5 Best Online Real Estate Schools in Ohio 2023

Student dashboard in LEAP platform

• Accreditations: Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) and Real Estate & Professional Licensing (REPL).
• Exam Prep Edge: Covers national and state-specific exams with practice tests, quizzes, and personalized feedback for students.
• LEAP platform: Interactive learning platform allows students to easily access courses and track their progress.
• E-textbook: Offered in the premium prelicensing package covering basic principles and practices in real estate.
• Career resources: The CE Shop helps students interview brokers, find their niche, and provides useful tips to launch a real estate career.
• Refund policy: Requests must be submitted within 30 days of purchase and cannot have more than 50% of course completed.

The reviews for The CE Shop give the school a 3.7 out of 5 rating. Many of the positive reviews highlighted the ease and convenience of the courses. Several students mentioned they were able to pass their licensing exams on the first try after completing The CE Shop’s courses. Other positive reviews include the modern and user-friendly platform, engaging course materials, and excellent customer support.

Some of the negative reviews of The CE Shop were from students who experienced technical difficulties with the online platform. One reviewer said they had issues when asking for a course extension. While most online real estate schools in Ohio offer course access for six months, students may want to try Hondros College as they also have the ability to extend course access.

The CE Shop’s pricing structure for Ohio real estate courses is one of the most affordable programs available. Prices will vary based on which learning package is selected.

• Accreditations: ARELLO, International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC), and REPL.
• Experienced instructors: The school has experienced instructors with extensive knowledge of the industry and state regulations.
• CompuCram: The Colibri exam prep platform is powered by CompuCram, which is a comprehensive test prep solution.
• Sketchy: An exclusive partnership to provide students with several animated experiences.
• Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee: Colibri will cover the cost of exam prep if you don’t pass on the first try.
• Refund policy: Must request within 30 days from the date of purchase for online courses, and within 24 hours of the first day of any livestream course to receive a full refund. For livestream courses, students have the ability to switch to self-paced courses after the 24-hour period.

Colibri Real Estate is a real estate school in Ohio that has received many positive reviews for its quality education, giving it a 4.1 out of 5 review rating. One reviewer said the instructors at Colibri are highly knowledgeable and take the time to explain the course materials thoroughly. Additionally, many reviewers appreciate the flexibility of Colibri’s online courses, which allow students to study at their own pace.

There were some reviewers that who had negative experiences with Colibri Real Estate. One reviewer said they had trouble accessing the online materials, and it took them several days to get a response from their support team. Another reviewer expresses frustration trying to find the right course materials. Students who want a better learning platform should consider The CE Shop’s LEAP learning platform for distance learning.

The real estate continuing education in Ohio and exam preparation courses offer 24/7 course access with packages to meet each student’s learning style.

*Offered through its affiliate partner company, McKissock Learning

Hondros College course dashboard

• Accreditation: REPL.
• Physical textbooks: Included in course package and shipped to students after enrollment.
• Brokerage partnerships: Partnerships with the largest brokerages in Ohio for job placements.
• Knowledgeable real estate instructors: Instructors actively practice real estate and can provide real-world experience in the field.
• Scholarship opportunities: Students with financial hardships can apply for the John G. Hondros and Linda Hondros Scholarship.
• Refund policy: Students are able to get a prorated refund depending on course completion percentage and length of enrollment. No refunds after 30 days of purchase.

Hondros College has received many positive student reviews regarding its experienced instructors. One reviewer said instructors take the time to explain course materials thoroughly and provide one-on-one coaching to each student. Another reviewer praises the flexible learning options and appreciates the ability to take classes online or in person. Hondros received an overall review rating of 4 out of 5 from its students.

A few negative experiences were mentioned regarding Hondros College’s customer service. Some students had difficulties contacting anyone with questions about course materials. Another reviewer expressed frustration with the course materials saying they felt outdated and were hard to follow. For courses that are comprehensive and up to date with current trends, the CE Shop’s licensing course topics are inspired by real-life scenarios.

The online Ohio real estate courses by Hondros College are priced based on features like math review, alumni membership, and real estate dictionary.

Career toolbox articles (Source: Kaplan)

• Accreditations: ARELLO, IDECC, and REPL.
• Career toolbox: Access to articles on real estate topics to help real estate agents have a successful career.
• 24/7 access: Students can complete the course on their own schedules.
• Free e-book: A compilation of advice from accomplished real estate professionals.
• Test simulation: Students will also have access to a real estate drill and practice question bank.
• Refund policy: Refunds are issued within 30 days of enrollment. However, students can reschedule their course or transfer to another date as long as they’re within six months of enrollment.

Kaplan Real Estate Education received an overall review rating of 4.5 out of 5. Many of the positive reviews mentioned the quality of the instructors at Kaplan. Students said they were knowledgeable and extremely helpful with understanding the course material. Due to the great instructors, students felt prepared for the final exams.

A negative review regarding Kaplan’s exam prep course was the learning platform. One student found it buggy and auto-saved many of their incorrect answers, resulting in poor practice test results. Another reviewer mentioned the online format was difficult for them to follow, and they would have preferred some more interaction. For students who might thrive in a live learning environment, they should consider Hondros College’s live courses.

The CE and exam prep courses in real estate classes in Ohio offered by Kaplan are available individually or in curated course packages. Courses are self-paced online or in online video formats.

CE membership package
(Source: McKissock Learning)

• Accreditations: ARELLO, IDECC, and REPL.
• Instructor assistance: Students can always reach out to instructors via email.
• Expert instructors: All instructors and authors have years of relevant real-world experience.
• Career hub: Offers students career resources like downloads, videos, learning aids, and checklists.
• Up-to-date course content: McKissock continually updates course content and tools so students are always updated on pressing course topics.
• Refund policy: Students have 30 days from the date of purchase to request refunds for online courses. Livestream courses must be canceled within 24 hours of the first day for a full refund. For livestream courses, students can switch to self-paced courses after the 24-hour period.

The course material organization and interactive features garnered McKissock Learning a review rating of 4.5 out of 5. One student said they were engaged throughout the program and were exposed to real-life situations to apply the course concepts. Another student said the courses were well-priced, especially for license renewal.

Many of the negative reviews were regarding the course billing. One student forgot to cancel their membership and was billed annually. They had difficulties getting a refund from customer service. One student found the self-paced courses were hard to motivate them to complete the course in the allocated amount of time. Students who have trouble with self-paced learning should opt for the livestream CE courses or try Hondros College’s livestream CE courses.

Agents are able to select from individual courses or select a CE package for bundled pricing and access to a variety of preselected courses.