Real Estate Schools

Best Real Estate Schools in Bridgeport, Connecticut

Picking the best real estate school is imperative as it is the first thing you’ll need to start your real estate career. From comprehensive pre-licensing and exam preparation courses to self-paced online ones, there are numerous choices available for real estate schools in Connecticut. In this post, I’ve reviewed the six best real estate schools in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to help you find the right one that suits your learning style, budget, and schedule.

My top picks for the real estate schools in Connecticut are The CE Shop and Real Estate Express. The reason I’ve chosen Connecticut for my review is that Connecticut has recently seen an increase in the number of real estate schools that can help you get a real estate license. However, not many schools offer online learning options, making it even more challenging to get a real estate education in the comfort of your home.

Though Connecticut is one of the smallest states in the US, it has a vast potential for a real estate career, especially in its main cities like Bridgeport. Plus, the median home value in Connecticut is $361,501, which shows that the value has increased by 12.4% compared to the previous year. With lots of choices for online real estate schools flooding the internet, it can get challenging to decide on a school that is right for you. Thus, I’ve identified the best real estate schools based on factors such as flexibility, available course offerings, price, and other benefits.

After reading this post, you’ll be able to:

  • Identify the top real estate schools in Connecticut
  • Choose the best school according to your requirements
  • Know about the learning options and methods available in real estate schools

What are the Best Real Estate Schools in Bridgeport, Connecticut?

The best real estate schools in Connecticut will help you obtain a real estate license in this state. You must complete 60 pre-licensing class hours in Connecticut to take the state exam. With a solid real estate education and comprehensive exam preparation, you’ll be able to clear the state exam and start practicing as an agent. Besides getting a license from a reputable accredited real estate school, one of the main benefits is that you get more networking opportunities. A good real estate school will not only provide educational opportunities but help you become a professional real estate agent and get in touch with the professionals in this field.

One thing to note here is that Connecticut has reciprocity agreements that allow you to get the Connecticut real estate license more quickly. For instance, you can first obtain the Massachusetts (MA) license, which requires 40 hours of education compared to 60 hours in Connecticut. Once you clear the MA license exam, you can go ahead with the Connecticut license by submitting a reciprocity form.

Thus, the best Connecticut real estate schools reviewed in this post include MA pre-licensing courses.

1.   The CE Shop

Best Overall

Zack’s Take:

My top pick is The CE Shop, which has the highest student satisfaction rate and provides the best real estate education to prospective and current students.

  • Best For Self-Paced Education
  • Price: $201.75 to $284.25 for pre-licensing courses, $56.25 for exam prep

Overview

The CE Shop is a quality education provider that offers an interactive and reliable base for aspiring agents. The school is accredited by ARELLO, and it provides real estate education in all 50 states, including pre-licensing courses in 40 states. It offers different packages for comprehensive pre-licensing, exam preparation, and continuing education courses in Connecticut. Besides that, features like practice exercises, guided navigation, on-demand videos, and self-paced courses make this school stand out among other schools.

Highlights

  • A whole variety of study aids include eBooks, webinars, educational resources, digital flashcards, and more.’
  • The MA real estate salesperson license requires 40 hours of pre-licensing education, after which you need to pass the MA real estate exam.
  • There are different packages to suit everyone’s requirements and learning methods. You can choose the standard or value package for pre-licensing or go for the individual courses.
  • The school provides an electronic copy of the certificate after the real estate course completion. The certificate remains in your account for five years.
  • The school allows you to attempt the final exam as many times as you need to pass them. To pass the exam, you must score at least 75%.
  • All the courses contain national and state-approved curriculum and are available 24/7 online.
  • There are initial assessments, unlimited practice exams, lessons by topics, and interactive dashboards.

Pricing

The MA pre-licensing standard package is $246.75, and the Value package is $284.25. Besides, if you opt for courses only, it will cost you around $201.75 for all the pre-licensing courses. The exam prep package costs $56.25, but you can choose individual exam prep options, too, if you don’t want to try the contents of this package. The Continuing Education package is $59, while the individual courses are available for $35 per course.

What I Like

The thing I like the most about this real estate school is that it offers multiple expertly designed course packages. Even their basic package consists of many educational resources to help the students.

What I Dislike

I think they should improve their exam prep courses and make them more relevant and easy to understand. Their exam prep questions are complex, which might be difficult for many students to decipher.

2.   National Real Estate Institute

Best Runner-Up

Zack’s Take:

National Real Estate Institute is my second pick as it is a reputable institution with knowledgeable and experiod instructors. Their courses are well-organized, and timings are flexible.

