In this article we will show you the top 12 best online real estate schools in North Carolina to help you become a real estate agent.
There are many reasons to start looking at real estate schools in North Carolina. The country is changing and the real estate market is as fluid as ever. Because of this, there has never been a better time to dip your toe in the industry.
Not everybody has the ability to take in-person classes, especially with the world and the constant state of flux. Luckily, there are online real estate schools in North Carolina where you can get your license. Many of these can also be taken at your own pace.
Many city dwellers have been packing up and making the move to less urban areas. These migrations have been a boon for places like North Carolina. The real estate market always benefits from movement.
One of the big differences between North Carolina and other states is that agents are called brokers. This is an important distinction because in other states, broker usually means owner of a brokerage.
If you would like to be one of the brokers making commissions off the migration to rural areas, now is the time. With many real estate schools in North Carolina to choose from, you can find the one best suited for you. Taking them all into consideration is a fantastic start.
1. Aceable Agent: Best Online Real Estate School in North Carolina
With a full pre-licensing course that meets the requirements for the North Carolina Real Estate Commission, Aceable Agent offers the best online real estate school for aspiring professionals in the state. This includes 75 hours of education that incorporates the best aspects of online education to ensure you fully understand the ins and outs of your future profession.
Course Features
You can choose from three different packages that are priced according to the content each contains. The most affordable Basic package includes the 75 hours of NCREC-approved education, as well as over 300 practice questions that closely resemble those encountered on the official exam. You’re also free to contact course experts via email at any time, which ensures you can quickly resolve any questions or concerns with the curriculum. Upgrading to the Deluxe package includes everything from the Basics package, but it also throws in five times the number of practice questions and several video and audio lectures. You also receive a 100-page eBook that goes into more detail about the content of the North Carolina real estate exam, along with tips on earning a passing score. However, the best package available through Aceable Agent is their Premium package, which provides you with their full catalog of real estate prep materials and resources. In addition to all the content contained in Basic and Deluxe, enrolling in this course will provide you with one hour of private tutoring for additional instruction, as well as livestreamed seminars broadcast five times a week that cover core concepts related to the exam and real estate profession.
Pros and Cons
- Audio Lectures: Many students appreciate audio lectures over video content because it makes it easier to multitask while studying. If you have a long commute or like to spend a lot of time at the gym, this allows you to make the most of this time to keep preparing for your future career.
- Excellent Support: Even the most affordable package offered through Aceable Agent provides you with convenient support options to help you overcome any issues. Allowing you to easily contact instructors and experts at any time ensures you don’t feel the limitations of online education.
- Guarantee: According to Aceable Agent’s guarantee, any student who doesn’t pass their exam after using their course will receive a full refund. This means you have essentially nothing to lose when you sign up for one of their courses!
Bottom Line
If you’re serious about starting your real estate career in North Carolina, you owe it to yourself to see what Aceable Agent has to offer. Even if you pick their most affordable package, you will receive excellent study materials and a guarantee that you’ll like the results.
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2. Prep Agent: North Carolina Real Estate Classes Online
Although not as focused on building up your career after licensing, Prep Agent is an excellent learning opportunity to help you achieve success on your North Carolina broker exam. Thanks to a combination of video lessons and digital study tools, you can quickly and easily learn all the necessary subjects and concepts to ace the test and start working quickly.
Course Features
Unlike our top pick, Prep Agent uses a subscription model for all of their courses. They offer content that varies to accommodate the requirements from state to state, but the prices and packages are the same for each one.
- Basic: With only a week of access, this is best used as a cram course; it provides you with a library of thousands of practice questions and nothing else.
- Deluxe: For $20 more, you can get everything from Basic plus 75 exam prep videos, supplementary audio lessons, digital flashcards, and an exam prep eBook for a full month.
- Premium: By far the best deal on offer, this is a full year of access to everything included in Deluxe plus access to a library of live and pre-recorded online webinars.
Pros and Cons
- Audio Lessons: Some students will be extremely happy with the inclusion of audio-only content with Prep Agent. This is highly accessible for anyone who suffers from disabilities like dyslexia, and it also allows you to easily multitask while still preparing for your exams.
- Vocabulary First: A significant portion of Prep Agent’s real estate curriculum is centered around vocabulary. This is essential not just for passing your North Carolina broker exam, but for attracting clients as a working professional.
- Subscription Model: The pricing for Prep Agent’s courses is confusing and discourages anyone from enrolling if they only need a few months to prepare for their exam. It’s an even worse deal if you only want to cram for a week before your test.
Bottom Line
Prep Agent is a good choice if you want to take your time working through the study material and if you need audio-only study resources. However, students who want to save time and money on their exam prep should consider The CE Shop instead.
