{"id":21598,"date":"2022-02-01T13:39:16","date_gmt":"2022-02-01T13:39:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/?p=21598"},"modified":"2024-01-18T10:47:18","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T10:47:18","slug":"launch-your-online-real-estate-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/articles\/launch-your-online-real-estate-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Launching Your Own Online Real Estate School: Tools And Knowledge Needed"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" itemprop=\"image\" class=\"wp-image-21599 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Online-Real-Estate-School.png\" alt=\"Online Real Estate School\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" \/> Image Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/adult-blur-books-close-up-261909\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pexels<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starting an online school can mark the beginning of an exciting journey. <a href=\"https:\/\/realestateu.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Online real estate schools<\/a> are becoming increasingly popular during the pandemic, but they\u2019re likely here to stay. If you\u2019re a licensed real estate agent who wants to transition to teaching, keep reading.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What Does a Typical Online Real Estate Course Cover?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll typically see the following topics in a real estate course:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modern Real Estate Practice<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Home Ownership<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Real Property<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Law of Agency<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paperlesspipeline.com\/blog\/how-to-start-a-real-estate-brokerage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Real Estate Brokerage<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fair Housing Laws<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ethics of Practice<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legal Descriptions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Listing Agreements<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contracts<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block; text-align: center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-4560705956205775\" data-ad-slot=\"9135581814\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, every state has its own laws for what to include in its real estate courses. For example, an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agentadvice.com\/school\/arizona\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">online real estate class in Arizona<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> takes 96 hours to complete. That means your licensing course in Arizona would contain more information than Florida&#8217;s 63-hour course.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The qualifying education requirements vary between states. Some may even require a college degree. Most states have a prerequisite number of hours of specified coursework to complete in an accredited real estate school. Most online coursework can be finished in a few weeks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, not every state will allow you to take the exam online. For example, Idaho and New Jersey require an in-person exam that takes approximately 3 hours to complete.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What Should You Do to Become an Instructor?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To teach a real estate course, you should become a real estate agent. It sounds obvious, but there are plenty of people who teach courses without having authority in the subject.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s possible to gain enough knowledge to teach anything, but no one will take you seriously in an educational space. Budding real estate agents will want to learn from experts. You can prove you\u2019ll be a fantastic instructor by getting a real estate license and enough industry experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plus, if you get a real estate license, you\u2019ll know exactly what your course should cover. Agents also have to work under a broker. Brokers can offer even more insight into the world of real estate. Soft skills, like negotiating and communication, will also help you instruct a course.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to learn how to teach, there are four<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> possible avenues:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Contact an Office of Education:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To speak to an Office of Education, contact the Dean\u2019s Office at a college or university in your state. An Office of Education offers seminars and workshops about teaching, or it may set you up with a faculty consultant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Speak to Your Colleagues:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You brokers and other agents may know some who&#8217;ve taught a class. Or, they may have taught a class themselves. You can also contact the school you used to get your license for some tips on becoming a better teacher.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Observe Other Teachers:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If you have a close relationship with a real estate instructor, ask to sit in on one of their classes. Actually seeing a person teach can offer more insight on how to do it yourself. Plus, you can get an idea of how to set up your course.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Take a Teaching Course:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> There are plenty of online courses that teach others how to teach. For example, a TEFL certification can help you teach English in an international school. However, you can also get a teaching certificate or a temporary permit.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since real estate has a lot to do with sales and being personable, you\u2019re likely comfortable speaking to an audience. Still, learning how to teach is a separate skill you need to learn to run your own classes. If you don\u2019t want to teach a class, you still need to know enough about teaching to find qualified instructors. Most instructors don\u2019t need a degree to teach.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How Do You Accredit Your Real Estate Course?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any online real estate school can give out a certificate, but that won\u2019t count for anything unless you\u2019re accredited. There are two ways to do this: the university route or professional development route. If you plan on only issuing a real estate course, then take the uni route.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the uni route involves a lot of red tape, and you have little control over your course. You\u2019ll need to get accredited by agencies recognized by the Department of Education.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re planning to open a school, you\u2019ll need to get approved by a sanctioning body. You can either take your accreditation request to a specific or broad accreditor. It\u2019s typically easier to partner with IACET to get your foot in the door. Then, you can speak to the real estate board.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block; text-align: center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-4560705956205775\" data-ad-slot=\"9135581814\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What Steps Should I Take to Open a Real Estate School?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Opening an online real estate school is much easier than opening a general education center. Your topics will only revolve around one subject, so you won\u2019t need to hire experts unrelated to real estate. However, you may need help coming up with a branding and content strategy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Choose Your Online Learning Platform<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a plethora of online learning platforms and <a href=\"https:\/\/samelane.com\/blog\/what-is-a-learning-management-system-lms\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">learning management systems<\/a> (LMS) that can help you build your online school. Each platform has its own tools and capabilities that allow course creators to promote their courses. These platforms connect to your website.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Platforms like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Potential.com<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> offer incredible features, like branded landing pages, custom submission questions, certification, payment gateway integrations and more. You can easily upload your real estate courses to the Potential.com platform, visible to your employees, stakeholders, and class attendees. Your platform could be up and running in less than a week. You could <a href=\"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/request-demo\/?utm_source=blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">get in touch here<\/a> for details.