Now is an exciting time to launch a flexible and rewarding career in the real estate industry in Florida—home to some of the hottest markets in the country, including Miami, Tampa, and Sarasota. Your first step is taking a 63-hour prelicensing course, and we’ve pinpointed the best real estate schools in Florida to help prepare you for the state exam and launch your new career in the Sunshine State.
With tons of schools to choose from, we focused on providers with the most flexible online learning options, and evaluated them based on pricing, ease of use, package variety, career resources, quality of instruction, exam prep materials, and more. Let’s get started, so you can find the right school for you.
6 Best Real Estate Schools in Florida for 2022
| Our Top 6 Picks | Pricing From | Promo Codes |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall: Real Estate Express | $132 | TheClose25 - Save 25% |
| Best for Mobile: Aceable Agent | $100 | Click our Aceable Agent link - Save 25% |
| Best for Continuing Education: The CE Shop | $129 | TheClose30 - Save 30% |
| Best for Livestream Exam Prep: Gold Coast Schools | $325 | |
| Best for Career Building: Bob Hogue School of Real Estate | $245 | |
| Best Instructor Access: Florida Real Estate School | $359.99 |
(Florida prelicensing package prices as of April 2022)
How to Become a Real Estate Agent in Florida in 5 Easy Steps
Best Real Estate Schools in Florida — Helpful Info
All of the Florida real estate schools on our list offer the required 63 hours of prelicensing classes that will allow you to take the Florida state licensing exam. Below are the types of real estate courses you can expect to take throughout your real estate career.
Prelicensing
All of our top picks for real estate schools in Florida offer the 63-hour prelicensing course you’ll need to get your license. You’ll cover all the national and state-specific real estate topics, and you’ll be able to choose from a variety of course formats.
If you can’t commit to a scheduled class time, consider an online self-paced course like Real Estate Express’ to fit your lifestyle. Livestream classes are scheduled but you can take them from the comfort of home. In-person courses are perfect for anyone who prefers a traditional classroom setting.
If you’re looking to find out more, check out How to Become a Real Estate Agent in Florida for our step-by-step guide.
Exam Preparation
You’ll learn a ton from your courses, but you might consider extra exam prep to feel confident taking your license exam. We recommend additional exam prep materials to make your study time more efficient. Exam prep packages offer helpful tools like flashcards, study schedules, and practice tests.
You can find exam prep offered at most real estate schools in Florida. Consider the high-quality test prep resources included in the exam prep package offered by Gold Coast Schools, which includes practice tests. We also recommend checking out Real Estate Express, which includes practice tests, flashcards, exam cram videos, and more in their prelicensing and exam prep packages.
Post-licensing
Within 24 months of receiving your license, you’ll also need to take 45 hours of post-licensing courses. Continuing education courses (or professional development courses) don’t count. We recommend checking out Florida Real Estate School’s post-license package, which includes live instructor support too.
Continuing Education
After you’ve renewed your real estate license for the first time, you’ll be required to take 14 hours of continuing education (CE) courses every two years to keep your Florida real estate license. You’ll need to renew your license every four years.
If you enjoy the course format of your prelicensing course, chances are you’ll like their continuing education courses too. Check out our top pick for continuing education, The CE Shop, which offers the largest variety of CE courses from our list.
Now that you understand how a Florida real estate school can help you get licensed and stay licensed, let’s take a closer look at our choices for the best real estate schools in Florida.
Can You Be a Part-time Real Estate Agent?
Best Overall Real Estate School in Florida: Real Estate Express
Real Estate Express is among the very best real estate schools in Florida thanks to its user-friendly interface, top-notch student support, and fantastic follow-up material to help you launch your real estate business after you’ve passed your exam.
Real Estate Express is a nationwide provider of affordable online real estate education, and they’re one of the top-ranking schools in the industry. Affordability combined with fantastic features makes Real Estate Express our first choice for aspiring Florida agents.
Real Estate Express Pros | Real Estate Express Cons |
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Real Estate Express Pricing
Real Estate Express offers four value-packed prelicensing course packages for prospective Florida real estate school students looking to complete their 45 hours of study.
