If you’re ready for an exciting new career, let us introduce you to the best Tennessee real estate schools. After all, your Tennessee real estate career starts with 90 hours of prelicensing coursework.
Because there are so many schools to choose from, we wrote this guide to help you find the best school for your schedule, budget, learning style, and more. We evaluated features like the quality of instruction, user experience, affordability, and convenience. Let’s dive into our top picks.
5 Best Tennessee Real Estate Schools for 2023
| Our Top 5 Picks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall: The CE Shop | ||
| Best for Mobile: Aceable Agent | ||
| Best Online Platform: Colibri Real Estate | ||
| Best Live Classes: Tennessee Real Estate Academy | ||
| Best Budget School: RealEstateU |
(Tennessee prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
Tennessee Real Estate Schools: Helpful Info
Tennessee Real Estate Governing Body:
Tennessee Real Estate Commission
Prelicensing Requirements:
90 Hours
Post-licensing Requirements:
120 Hours Within the First Three Years
Continuing Education Requirements:
120 Hours Every Three Years
Each state’s real estate requirements differ, so we’ve compiled the information you need to start off on the right footing. First, regular real estate agents in Tennessee are called brokers, though when agents first receive their licenses, they are called affiliate brokers.
In Tennessee, you must take a total of 90 hours of prelicensing coursework before you can get your real estate license. Tennessee real estate schools may offer a 90-hour course or split the requirements into two courses of 60 hours and 30 hours each. That’s because you only really need to complete the first 60 hours of your education before taking the licensing test. Once you’ve passed your license exam, you’ll need to complete the remaining 30 hours of coursework to obtain your license.
Now that you’re in the know, let’s look into the real estate programs offered by the schools on our list.
Prelicensing
Your real estate career begins with a prelicensing course, which you can take online or in person. We recommend considering your learning style and the optimal amount of time in which you’d like to complete your course. Exam preparation, access to an instructor, and career resources are all common extras in prelicensing courses.
Exam Preparation
You’ll cover a lot of content in your course, but extra preparation can be very useful when it comes time for your license exam.
Many real estate schools create individual exam prep packages that focus solely on equipping you with the test-taking skills to ace your license exam. Colibri Real Estate’s exam prep is included in its prelicensing package and comes with flashcards, a glossary, and practice questions.
Post-licensing
Once you obtain your license and become an affiliate broker, you’ll be required to complete 120 hours of continuing education (CE). Complete your required hours within the first three years of obtaining your affiliate license and you’ll be eligible to apply for full broker status with the Tennessee Real Estate Commission. Post-licensing courses can generally be taken at any real estate school that offers continuing education.
Continuing Education
In Tennessee, you are required to complete 120 hours of continuing education every three years from the time you first become licensed.
Most schools that offer prelicensing courses also offer CE, so you’ll have your pick from a variety of schools. Many brokers prefer to complete their CE requirements online to better fit their schedules. We recommend checking out The CE Shop, our top pick overall, since they’ve long been providing quality CE courses to agents nationwide.
Your real estate education will continue after getting your real estate license, so it’s important to choose the right school from the outset. Let’s take a look!
Best Overall Tennessee Real Estate School: The CE Shop
The CE Shop Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Post-licensing
- Continuing Education
The CE Shop is our top pick because of its wide variety of real estate education options. Specialists in continuing education (or CE), they now offer exam prep courses in all 50 states and CE classes in 42 states.
Their transparent pricing, affordable packages, and useful course features are why people continue to return to The CE Shop. Best of all, they’re the only school to offer a free trial, so you can sample the materials before you buy.
| The CE Shop Pros | The CE Shop Cons |
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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 and features before you buy. Visit their website today!
The CE Shop Pricing
The CE Shop offers four online self-paced prelicensing course packages.
- Courses Only ($399): Besides your 90-hour course, you’ll also receive flashcards, a study schedule, and e-books.
- Standard Package ($479): You’ll get the above features as well as Exam Prep Edge, The CE Shop’s useful bundle to prepare you for your license exam.
- Value Package ($519): On top of the Standard Package features, this includes The CE Shop’s business-building courses to help you succeed as a new agent.
- Premium Package ($659): This all-inclusive package includes all the previous features plus 16 hours of continuing education (CE) courses to get you started on your renewal cycle.
(The CE Shop prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: There’s plenty to love about The CE Shop. With course offerings that span prelicensing to CE classes, they’re a one-stop shop for all your education needs.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Although their packages offer a variety of helpful features, they’re not the most affordable school on our list. For a budget school, check out RealEstateU or Colibri Real Estate.
