NC-specific content.
• Exam prep Qbanks: Purchase the Complete or State-specific NC Real Estate Drill and Practice Qbanks that include custom quizzes and a performance tracker so students can concentrate on problem areas.

SCREA has a rating of 4.8 out of 5. Several students state that the teachers are excellent, informative, and make everything enjoyable. One student reported that they still have to take more real estate education and will attend this school and pick the same instructor since she made passing the exam easy with her topic knowledge and understanding.

A dissatisfied student reported that he took his post-licensing classes online and feels that the curriculum did not prepare him for the final exams or provide new information that wasn’t covered in the prelicensing course. If you’re looking for a top-rated school that offers comprehensive education, check out Colibri Real Estate.

Sea Coast Real Estate Academy offers education packages and individual courses. CE pricing is per course.

Live webinar (Source: Kaplan)

• Accreditations: ARELLO, IDECC, NCREC
• Refund/cancellation policy: Refunds are issued within 30 days of enrollment so long as the course is not completed.
• Real Estate Accelerator: A boot camp program for laying a solid foundation for starting in real estate, including how to write a business plan, marketing plan, budget, and cash flow forecast.
• PassProtection Retake Policy: If students don’t pass the licensing exam, they can retake live online classes within six months from the date of purchase.
• Exam prep add-ons: Purchase additional exam prep materials, such as digital flashcards, math on-demand, companion books, a real estate dictionary, and the Dearborn Real Estate Exam Prep app.

Kaplan has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 from former students. Students praise its adaptive learning technology for helping them focus where they need improvement most. Many students appreciate the instructors’ knowledge and responsiveness and the comprehensive course materials that are easy to understand. Students also appreciate the flexible scheduling and convenience of online courses.

Unhappy students say the course platform can be buggy and sometimes doesn’t auto-save their answers. Some report that the platform is hard to navigate, and others suggest that the course materials could be more engaging and accessible support could use improvement. Consider The CE Shop’s online courses for students who want more interactive features.

Kaplan’s pricing includes course packages with the required credit hours to obtain or renew a license. Pricing varies based on the package features and learning formats. Individual broker post-licensing and CE courses are available as individual or package formats, and its exam prep offers two individual study products with the remaining content provided in packages.