- The Basics ($132): This package, which includes your prelicense course and instructor support, is a perfect choice for a disciplined self-starter who just wants the essentials.
- Exam Preparation ($205): You’ll receive all the benefits of The Basics plus exam prep, an exam prep workbook, and cram video.
- Exam Preparation Plus ($319): Includes everything from the previous package plus 45 hours of post-licensing courses, live Q&A session with an instructor, and the Live Exam Crammer Series.
- Ultimate Learning Package ($439): Includes the Exam Preparation Plus, a printed textbook, and a 90-Day Boot Camp to get you started in your career.
(Real Estate Express prelicensing package prices as of April 2022)
BEST FEATURE: Real Estate Express packages are the best overall value on our list. By purchasing one of their top-tier bundles, you’re off the hook and won’t have to purchase additional continuing education classes until you’re four years into your new career.
Real Estate Express is also known in the industry for expertly designed content, and we love how the courses repeat essential information to make content easier to learn for the exam.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: We’re so impressed with Real Estate Express that it’s difficult to find too much wrong with the program. However, if you aren’t a self-motivated learner, you might have trouble getting through some of the drier material on your own.
Though Real Estate Express offers state-approved instructor support to help you through challenging material, you can also consider taking a livestream course through Bob Hogue School of Real Estate if you prefer a more interactive learning experience.
BOTTOM LINE: You won’t be disappointed with your package from Real Estate Express. The company offers high-quality online real estate courses in Florida and the ability to work at your own pace.
Best Real Estate School in Florida for Mobile: Aceable Agent
If you’ve got all the time in the world to complete coursework from your home computer, any of the providers on our list will offer a great experience. However, if you need to access the Florida real estate courses from a custom-designed app on your smartphone, we recommend Aceable Agent. You’ll easily be able to access your course from your cell phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop.
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Aceable Agent Pricing
Aceable Agent offers three prelicensing packages for Florida students.
- Basic Florida Real Estate Course ($100): With this straightforward course, you’ll enjoy a completely self-paced learning experience, 63 hours of prelicensing classes, access to instructor support via email, and “lite” exam prep that includes practice exam questions.
- Premium Florida Real Estate Course ($196): You’ll get everything in the previous package plus access to 75 videos, 70 audio lessons, and deluxe exam prep materials.
- Deluxe Florida Real Estate Course ($342): Enjoy everything in the previous package, plus an hour of private tutoring with a real estate pro, live webinars 5x/week, and a livestreamed Q&A on “Facebook Fridays.”
(Aceable Agent prelicensing package price as of April 2022)
BEST FEATURE: Expect an amazing mobile experience, because it’s what Aceable Agent is designed to deliver. You’ll love being able to complete a section of the course while riding in the back of an Uber or waiting for your kids to finish their piano lessons. You can even take unit exams on your mobile device.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Aceable Agent doesn’t offer continuing education, so once you get your license, you’ll need to find another Florida real estate school to complete your post-licensing hours. To simplify and find one school for all your real estate education needs, consider The CE Shop instead.
BOTTOM LINE: Aceable Agent features a fantastic mobile-first design for anyone looking to get a real estate license in Florida.
Best Real Estate School in Florida for Continuing Education: The CE Shop
The CE Shop is another major player in real estate education, getting its start in continuing education. Today, the company is known for providing high-quality real estate education for every part of your real estate career.
The CE Shop offers loaded prelicensing packages that include exam prep, career resources, and even your 45 hours of post-licensing class hours (which you’ll need to complete within two years of getting licensed). Plus, they offer a huge variety of continuing education courses to make renewing your license thereafter a snap.
The CE Shop Pros The CE Shop Cons
The CE Shop Pricing
The CE Shop offers four prelicensing course bundles for Florida real estate school students.
- Courses-only Package ($129): You’ll receive your prelicensing course, business e-books, career resources, and a study schedule.
- Standard Package ($189): Enjoy the features of the courses-only package, plus Exam Prep Edge to prepare you with everything you need to pass the license exam.
- Value Package ($229): You’ll get everything from the standard package, plus business building courses designed to help new agents.