BOTTOM LINE: You won’t be disappointed with The CE Shop’s quality instruction and packages stacked full of extra features.
Best Tennessee Real Estate School for Mobile: Aceable Agent
Aceable Agent Offers:
- Prelicensing
Aceable Agent is another popular online real estate school serving agents nationwide. Their platform shifts seamlessly to mobile devices and tablets, making it a breeze to study at home or on the go.
But what sets Aceable Agent apart is the level of live instructor support offered by the online school. Most students expect they’ll have to be self-motivated to get through online study, but Aceable Agent offers several live support options to help you when you get stuck.
Aceable Agent Pros | Aceable Agent Cons |
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Aceable Agent Pricing
Aceable Agent offers three online prelicensing course packages.
- Basic Package ($195): Far from basic, you’ll enjoy your course, instructor support, and Lite Exam Prep with 800 practice questions.
- Deluxe Package ($367): You’ll get everything from the basic package, plus a Deluxe Exam Prep package with more than 1,500 practice questions and an exam prep e-book.
- Premium Package ($536): In addition to all the above features, this package focuses on extra support with one-on-one tutoring, live webinars, live Q&A sessions and access to the webinar archive.
(Aceable Agent prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: We love the live support available in Aceable Agent’s Premium Package. With live webinars five times a week and access to tutoring, it’s like getting a customized learning package.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: The only downside of Aceable Agent’s live instructor support is that it isn’t offered in lower-grade packages.
BOTTOM LINE: Aceable Agent is for you if access to support for challenging materials is important to you.
Tennessee Real Estate School With the Best Online Platform: Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Continuing Education
With more than 25 years of experience, Colibri Real Estate is a real estate education powerhouse. It’s no surprise their online learning platform is so well designed, since this institution was one of the first to experiment with online schooling.
As a result, Colibri Real Estate’s web interface is incredibly easy to use. Their material is expertly curated and organized, making it easy to navigate between course material and exam prep.
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Colibri Real Estate Pricing
Colibri Real Estate offers five comprehensive online prelicensing packages and one livestream course.
- The Basics ($299): A great package for a self-starter, you’ll get your course, state-approved instructor support, and three e-books.
- Exam Preparation ($369): You’ll enjoy everything in the Basics package alongside exam prep.
- Exam Preparation Plus ($439): All of the previous features are included, as well as live Q&A sessions, a real estate dictionary, and access to the Live Exam Crammer Series.
- Ultimate Learning Package ($539): This top-shelf package includes all of the above features, plus a copy of the course textbook and a professional development membership with McKissock.
- Livestream Prelicensing Package ($539): Choose from mornings, evenings, or weekends for these livestream classes and enjoy exam prep, a textbook, two e-books, and a real estate dictionary.
(Colibri Real Estate prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: We love Colibri Real Estate’s expertly designed courses and user experience across your computer, tablet, and mobile device for a convenient learning environment.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: You’ll have to upgrade to Colibri Real Estate’s higher-grade packages for live support like Q&A sessions and webinars.
BOTTOM LINE: Colibri Real Estate is a great option if you’re looking for an easy-to-use online platform.
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Best Tennessee Real Estate School for Live Classes: Tennessee Real Estate Academy
Tennessee Real Estate Academy Offers:
- Prelicensing
Tennessee Real Estate Academy only offers prelicensing courses, which you can take in person or via livestream. They focus on packing their Tennessee prelicensing package with as many of the features students want most.
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Tennessee Real Estate Academy Pricing
Tennessee Real Estate Academy offers in-person or livestream prelicensing courses only.
- Livestream Tennessee Prelicensing Course ($299): You’ll enjoy livestream classes via Zoom, guaranteed placement with a local brokerage, live instructor support, career coaching, and the Tennessee Exam Cram package.
- In-person Tennessee Prelicensing Course ($550): Enjoy all the features above, but take your course in-person in Johnson City.
(Tennessee Real Estate Academy prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: We’re happy to see Tennessee Real Estate Academy help new agents by offering a placement with local brokerages.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Tennessee Real Estate Academy’s in-person classes only run Monday through Friday during the day, leaving out students looking for evening and weekend classes.
BOTTOM LINE: Tennessee Real Estate Academy is your local choice for a feature-packed livestream or in-person class option.
Best Tennessee Real Estate School for Students on a Budget: RealEstateU
RealEstateU offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
RealEstateU is geared toward providing quality real estate education for less. They operate in 13 states nationwide and offer self-paced prelicensing courses. On their simplified online platform, you can enjoy audio lectures, PowerPoint presentations, and interactive infographics to master the material.