3. Carolina School of Real Estate: NC Real Estate School
The Carolina School of Real Estate has offices all over the state. They understand the North Carolina real estate market and the ins and outs of the requirements. This makes them a great choice if you are extremely locally-minded.
Course Features
Carolina School of Real Estate offers in-person classes via Zoom in a traditional style. This makes them a great choice if you are the type of learner who likes this style. Not everyone will benefit from this, so it is a good idea to know your learning style. All pre-licensure courses at Carolina School of Real Estate are $450. One of the perks is that you only have to pay $100 of this up front; the rest is due when classes begin. Because of this, budgeting is more flexible with this course than some of the other real estate courses in North Carolina.
Pros and Cons
- In-Person: Unlike nearly every other online test prep course, Carolina School of Real Estate offers in-person classes. This is extremely convenient for a state-specific course like this, since it means you know for a fact that you’re being taught by local experts.
- Financing: Although affordable, Carolina School of Real Estate isn’t as affordable as some of the other courses online. However, it’s still painless to budget for this course since you only need to make a small down payment ahead of time.
- Availability: The biggest drawback of this course is the lack of year-round courses. Scheduling for these live classes is limited based on the availability of the instructors and the physical venues; online-only courses offer more scheduling flexibility.
Bottom Line
If you are someone who prefers independent study, this might not be your best option. Personal, hands-on learning isn’t for everyone, and Carolina School of Real Estate specializes in it.
4. Sea Coast Real Estate Academy: Real Estate Classes in North Carolina
Sea Coast Real Estate Academy is known for their focus on academics. They are an incredibly serious real estate school in North Carolina. They would be an excellent choice for those who are looking to excel in the industry. In the past, Sea Coast Real Estate Academy has only done classes in person. However, since July of 2020, they have been offering online options. This is a great opportunity to get the kind of education you might not otherwise have access to. Tuition for all of Sea Coast Real Estate Academy’s pre-licensure courses is $399. A deposit of $150 is required up front before beginning any of the courses. This is important to know for anyone who might be new to the process. One of the downsides of Sea Coast Real Estate Academy is that they are so focused on excellence. They offer a wide range of literature, but if that’s not how you learn, it may not be for you. There are real estate classes in North Carolina that are more independently led that may be better for you.
5. Fonville Morisey Realty: Real Estate School in Raleigh, NC
Fonville Morisey is another one of the more prestigious real estate schools in North Carolina. Now, you can benefit from this by taking their new online classes. Previously, you could only attend Fonville Morisey in-person, making this a great time to start.
The curriculum at Fonville Morisey covers everything you will need to know as a broker in North Carolina. Their courses cover everything from financing to closing to valuation. These are all incredibly important skills to have when you are a new broker. They will give you a leg up.
The broker pre-licensing courses at Fonville Morisey run around $450 dollars. This does not include any textbooks that you may need, which is important to note. Often, these can be very expensive.
One of the possible downsides of Fonville Morisey is that they are incredibly results-driven. They push their students and taking the courses will definitely be a challenge. If this isn’t the kind of education you’re looking for, they may not be the best choice for you.
6. Cumbie & Trull: Real Estate School in Asheville, NC
Cumbie & Trull is based primarily in the Asheville area of North Carolina. This hyper-local focus is crucial if you are looking to be a broker in this area. However, if you are not looking to work in Asheville itself they could still be a good choice.
Cumbie & Trull students meet two days a week for five weeks to satisfy the 75 hour requirement. This meets the requirements set forth by the state of North Carolina. Because of this, they may not be the best choice if you are a self-motivated learner.
Like many of the other real estate schools in North Carolina, Cumbie & Trull has classes under $500. However, unlike some of the others, this tuition price includes a textbook. This is a major plus if you are interested in keeping this as a resource.
One of the downsides of Cumbie & Trull is that they don’t offer any sort of extra test prep. Some real estate classes in North Carolina offer extra preparation for the actual test. If you are not confident in a test situation, you may want to look elsewhere.
7. Superior School of Real Estate in North Carolina
Superior School of Real Estate is just one subsidiary of Superior Schools. Superior has a wide variety of online learning solutions for all kinds of industries. Because of this, their system has been honed over a large swath of students.
The curriculum at Superior School of Real Estate is incredibly comprehensive. They cover things like Basic Contract Law, Fair Housing and more. This knowledge will serve you well in your career as a broker.
Coming in at just under $500, Superior School of Real Estate covers a lot of ground for the price. It is a much more detailed curriculum than some of the other online real estate schools in North Carolina. This makes them a good choice for the most studious prospective brokers.
One of the biggest downsides of Superior School of Real Estate is that they are not specialized. Their education system is broad enough to work for all kinds of industries. This could make them a little less knowledgeable about the niche of real estate.
