With so much out-of-state investment in Idaho real estate in recent years, many Idahoans are looking to launch an exciting new real estate career. But first, they’ll need to first complete a 90-hour prelicensing course. That’s why we wanted to share the best Idaho real estate schools to help set you up for success.
With dozens of licensed schools listed on the Idaho Real Estate Commission’s website, you might be wondering which one to choose. We’ve zeroed in on the four best Idaho real estate schools based on pricing, course offerings, ease of use, and more to help you find the Idaho real estate school and program that are right for you.
4 Best Idaho Real Estate Schools
| Our Top Picks | Pricing From |
|---|---|
| Best Livestream Classes: Idaho Online Real Estate Academy | $750 |
| Best In-person Classes: Idaho Real Estate School | $749 |
| Best Exam Prep: Colibri Real Estate | $850 |
| Best School for Continuing Education: The CE Shop | $719 |
(Idaho prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
Idaho Real Estate Schools: Helpful Info
Idaho Real Estate Governing Body:
Idaho Real Estate Commission
Prelicensing Requirements:
90 Hours
Post-licensing Requirements:
12 Hours Within the First Two Years
Continuing Education Requirements:
12 Hours Every Two Years
Since the real estate requirements in each state vary, we’ve gathered all the useful information you’ll need to get started. Although your real estate education will begin with a 90-hour prelicensing course, it doesn’t end there. We’ve outlined all the real estate programs you’ll encounter throughout your career below; let’s take a look.
Prelicensing
Your real estate career begins with 90 hours of prelicensing coursework. In Idaho, you must complete two 45-hour modules of core courses in order to qualify for a salesperson license and sit the state exam. You’ll have the choice of completing your courses online or in person. Separately, prelicensing courses often include features like instructor support and exam prep tools. To help you choose the school that’s best for you, consider your learning style and time constraints.
Exam Preparation
Although there will be a lot of content covered in your course, extra study time can be very useful when it comes time to take your license exam. Several real estate schools provide customized exam prep courses focused on helping you pass your state exam.
Colibri Real Estate, our top pick for exam prep, offers a package that features practice questions, custom exams, flashcards, and even a guarantee that you’ll pass the license exam or you’ll be reimbursed.
Post-licensing
Once you’ve obtained your real estate license in Idaho, you’ll enter into your first renewal cycle. Your education requirements will only differ for your first renewal. Within your first two years, you’ll be required to complete 12 hours of post-licensing coursework.
You’ll encounter real estate schools that offer continuing education courses, and you’ll need to choose the courses dubbed “first renewal.” Many students opt to take their post-licensing coursework with the same school they began their courses with, particularly if they enjoyed the school’s instruction and extra features.
Continuing Education
After your first renewal, you’ll have to complete 12 hours of continuing education every two years to stay licensed in Idaho. Many agents prefer to complete their continuing education online since it’s more convenient and less costly. The CE Shop is our top pick for continuing education for its affordable, expertly designed CE courses that cover a variety of topics.
Now that you’re up to speed on the real estate programs available to you in Idaho, we can review our top picks of schools to start your dynamic new career. Let’s dive in!
Best Idaho Real Estate School for Livestream Classes: Idaho Online Real Estate Academy
Idaho Online Real Estate Academy Offers:
- Prelicensing
Idaho Online Real Estate Academy is a local real estate school that recently shifted its learning modules to livestream classes. They heard the needs of their students and responded to the many prospective agents who asked for flexible learning options from home to accommodate their busy schedules.
They specialize in weekend livestream classes that you can complete quickly and conveniently, led by expert instructors. Instructors focus on ensuring you walk away from each class with a solid understanding of the course.
Idaho Online Real Estate Academy Pricing
Idaho Online Real Estate Academy offers Modules 1 and 2 prelicensing courses via scheduled livestream in Idaho.
- Idaho Module 1 and 2 Weekends ($750): You’ll receive your 90-hour prelicensing course, with all textbooks and materials included, delivered in this scheduled livestream course on Friday evenings and weekends for four weeks.