  • Best For Flexible course timings
  • Price: $450 for pre-licensing, $40 for Continuing Education

Overview

The National Real Estate Institute has all the resources to help you get a Connecticut real estate license. It offers pre-licensing courses, Continuing Education Courses, Practice courses, agent training and seminars, on-demand videos, and Livestream classes. They also provide a flexible schedule, including weekend and evening classes. The school offers direct instructor assistance and a comprehensive interactive platform for aspiring agents.

Highlights

  • The school offers educational opportunities for every stage of real estate licensing, including beginners and seasoned brokers.
  • More than 23 topics for Continuing Education in Connecticut are available through their official website.
  • The pre-licensing courses are divided into CT licensing requirements for agents and brokers.
  • The school organizes real estate seminars for agent training and to motivate aspiring agents to excel in their careers.
  • The exploratory courses are not mandatory.

Pricing

The pre-licensing course is for $450, containing a 60-hour pre-licensing course. It runs for ten weeks, and the school only conducts the classes on Saturdays. Besides that, the Continuing Education course is $40.

What I Like

I like that the classes are very flexible; you can take evening and weekend classes if you have a busy schedule. In addition to their Livestream classes, you can also learn from the textbooks they provide.

What I Dislike

No packages or materials are included for exam prep at National Real Estate Institute. Besides that, there is no option for those who prefer self-paced education.

3.   Freedom Trail Realty School

Best Extra Features

Zack’s Take:

The school is one of my best choices as it offers many cool features such as on-demand classes, Livestream, exam prep, and more.

  • Best For Extra Features and Support
  • Price: $206 to $449 for a salesperson license course

Overview

Freedom Trail Realty School uses the latest technology to help students understand modern real estate practice. The school has provided real estate education since 2011 and has helped more than 25,000 aspiring agents. It offers comprehensive online courses and packages which you can customize according to your flexibility and preference. Besides that, it allows you to get your Connecticut real estate license by reciprocity.

Highlights

  • The school Livestreams classes have custom test preparation materials and on-demand videos for aspiring agents.
  • There is an online real estate license test that consists of 120 questions, and it includes everything you need to get a real estate license in Connecticut.
  • The school offers Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee features that helped the school attain 14% higher pass rates than other real estate schools.
  • The school allows you to obtain both Connecticut and Massachusetts real estate salesperson licenses at once using the license reciprocity feature.

Pricing

The CT online real estate license classes are divided into various packages. The starter package is $206, while the Realty pro package costs $449. All the courses are available for one year of access, and there is live chat support outside of class.

What I Like

The best feature that I like about this school is that there are lots of features that can make your real estate licensing in Connecticut easy and more interesting. Plus, it also provides comprehensive exam prep material in its packages too.

What I Dislike

Though the school offers one of the best features, it lags in one aspect. The school provides a Connecticut license through reciprocity only. With their online classes, you will first have to obtain a Massachusetts license and then apply for a Connecticut license.

4.   Alliance real estate school

Best for Flexibility

Zack’s Take:

I have picked Alliance real estate school as it offers excellent flexibility to the students and the instructors provide great support throughout the courses.

  • Best For Flexible Schedule
  • Price: $430 for pre-licensing, including textbooks

Overview

Alliance Real Estate School has courses specially designed for those who need a flexible schedule. The school allows you to manage your schedule and take classes according to your flexibility. Even if you miss a class, the school will allow you to retake it and study the courses at your own pace. Besides that, the sessions are discussion-based, in which the students and teachers explore topics together to gain more insights on real estate topics.

Highlights

  • Unique teaching style that encourages students to understand instead of memorizing and get clearer concepts of the real estate principles.
  • Experienced and professional instructors with real-life experience in the real estate industry.
  • The pre-licensing course meets the requirements set forth by the Connecticut real estate commission.
  •  Continuing education courses are available for salespersons and brokers, and all of them are approved by the commission.
  • Free classes and training for tips to purchase properties and avoid big mistakes in the real estate career.
  • Fast track schedule allows you to get your real estate pre-license in as few as five weeks.

Pricing

The real estate pre-license course is for $370 without textbooks, and if you need the books and tuition bundle, it costs $430. You can also purchase the books separately for $60.

What I Like

The thing I appreciate about the Alliance Real Estate School is that it helps the students in every way possible. It allows the students to prepare well and attend classes until they pass.

What I Dislike

I don’t like that you have to pay a reinstatement fee of $250 if you don’t engage with the courses for three months. 

5.    Fab Real Estate School

Best Instructor Support

Zack’s Take

Fab Real Estate School is on my list because it offers lots of flexibility for learning. Plus, it has instructors with immense support for their students.