- Premium Package ($299): Receive everything from the previous package, plus a 45-hour post-licensing package.
(The CE Shop prelicensing package prices as of April 2022)
BEST FEATURE: One of The CE Shop’s best features is the inclusion of 45 hours of post-licensing classes in their premium package. Also, we have to shout out The CE Shop’s career resources that offer useful tips, like “finding your niche” in real estate.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: You won’t find live instructor support at The CE Shop through Q&A sessions or webinars. If you think you’ll need additional instructor support to adequately prepare yourself for the Florida real estate exam, take a look at Florida Real Estate School.
BOTTOM LINE: Don’t hesitate to start your real estate education with The CE Shop, one of the most trusted names to take your real estate career to the next level. They are one of the only schools to offer a free trial so you can see how you like working with their online tools.
Try The CE Shop’s FREE 5-DAY TRIAL!
The CE Shop is the only school on our list that lets you test drive their courses & features before you buy. Visit their website today!
Best Real Estate School in Florida for Livestream Exam Prep: Gold Coast Schools
Since Gold Coast Schools opened in 1970, they have helped more than a million people get their Florida real estate licenses, so they must be doing something right. This Florida real estate school has kept up with the times and currently offers online prelicensing courses in both English and Spanish.
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Gold Coast Schools Pricing
You have three prelicensing packages to choose from with Gold Coast Schools.
- Basic Service Package ($325): Includes the course material with a state exam prep course, plus two sample state exams.
- Full-service Package ($425): You’ll receive everything in the Basic Package plus a printed textbook, access to livestream classes, and a 2.5-day livestreamed “Exam Cram” weekend test prep course.
- Livestream and Live Courses ($499): Includes everything in the Full-service Package, plus you can choose from live online or in-person instruction. Choose a seven-day class, a four-week evening class, a four-week morning class, or a three-week weekend class.
(Gold Coast School prelicensing package prices as of April 2022)
BEST FEATURE: We love Gold Coast Schools’ mix of self-paced online classes with livestream and “Exam Cram” weekends. Review exam material with an instructor and other students in these 2.5-day study sessions, plus you’ll get access to in-person classrooms in 17 locations throughout the state.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Gold Coast Schools is the perfect option for students who need to interact with others to learn, but it’ll cost you more for in-class and livestream options. For a more affordable option, check out our top pick, Real Estate Express.
BOTTOM LINE: If you feel you could benefit from an intensive, livestreamed review session, try Gold Coast Schools.
Best Real Estate School in Florida for Career Building: Bob Hogue School of Real Estate
Bob Hogue School of Real Estate has been helping license new real estate agents in Florida since 1978. Like Gold Coast Schools, Bob Hogue’s School offers livestream classes and a self-paced online option.
Unlike some of the online Florida real estate schools on our list, Bob Hogue School of Real Estate can offer all of your real estate educational needs for the entirety of your career. Take your post-license course, continuing education, and broker prelicensing through Bob Hogue, as well.
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Bob Hogue School of Real Estate Pricing
Bob Hogue School of Real Estate offers four prelicensing packages for aspiring Florida real estate school students and soon-to-be licensed agents.
- Self-paced Online Basic Course Package ($245): Includes the 63-hour prelicensing class, access to a licensed instructor, and access to an interactive study group.
- Instructor-led Live Online Basic Course Package ($295): You’ll receive the 63-hour livestream prelicensing class, a PDF of the textbook, and access to an interactive study group.
- Self-paced Online Career Builder Package ($495): Includes everything in the basic course as well as a state exam prep question bank, an audio review course, and the Real Estate Accelerator Course.
- Instructor-led Live Online Career Builder Package ($545): Includes everything from the previous package taught by an instructor through live online classes.
(Bob Hogue School of Real Estate prelicensing package prices as of April 2022)
BEST FEATURE: We love the career builder package. Described as an intensive boot camp, their Real Estate Accelerator includes eight weeks of coaching to teach you business-building skills that will help you succeed once you’re licensed.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Although Bob Hogue is cheaper than other Florida real estate schools, their classes are not as versatile. You can either choose their online course or the livestream option, but you aren’t able to hop back and forth between the two.