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RealEstateU Pricing
RealEstateU offers one 90-hour prelicensing package in Tennessee.
- Online Prelicensing Package ($199): You’ll get access to online audio lectures, a course glossary, and course certificate.
(RealEstateU prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: RealEstateU’s package is by far the most affordable on our list, and their course is well-designed and taught by industry experts.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: You won’t find exam prep included in RealEstateU’s prelicensing course. You’ll either have to purchase it separately for $125 or consider Colibri Real Estate for packages that include exam prep.
BOTTOM LINE: RealEstateU is for you if you’re self-motivated and not looking for extra features.
Tennessee Real Estate Schools: FAQs
If you have more questions, check out our most commonly asked questions below. If there’s something we’ve missed, don’t forget to let us know in the comment section. We’d love to hear from you!
How much does real estate school in Tennessee cost?
You can expect to pay about $700 to get your Tennessee real estate license, with additional renewal costs every two years.
How much you’ll pay will depend on the course you buy and the features it includes. Tennessee real estate schools offer prelicensing packages starting at $199. We recommend reviewing courses that include extra features because they really end up paying off in the long run.
The state’s application fee is $90, and fingerprinting costs $35. The licensing exam costs $43, and upgrading to a Tennessee broker’s license costs another $91.
How long does it take to get a real estate license in Tennessee?
Usually, it takes prospective brokers six months to complete their prelicensing hours and get their license. If the online real estate school you choose offers self-paced classes, you usually get access for six months. Plus, students can use the flexibility of self-paced classes to work around their current schedules.
In-class or livestream webinar classes can be completed in as little as a few weeks, but require more of your time to complete in a short time frame. You’ll have to weigh the pros and cons of finishing your course quickly and taking your time to understand key concepts.
What if I already have my real estate license from another state?
Tennessee does not offer reciprocal licenses for real estate agents currently licensed in another state. However, you may be eligible for a simplified licensing process. You’ll need to provide the Tennessee Real Estate Commission with information from every state where you’ve held or currently hold a real estate license.
If approved, you won’t need to take the national portion of the license exam, but will still be responsible for taking the state portion. Visit the TREC website for more information.
What's the difference between affiliate brokers and brokers in Tennessee?
What other states may call real estate agents or salespeople, the state of Tennessee refers to as brokers. When you first obtain your real estate license, you will have an affiliate broker status.
Affiliate brokers are entry-level agents. They can obtain full broker status by completing 120 hours of continuing education, including a 30-hour office management course. You’ll need to complete these requirements within the first three years of getting your affiliate broker license.
Can I get my Tennessee real estate license if I live out of state?
In order to qualify for a Tennessee real estate broker license, you must be a Tennessee resident for at least 45 days prior to obtaining the license.
This means that you may start or complete your 90-hour prelicensing course outside of Tennessee, but you’ll need to show proof that you live in the state before applying for your license. This still works out conveniently if you’re moving to Tennessee but want to start your prelicensing course early.
How much do real estate brokers make in Tennessee?
A real estate career in Tennessee can be lucrative. The average Tennessee real estate broker made $91,244 in 2022, which is right on par with the national average.
Remember that there is no limit to the income you can earn in a commissioned-based career. With persistence and a solid work ethic, there’s no reason you can’t have a high-earning real estate career in Tennessee.
Can you take the Tennessee real estate exam online?
Unfortunately, you cannot take the Tennessee real estate exam online. While you can complete your real estate education online, you will need to take your license exam in person at a PSI testing center. You’ll need two forms of picture ID when you arrive at a testing site. The license exam consists of a national and state portion, and you’ll need to score at least 70% to pass the exam.
How many Realtors are there in Tennessee?
According to the National Association of Realtors’ November 2022 data, there are 35,347 Realtors in Tennessee. This is a very, very slight decrease from the previous month, but a 4.55% increase from this time last year.
What’s the average home price in Tennessee?
According to Zillow, average home values in Tennessee rose an astounding 20.8% in 2022, to $309,740. Home values in Nashville are considerably higher, averaging $455,157.
Real Estate Broker vs Agent: A Head-to-Head Analysis
Bringing It All Together
Our guide to the best Tennessee real estate schools is designed to help you take your first step into your new career. We’re here to support and celebrate your success throughout this journey, which is why we offer actionable steps and advice for every stage of your career. Have advice, insights, or questions? Leave us a comment below!
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