8. The Go School of Real Estate in North Carolina
The Go School of Real Estate is designed specifically for busy students. They offer live online classes for people who have a lot going on in their lives. They understand the wide range of people who are attracted to the real estate business.
The Go School of Real Estate stretches out their curriculum over a period of a few months. Many online real estate schools in North Carolina try to get you finished as quickly as possible. Despite their name, they allow you to take your time.
Coming in at $450, they are right in the middle of the price spectrum. This makes them a great choice for future brokers who want to take their time and not break the bank. Odds are, that is a large percentage of folks looking to get their license.
Due to their relaxed schedule, it takes quite a while to complete the required education hours. If you are looking to get licensed quickly, they may not be your best choice. Many people are looking to get through the process as fast as possible.
9. Triad Real Estate School: NC Real Estate Training
Since 1997, Triad Real Estate School has been serving North Carolina’s prospective brokers. They offer many different ways to achieve your 75 hours of education. Depending on your learning style, they have a system that will work for you.
One of the most interesting features of Triad Real Estate School is their different class styles. They offer both live, online classes and independent study courses. Because of this, no matter which style you prefer, they are able to provide it to you.
If you are looking for a live online experience, the classes start at $425. If, however, you want to take the independent, on demand courses, it is a little bit cheaper. Those come in at just $325 which can be a major plus if you like that kind of instruction.
One of the biggest downsides of using Triad Real Estate School is that they don’t offer a guarantee. Some online real estate classes in North Carolina offer a pass or no pay guarantee. These can be incredibly helpful if you are needing some extra exam confidence.
10. J Y Monk Real Estate School in North Carolina
J Y Monk is widely considered one of the best online real estate schools in North Carolina. This reputation is one of the reasons they continue to provide education to prospective brokers. Having recently merged with the online education giant, Kaplan, they are even more respected.
J Y Monk offers a large variety of class packages. This is a great feature if you know what you might need going in. If you need a little extra preparation, some of the premium packages might be a good choice.
If you are okay with taking the online self guided lessons, these end up coming in at under $450. However, if you are interested in the live online classes, these end up being over $750. This disparity could be an issue depending on your financial status.
One of the downsides is that if you can not afford it, you may not get the help you need. Many people may find that they need the extra features offered by the premium package. However, if you don’t have the money, these resources won’t be available to you.
11. Elliott Real Estate Academy: NC Real Estate School Online
Of the best online real estate schools in North Carolina, Elliott Real Estate Academy ranks high. They offer courses in the morning, evening and night for the most flexibility. This makes them a good choice if you have a busy schedule.
The price of admission includes a great deal of reference material. These include things like texts, presentations and videos. These can all be incredibly helpful in your journey to getting your license.
All courses at Elliott Real Estate Academy cost $450 with a textbook fee of $50. This textbook fee includes the entire resource package listed above. Despite the extra fee, it could be worth it to have in your library.
One of the downsides of Elliott Real Estate Academy is that there is a limited amount of space. With a cap of 100 students, each class fills up quickly. Because of this, you may have to make a decision quickly when looking at classes.
How to Become a Licensed Real Estate Agent in North Carolina
All real estate schools in North Carolina will help you satisfy the requirements for your license. The requirements in the state have some differences from other states in the U.S. The most glaring being that all agents are referred to as brokers.
To get your license. You must be 18 years old and complete 75 hours of required education. This can be done at any of the above online real estate schools in North Carolina. By knowing what each one offers, you can make the best choice for you.
After completing the course, you must pace the North Carolina real estate license exam. In order to pass the exam, you must receive a score of 75% or more. This is a little bit higher than the minimum score of some of the other states.
After passing the exam, you must go through a complete background check. This background check requires fingerprints and may take up to six weeks to complete. Because of this, it is important that you get it done early.
Once you get your license, you must complete an additional 90 hours of education. You have upwards of three years to complete these hours. They can be completed at any one of the best online real estate schools in North Carolina.
One of the other interesting things about North Carolina is that you don’t need to be sponsored by a brokerage. You can begin working right away as soon as you are licensed, which is a major plus for some. Many people want to start their career as fast as possible in North Carolina is a good state for that.
Final Thoughts
There are a great many reasons to get your real estate license. It is one of the few jobs that has no cap on its income possibilities. There is no limit to the amount of work you can take on and the income you can get coming in.
One of the biggest benefits to taking real estate classes in North Carolina is the schedule. Many people become brokers on the side for a little bit of extra money. This is a job that can effectively be done in your spare time.
With so many real estate schools in North Carolina, you are sure to find one to work for you. Many of them offer all kinds of options for completing your education hours. This gives you enough wiggle room to make it work for your life.
The key to any new venture is understanding what your needs are. By sitting down and writing out your goals, you can get this all down on paper and laid out. After that, you can choose the real estate school that best suits those needs. Now that you understand what the best ones offer, you are already on your way.