BOTTOM LINE: Bob Hogue School of Real Estate’s long experience and local viewpoint can be invaluable to agents who are just starting out.
Best Real Estate School in Florida for Instructor Access: Florida Real Estate School
Florida Real Estate School offers self-paced video instruction based on the FRESH method (Flexibility, Reinforcement, Engagement, Support, and History). They’ve been offering real estate education since 2004 and focus on creating the most efficient and enjoyable learning experience for you.
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Florida Real Estate School Pricing
Florida Real Estate School offers four prelicensing packages for prospective Florida real estate school students to accommodate different budgets.
- FRESH 101 Basic ($359.99): Includes fully narrated online materials with six months of access to the course.
- FRESH 102 Value ($499.99): Includes everything in the previous package, but you’ll have a full year to complete your course of study, plus access to the State “Exam Cram” prep course and digital flashcards.
- FRESH 103 Unlimited ($659.99): Students have two attempts to pass the end-of-course exam with the first two FRESH packages. With the unlimited package, you’ll get free, unlimited course access for as long as you need to pass the exam.
(Florida Real Estate School prelicensing package prices as of April 2022)
BEST FEATURE: We definitely appreciate the unlimited instructor access that Florida Real Estate School offers. You can access instructors 24/7. This unique feature is perfect for night owls, parents of small kids, and anyone working another job.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Florida Real Estate School is more expensive than the other options on this list. However, the price of their prelicensing courses often goes on sale. If affordability is crucial for you, opt instead for courses offered at Real Estate Express.
BOTTOM LINE: You won’t regret checking out the FRESH approach offered by the Florida Real Estate School.
FAQS About Real Estate Schools in Florida
Got questions? We’ve got answers! Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about real estate schools in Florida with answers designed to help you choose which one is right for your needs.
Can I get my Florida real estate license online?
Yes, you can complete most of your Florida real estate license requirements online.
You’ll be able to choose an online real estate school to complete the 63-hour prelicensing course. You’ll also be able to schedule your license exam online and take your licensing exam from home. However, you’ll have to get fingerprinted in person for your background check in order to obtain your license.
To learn more about the licensing process, read How to Become a Real Estate Agent in Florida in 5 Easy Steps.
How much does it cost to get a real estate license in Florida?
It costs about $450 to get your real estate license in Florida. Most entry-level packages for online Florida real estate schools are between $120 and $250. Then, you’ll need to pay several fees throughout the licensing process. Take a look at the fixed costs you’ll have to pay to get your license:
- Florida real estate license exam fee: $36.75
- License fee: $83.75
- Background fingerprint check fee: $54.55
How long does it take to become a real estate agent in Florida?
It takes about three months to become a real estate agent in Florida.
You can complete classes in a week if you are willing to work nine hours a day. Gold Coast Schools has a seven-day session that will push you along if you think you’d struggle to get through the material on your own in that short amount of time.
You also need to study, schedule, and take the exam. Then you’ll need to wait for the state licensing department to process your application and background check before you receive your license.
What is the best online school for real estate in Florida?
Real Estate Express is our top pick for online real estate schools in Florida. The professionally designed content makes learning easy, and the company offers test prep materials and professional development materials. Plus, the online real estate course is inexpensive!
To learn more about our pick, read Best Online Real Estate Schools: Our Top Picks for 2022.
How difficult are Florida real estate courses?
The 63-hour prelicensing course required to qualify for the Florida real estate exam isn’t a walk in the park, but they’re very doable if you’re willing to put in the work and learn the material.
Remember, real estate agents are the shepherds for some of the most critical financial moments of their clients’ lives; they need to make sure they know the ins and outs of the business and are qualified to make their transactions successful.
More Real Estate Career Resources From The Close
The market is booming, and it’s a great time to launch a career in real estate. We hope our expertise and research on the best real estate schools in Florida helped you choose one that’s right for you. At The Close, we’re here to help at every stage of your career.
Once licensed, subscribe to The Close Pro to take part in learning boot camps and get exclusive video training and must-have downloads. Or, subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss a single article. We also invite you to join our Facebook Mastermind Group to network with real estate agents nationwide.