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Include Pre-Licensing and Exam Prep Courses<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As stated, most states have strict rules for what can and can\u2019t be included in your pre-licensing course. However, you have some leeway on how in-depth you want each topic to be. As long as you cover enough of the subject to pass the real estate exam, you\u2019ve covered what\u2019s required.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s a good idea to create pre-license courses in all 50 states. Your competition is doing the same thing. You\u2019ll need to understand licensing requirements for all states to ensure you\u2019ve covered the right materials. Keep in mind that a pre-licensing course isn\u2019t an exam prep course.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can sell an exam prep course as an extension to the pre-licensing course. At checkout, include this service as an \u201cadd-on.\u201d Explain how the course increases the likelihood of passing.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Include Information About Requirements<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For every state-specific course you offer, include a \u201cLicense Requirements\u201d section in the subheading. This gives your users easy access to what they need to qualify for each course. Include steps your students must take to get their full real estate license in their state.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Include a \u201cWhy Choose Us\u201d Section<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instructors should explain why their online real estate school is the best of the best. In your \u201cWhy Choose Us\u201d page, outline your education, experience in the real estate industry, and teaching credentials. If you\u2019re a member of an organization, include it here.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Include a License FAQ Section<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A FAQ section is great for SEO, but it\u2019s also the perfect way to help your users. Becoming a real estate agent can be a complicated, confusing process. Your FAQ section shows you have your students back. An FAQ section also reduces the number of email inquiries you\u2019ll receive.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Include a Learning Portal<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All online schools should have a separate learning portal exclusively for students. These online portals allow your students to log in, check their progress, and continue with their course. A learning portal also makes it easier for your institution to prove your students have graduated.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Include a Pricing and Contact Section<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you start adding more courses, you\u2019ll need a pricing section. This helps your students see the difference between similar courses available on your website. If you expand the types of prep courses you offer, like a real estate sales associate course, place them here.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To ensure your students can speak to your instructors directly, set up a contact section. You\u2019ll also need website basics, like an About Us, Mission Statement, Privacy Policy, and Terms &amp; Conditions page. Create a \u201cSponsored Brokers\u201d section to help agents find sponsors.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block; text-align: center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-4560705956205775\" data-ad-slot=\"9135581814\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Use Technology and Tools<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some online learning platforms will giv<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e you everything you need to market or track your course. If not, you can use other tools to fill in the gaps. Every online school needs:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Email Marketing Software:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> For sending updates and coupons to students.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Referral and\/or Affiliate Tools:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> For referrals, invites, and <a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/hub\/affiliate-marketing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">affiliate marketing<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>General Marketing Tools:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> For general promotion on websites and social media.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Productivity Apps:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> For automation, content marketing, and time-keeping.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Analytic Tools:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> For tracking your website and social media performance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>API and Custom Code:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> For a unique website and secure login process.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without these tools, it will be difficult for you to promote your brand and grow your school.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Create a Content Marketing Strategy<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A content marketing strategy that includes updating your website with relevant blog posts can help bring new eyes to your site. Keep your topics real estate specific, like \u201chow to negotiate a home&#8217;s buying price.\u201d Put your blog posts on social media to entice people to buy your courses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since your brand is in the education sphere, you can use comparison posts to help sell your courses. For example, you can find another online real estate school and compare it to your own. This tactic helps students understand why your course is the best on the market.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Develop a Brand<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developing a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/articles\/personal-branding-4-steps-to-build-your-personal-brand\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">personal brand<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> isn\u2019t easy, but if you\u2019ve already worked in real estate, you should have marketing experience. You\u2019ll have to follow all the same steps, like analyzing your audience and competition. The only difference is you have to market from a student perspective.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Site Settings\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your online real estate school should be optimized with internal settings, an impressive UX design, and features that protect your students from identity theft. To improve your website:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lockout users that don\u2019t have a username or password<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improve navigation to ensure all your courses are easy to find<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set a site language<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Include watermark protection on documents<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Determine who is and isn\u2019t allowed to comment<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Turn on notification emails<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customize your email notifications (aka course and payment emails)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Include payment gateways and supported e-wallets<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Integrate your favorite tools directly onto your learning platform.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Connect yo<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ur domain to your LMS or learning portal.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may want to add more configuration to your school, but you need to at least have the basics. Your students need to be able to pay for your course, access it, and graduate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Image Source: Pexels Starting an online school can mark the beginning of an exciting journey. Online real estate schools are becoming increasingly popular during the pandemic, but they\u2019re likely here to stay. If you\u2019re a licensed real estate agent who wants to transition to teaching, keep reading. &nbsp; What Does a Typical Online Real Estate [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":21599,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-innovation-topics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21598"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21598\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23669,"href":"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21598\/revisions\/23669"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.potential.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}