(Idaho prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: Our favorite part of Idaho Online Real Estate Academy’s class schedule is their weekend course. You can complete a 45-hour prelicensing module in only two weeks, and complete all your prelicensing requirements in four. What’s more, you won’t need to sacrifice anything during the week, since they run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and full days on weekends.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Idaho Online Real Estate Academy focuses on providing a quality livestream class to its students, but doesn’t offer much else. You won’t find exam prep packages or extra career resources here.
BOTTOM LINE: Idaho Online Real Estate Academy is for you if you’re looking for scheduled classes that work around your weekday schedule.
Best Idaho Real Estate School for In-person Instruction: Idaho Real Estate School
Idaho Real Estate School Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Post-licensing
- Continuing Education
- Broker Prelicensing
Idaho Real Estate School launched in 2004 and quickly became the biggest real estate school in Idaho. Offering courses for every stage of your career, IRES prides itself on its quality instructors. All instructors are active real estate members, agents, or brokers, so they’re always up to date on current issues facing the industry.
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Idaho Real Estate School Pricing
Idaho Real Estate School offers prelicensing courses in-person at their Boise campus, or you can opt to take your course via Zoom from the comfort of home.
- Live In-person or Zoom Days Prelicense Package ($749): This package includes both Modules 1 and 2 of your prelicensing coursework, all textbooks and materials, scheduled full-time from Monday to Friday.
- Live In-person or Zoom Nights Prelicense Package ($749): This identical package includes everything above, but runs evenings from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weeknights.
(Idaho prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: We love Idaho Real Estate School’s commitment to engaging in-person instruction. Each module is followed by a test to help you review the course, and nothing beats access to instructor support in the moment. At any point, if you feel stuck, you and your classmates can review core concepts as you move through the course.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: The only thing we wish Idaho Real Estate School added to their roster was an exam prep package for prospective agents. To help with extra preparation for the license exam, consider Colibri Real Estate’ exam prep to help you study.
BOTTOM LINE: Idaho Real Estate School is perfect for students who learn best in a classroom setting.
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Best Idaho Real Estate School for Exam Prep: Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate Offers:
- Exam Prep
- Prelicensing
Colibri Real Estate is an industry leader in real estate education and their comprehensive livestream course option packs in everything needed to pass the exam. Their exam prep is particularly excellent, as they not only offer practice questions, but also custom exams to zero in on the areas where you need the most practice.
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Colibri Real Estate Pricing
In Idaho, Colibri Real Estate provides one comprehensive exam prep package.
- Idaho Salesperson Livestream Package ($850): This comprehensive package combines the best of all Colibri offerings, including their Pass Don’t Pay guarantee, livestreamed courses, digital flashcards, textbooks, SAE courses, dictionary, Live Exam Crammer series, Q&A with instructors, and one year of professional development.
(Idaho prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
Readers of The Close can SAVE 25% on any Colibri Real Estate prelicensing course in Idaho. Use promo code TheClose25 at checkout.
BEST FEATURE: We love Colibri Real Estate’s Pass or Don’t Pay guarantee, which is a bold offer for an exam prep package. They promise that if you score at least 80% on their practice exams, you’ll pass your license exam the first time. If you don’t, they’ll reimburse you the cost of your exam fee.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: The only package Colibri offers is the livestream, which is expensive. We’d love to see some other, more affordable options.
BOTTOM LINE: Colibri Real Estate is your go-to school for comprehensive coursework and exam prep so you can take your license exam with confidence.
Best Idaho Real Estate School for Continuing Education: The CE Shop
The CE Shop Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Post-licensing
- Continuing Education
The CE Shop is another popular national school offering real estate education across the country. Their easy-to-use online platform makes learning online a breeze. They offer four packages, from fully comprehensive to the affordable basics. Plus, the CE Shop is known for its extensive catalog of CE courses, making returning to renew your license as easy as possible.
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The CE Shop Pricing
The CE Shop offers prospective sales agents various courses to fulfill their prelicensing and continuing education requirements.
