The CE Shop has long had an excellent reputation for continuing education (CE) courses and is quickly becoming one of the leaders in online prelicensing education. If you’re still undecided about The CE Shop, I’m here to help. I spent over 100 hours researching and evaluating this school. In this CE Shop review, I took an in-depth look at The CE Shop’s online platform, its costs, course offerings, pros and cons, and other students’ The CE Shop reviews to help you decide whether it’s the best real estate education provider for you.
The Close Score: The CE Shop
My Verdict on The CE Shop & Why You Should Trust It
As a real estate staff writer and researcher at The Close, I have extensive experience reviewing and evaluating real estate schools and other software. I have tested many schools’ online learning platforms, evaluated course offerings and class formats, looked at pricing, and considered verified student reviews. Rest assured that my CE Shop real estate reviews are based on thorough analysis.
The CE Shop is an excellent option for online prelicensing real estate education. It offers affordable packages and a self-paced curriculum via a clean, easy-to-navigate interface. However, while The CE Shop approach works for some, it’s not a good fit for learners who thrive on live instruction.
Real estate education introduces complex concepts, and it feels limiting not to have an option for livestream or in-person instruction. In addition, there is no direct access to instructors. If a student has a question, they must pose it to the support team, who will then send it to the proper contact or instructor. While there is a promise to respond within two days, I feel this is too long to wait when trying to progress through a course with many detailed concepts.
The CE Shop Course Availability
In this section, I’ve listed the types of real estate classes The CE Shop offers and where they are available.
Prelicensing
The CE Shop offers prelicensing courses to those seeking their real estate license for the first time. These can be purchased online, and self-paced courses are accessible for 12 months. The CE Shop’s prelicensing courses are available in all states except Alaska, Nebraska, and Wyoming.
Exam Prep
Most of The CE Shop’s prelicensing course packages come with exam preparation materials. These include an initial assessment, unlimited practice tests, individual lessons per topic, and an interactive dashboard. The good news is that The CE Shop’s Exam Prep Edge is available in all 50 states.
Post-licensing
After getting your real estate license for the first time, you’ll need to take post-licensing courses to renew your license. The post-licensing hours vary from state to state, so check how many hours your state requires. The CE Shop offers post-licensing courses in 26 states:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- California
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
Continuing Education
As if it couldn’t be any more pronounced—the “CE” in The CE Shop originally stood for continuing education. The CE Shop offers continuing education courses in all 50 states. The advantage of having CE as part of your education provider’s offerings is that it’s all in one place. When you need to finish that renewal coursework (maybe even at the last minute), everything is ready to complete and submit to your licensing board.
In addition, I appreciate The CE Shop’s range of interesting courses. Some states offer classes as diverse as Assistance Animals and Fair Housing, Working with Real Estate Investors, Sex and Real Estate, and Serving the Unique Needs of the Senior Market.
Broker Prelicensing
The CE Shop has state-approved broker prelicensing courses if real estate agents want to upgrade their licenses and level up their careers. Currently, The CE Shop only offers broker prelicensing courses in the following states:
- Alabama
- California
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- New York
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
The CE Shop Pricing
Since the cost to become a realtor isn’t cheap, The CE Shop ensures students that its pricing is reasonable. While each package has many additional resources, The CE Shop’s pricing still varies depending on your state and how many hours you must complete. Here are the usual inclusions in The CE Shop’s course packages:
The CE Shop Alternatives
While The CE Shop offers an up-to-date curriculum, relevant self-paced courses, and reasonable pricing, there might be better options for students seeking live instruction. Some students might prefer access to live instructors or a job placement service, which The CE Shop doesn’t offer. That said, here are some alternatives students might consider:
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Key Features of The CE Shop
Now, let’s look at The CE Shop’s standout features and what makes it one of the best real estate education providers.
LEAP Online Learning Platform
One of The CE Shop’s greatest advantages is its user interface, which runs on a custom-designed online learning platform called LEAP. I appreciated its clean look, ease of use, and variety of activities for student engagement.
Real Estate Glossary
The CE Shop’s real estate glossary is a comprehensive tool to help agents and students understand jargon. It covers hundreds of terms, from basic concepts to more advanced language in real estate contracts and transactions.
Exam Prep Edge
Its interactive dashboard allows users to gauge their understanding of key topics through the initial assessment. In addition, the Exam Prep Edge platform breaks down the topics into three categories: “focus here,” “needs work,” and “good,” providing students with a clear roadmap for targeted study.
Real Estate Agent Resources
The CE Shop’s real estate agent resources offer valuable insights for aspiring and experienced agents. Topics range from growing your business to the latest industry news, equipping them with actionable tips to advance their careers.
Methodology
In terms of our methodology at The Close, our licensed real estate professionals, writers, researchers, and editors created a weighted rubric for this The CE Shop review. Our experts have done hours of research to analyze key features, pricing, course offerings, The CE Shop real estate reviews, and more. All the features we explored are essential for students to become successful agents and brokers in the real estate industry.
Our detailed criteria included:
- Course Features 25%
- This comprises items that assist agents and brokers in completing their education, like pass and refund guarantees, career and instructor support, coaching, training, interactive study groups, and course extensions.
- Value 20%
- Pricing and availability of coursework are important factors to assess. This accounts for real estate school offerings in prelicensing, post-licensing, continuing education, broker prelicensing, and exam prep.
- Learning Format & Accessibility 20%
- Real estate professionals must consider the best format for their learning, which includes self-paced, on-demand video, live streaming, and in-person classes. Accessibility via multiple devices, like computers, tablets, and mobile devices, also determines user convenience.
- Expert Score 15%
- The Close closely reviews each course for stand-out features, details, ease of use, and the value for money spent from a real estate expert’s perspective.
- Help & Support 10%
- If students need additional support, knowing the customer service options through phone, email, live chat, and ticket system is necessary.
- Reputation 10%
- This examines the reputation of each real estate school through the lens of current and past students, reviewing the customer reviews and popularity of each provider.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is The CE Shop final exam proctored?
Yes. If your state requires you to have a proctored final exam, then you’ll have to schedule it through PSI, The CE Shop’s third-party vendor. Then, you can take the exam from the comfort of your home while being monitored by a proctor remotely.
What does CE stand for in real estate?
In real estate, CE stands for continuing education. All real estate agents must complete their state’s continuing education requirements to keep their licenses active and meet industry standards.
How long does it take to get your real estate license?
The timeline for getting your real estate license depends on your prelicensing education requirements, how much time you’re willing to put in every week to study, and your state’s processing times. If you’re dedicated and committed, you could be licensed in as little as three months!
The Bottom Line: Is The CE Shop Worth Your Money?
Based on my The CE Shop review, I strongly recommend it for students who don’t need live instruction. I like that the school offers exam prep and continuing education in all 50 states. Also, discounts and promotions make these some of the most affordable and comprehensive packages available. With its flexibility and easy-to-use interface, The CE Shop is one of the best online real estate schools.
Is The CE Shop worth your money? I’d say yes. With its pricing, The CE Shop gives you many bonus resources to prepare for the licensing exam. There are also agent perks like free subscriptions to helpful industry resources when you become a student. However, if you’re someone who thrives in a classroom environment or prefers networking opportunities with local agents and brokerages, then you’re better off with your local or neighborhood real estate school.
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