You’ve made the decision: it’s time to hit the books again and get your real estate license. Congratulations—real estate is a challenging, rewarding career. Your license opens the door to exciting opportunities.
But before you get too excited, you’ll have to work through real estate learning courses. You’ll need to complete training hours (as required by your state) at an accredited school. That leads to a key decision: will you enroll in online training or live training?
The answer: it all depends on you, your personality, and your goals. Real estate learning courses equip you for your career, but not everyone is the ideal candidate for live training or online training. Which is right for you?
Live Real Estate Training: Pro’s & Con’s
Live training courses occur in a traditional classroom. A teacher (usually an experienced real estate agent or broker) guides the class through assigned readings and lessons, much like high school or college. In short, it’s a traditional learning setting.
Some aspiring real estate agents prefer live training because they can ask questions spontaneously, make friends with other students, and more. It’s a good setting for social butterflies. The structure of a live training course also keeps chronic procrastinators accountable.
That said, live training has its drawbacks. The big one? You’re at the mercy of the class’s strict schedule. Odds are you’ll be taking your real estate training course while you’re still at your day job. And then there are your commitments at home, too. So, attending class a few hours a week can create a major challenge. Or worse, you may have to dedicate an entire weekend (or two of three) sitting at the same desk for hours on end.
In general, it takes more time to complete an in-person real estate learning course, and it’s far more mentally exhausting. This format also costs more; tuition fees are usually higher. Factor in the costs of gas, parking, childcare, snacks, and more, and the overall price tag can add up quickly.
Online Real Estate Training: Pro’s & Con’s
The biggest difference between live training and online real estate training boils down to flexibility. If you’re time-crunched—and who isn’t—then online training may be the best fit.
With online real estate learning, you’ll complete modules at your own pace. That means you can squeeze in your “class periods” in between work and family responsibilities. To succeed, you’ll need to be self-disciplined and self-motivated: your teacher won’t hound you to complete your lessons and tests. Winning your real estate career online requires initiative. But, as long as you have a compatible laptop or computer and a reliable internet connection, you can succeed.
The biggest drawback to online real estate training is the fact that you won’t have as many networking opportunities as a live training course. But that really only applies to spontaneous conversations with classmates. You will have plenty of opportunities to interact one-on-one with your teacher. Thanks to today’s technology, you can get answers to your questions quickly and easily.
Still not sure?
There are advantages and disadvantages to both online training and live training, and there isn’t necessarily a wrong answer. That said, we think online real estate training is the better option for the majority of soon-to-be agents. Flexible scheduling and affordability are just hard to beat.
Whichever option you pick, Mbition wishes you the best with your real estate career!