  • Best For Comprehensive Instructor Support
  • Pricing: $475 for pre-licensing, $30 for continuing education

Overview

Fab Real Estate School offers pre-licensing and continuing education to aspiring agents in Connecticut. They have a team of skilled and experienced instructors who share real-life situations and experiences to help the students understand the concepts. The school is located in Danbury, so you can take the classes online if you’re in Bridgeport. Besides that, the in-person are also held occasionally at other locations.

Highlights

  • The school offers a 60-hour pre-licensing course which includes topics such as real estate agency, real estate principles, financing, fair housing, transfer of title, and more.
  •  The Continuing Education course offers two three-hour mandatory classes, which include ‘CT Real estate law for Brokers and Salesperson’ and ‘Understanding and preventing Racial Bias in Real Estate.
  • There are two options to attend the classes: live online classes or classes at their training facility.
  • The school allows you to take a refund, however, you must make sure that you request it before the school conducts the first class for the respective course.
  • The school uses e-textbooks so students can learn easily at home with two devices simultaneously.

Pricing

The 60-hour pre-licensing course is available for $475, which includes textbooks. The Continuing Education classes for license renewal are for $30.

What I Like

I like that the school provides e-textbooks, making it easier for students to learn at home. Besides taking online classes, students can rely on e-books to prepare for the state exam.

What I Dislike

One thing I don’t like about this real estate school is that it doesn’t offer any Pass Guarantee. Also, students have no refunds if they have already attended their first class.

6.   Real Estate University

Best for Live Streaming Classes

Zack’s Take:

Real Estate University is one of my favorite picks as it offers real estate courses at competitive prices in multiple states

  • Best For Virtual Live Streaming Classes
  • Pricing: $475 for pre-licensing (excluding textbooks)

Overview

Real Estate University is an online real estate school that offers pre-licensing courses and continuing education classes in different states. They conduct virtual live streaming classes on weekdays and on-site classes on Saturdays. The pre-licensing course is in modules format, and to take the state exam, you must complete all the modules for a particular course. The school is ARELLO certified and offers high-level education standards according to real estate licenses in Connecticut and other states.

Highlights

  • The Real Estate Salesperson Course is a 60-hour course taught by the school in a module format.
  • The Continuing Education course is for 12 hours total which includes two mandatory courses.
  • The school offers a comprehensive range of real estate textbook courses and e-books which you can purchase from the official website.
  • The exam prep courses are conducted via virtual Livestream classrooms, which include essential information for clearing the state exam.
  • The pre-licensing certificate is given to those who have completed 60 hours of the course and have a passing grade of 70% or higher.

Pricing

To get a real estate salesperson license in Connecticut, you’ll have to take the pre-licensing course for a Salesperson. This course at this school is for $475, and if you want textbooks too, you’ll have to pay an additional $60. The exam prep course is $30.  and the CE course is $35.

What I Like

I like that the school offers high-quality real estate education in Connecticut, and it is ARELLO-certified too. Plus, their refund policy is good; you can get a refund within 30 days even if you have completed 50% or less of the total courses.

What I Dislike

I don’t appreciate that the school doesn’t include the price of the textbooks in the course prices. Besides, their online classes are not available in all states, but if you’re in Connecticut, you can learn from this school.

How Long is CT Real Estate School?

To get a CT Real Estate License, you must take a 60-hours pre-licensing course from a state-approved real estate school. Besides that, you can also take 40 hours of MA pre-licensing course and apply for a CT license. Different schools have different schedules for these 60-hour licenses. Some schools may allow you to complete the course in 3 to 6 weeks, while others will provide classes for up to 8 to 9 weeks. The pre-licensing course is called the ‘Real Estate Principles & Practice’ course, which is 60 hours and is mandatory to get a CT real estate license.

What Do You Need to Be a Real Estate Agent in Connecticut?

To become a real estate agent in Connecticut, you need to do the following things:

  • Complete 60 hours of approved Connecticut pre-licensing education
  • Or complete 40 hours of approved Massachusetts pre-licensing education
  • Pass the final course exam
  • Obtain three candidate endorsements
  • Pass the state exam
  • Receive your CT or MA real estate license
  •  If you get MA real estate license, apply for reciprocity and get CT real estate license

How Much Do CT Real Estate Agents Make?

CT Real Estate Agents make around $45,500 on average per year. However, the salaries vary according to various factors, which include skills, real estate school, experience, employer, and bonuses.

Conclusion

Getting a real estate license in CT will open the door of opportunities for you as it is a very rewarding field. In this post, I’ve reviewed the best real estate schools in Connecticut to help you take a step towards your real estate career. I have picked these schools based on various factors including flexibility, affordability, class schedules, online platforms, and instructor support. Check out these best real estate schools in Connecticut today and pick one to start your career right away.

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