- Idaho Courses Only ($719): You’ll get the required 90 hours of prelicensing coursework, plus some extra career resources, e-books, digital flashcards, a real estate glossary, and a customizable study schedule.
- Idaho Standard Package ($779): You’ll get everything in the Courses Only package but also their Exam Prep Edge.
- Idaho Value Package ($819): This package is everything in the above two, plus business-building courses.
- Idaho Premium Package ($949): This comprehensive package includes everything in the other three packages, plus the required 18.5-hour post-licensing courses and the “Real Estate Introduction to the Profession” e-book.
(Idaho prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: The CE Shop has one of the best and most user-friendly online platforms. It makes taking their real estate courses enjoyable and easy to do from anywhere, especially on the go. The platform works seamlessly across devices, whether you’re on a laptop, tablet, or mobile device.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: While The CE Shop offers prelicensing, post-licensing and CE courses, they’re offered individually to fulfill your requirements. It would be useful if they offered packages with every required course to make it a one-stop shop experience.
BOTTOM LINE: Choose The CE Shop for all your real estate education after you’re licensed to enjoy a seamless online learning experience.
Idaho Real Estate School: FAQs
We have even more useful information to share with you! Check out our answers to the most commonly asked questions below, and be sure to let us know if there’s something you’d like to know. We’d love to hear from you!
What are the requirements for getting an Idaho real estate license?
To get an Idaho real estate salesperson license, you must be 18 years old and hold a high school diploma. You’ll also need to complete a background check before obtaining a license. For more information, visit the Idaho Real Estate Commission website.
How do I get my real estate license in Idaho?
To get your Idaho real estate license, you’ll need to complete 90 hours of prelicensing coursework (two 45-hour courses), complete a background check, and pass the Idaho license exam. Once you’ve passed, you’ll also need to get errors & omissions insurance, find a brokerage to work with, and apply for your license.
For more information, visit the Idaho Real Estate Commission website.
How much does it cost to get a real estate license in Idaho?
Getting an Idaho real estate license costs around $1,050. Most of the cost of getting your Idaho license comes from the required prelicensing course. They vary in cost around the $700 mark. Other one-time fees associated with getting your license are:
- License exam ($80)
- Background check ($61.25)
- License application ($160)
How long does it take to get a real estate license in Idaho?
Getting a real estate license in Idaho typically takes three to six months. You can complete the 90-hour prelicensing course in as little as two weeks if you take classes full time or a month if scheduled classes are on weekends. You’ll also need to prepare for and pass the license exam in addition to your course. After you’ve passed the exam, you’ll simply need to apply for your license after you’ve found a sponsoring brokerage to work with.
Can I get my Idaho real estate license online?
Yes! You can finish most of the prerequisites to get your Idaho real estate license online. You can complete your 90-hour prelicensing course at an online real estate school and submit your license application online. Though you can arrange your license exam online through Pearson VUE, you’ll have to take the exam in person.
I'm licensed in another state. Do I have to take the Idaho prelicensing course?
No! If you hold an active real estate license in another state, you are not required to take Idaho’s prelicensing course. Visit the Idaho Real Estate Commission website for more information. Also, check out our state-by-state reciprocity guide for more on this topic.
How many Realtors are there in Idaho?
According to the National Association of Realtors’ November 2022 data, there are 11,912 Realtors in Idaho. This is a 2.42% decrease from the previous month, but a slight increase from this time last year.
How much do real estate agents make in Idaho?
It all depends on the number of deals and the commission splits, but according to Indeed.com, the average real estate agent in Idaho made $97,266 in 2022, which is right on par with the national average. Agents with ten or more years of experience should make almost $18,000 more a year.
What’s the average home price in Idaho?
According to Zillow, home values in Idaho rose 4% in 2022, reaching $467,694. The median price in a town like Stanley is considerably higher, reaching $896,608.
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Bringing It All Together
After reading our helpful guide, we hope you’re one step closer to deciding on the best Idaho real estate school for you. We wish you the best of luck in your new career. At The Close, we provide actionable strategies you can count on throughout your career. Have advice, insights, or questions? Leave us a comment below!
