Are you thinking of diving into a real estate career in Iowa? If so, you’ll need to find a great real estate school to complete the required 96-hour prelicensing course. That’s why we’ve reviewed every feature of the top Iowa real estate schools so you can get started on your path to success.
We picked our top five favorite Iowa real estate schools based on course design, ease of use, affordability, class schedules, and more. Choosing an Iowa real estate school that fits your career goals and your budget couldn’t be easier. Let’s jump in!
5 Best Iowa Real Estate Schools
| Our Top Picks | Pricing From | Promo Codes |
|---|---|---|
| Best All-in-One School: Iowa Association of Realtors | $425 | |
| Best School for Instructor Support: Colibri Real Estate | $384 | TheClose30 - Save 30% |
| Best School for Career Resources: Kaplan | $369 | KAPRE5 - Save 5% |
| Best School for Exam Prep: The CE Shop | $359 | TheClose35 - Save 35% |
| Best School for Livestream Classes: Center for Real Estate Excellence | $475 |
(Iowa prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
Iowa Real Estate Schools: Helpful Info
Iowa Real Estate Governing Body:
Iowa Real Estate Commission (IREC)
Prelicensing Requirements:
96 Hours
Post-licensing Requirements:
None
Continuing Education Requirements:
36 Hours Every 3 Years
To help you get acquainted with a real estate career in Iowa, we’ve collected all the helpful information you’ll need. To get your Iowa real estate license, you must complete a total of 96 hours of prelicensing coursework.
This is comprised of a 60-hour prelicensing course and three additional 12-hour mandatory courses. Here’s how your Iowa prelicensing requirements are broken down:
- 60 hours of prelicensing
- 12-hour buying practices course
- 12-hour listing practices course
- 12-hour professionalism and ethical practices course
You’ll be returning to your real estate studies throughout your career, so we’ve highlighted the various real estate programs found among our top picks of schools. Take a look!
Prelicensing Courses
Prelicensing courses are where your real estate journey begins in Iowa. You must complete a 60-hour prelicensing course, and you’ll have the option to take your course via live instruction or in a self-paced online format.
Once you’re done, you’ll have to take three mandatory 12-hour courses that must be completed via live instruction. This means you’ll take your courses in person or via scheduled livestream classes.
Exam Prep
When you’ve finished your prelicensing course, you’ll have nothing but the Iowa real estate license exam to complete before you’re licensed. It will be important to review your course material and dedicate time to studying for your exam.
Exam prep packages offered by Iowa real estate schools offer targeted support to prepare you for your license exam. With helpful tools like practice questions, simulated exams, and flashcards, you can study more efficiently. We recommend checking out The CE Shop’s Exam Prep Edge since their top-notch interactive exam prep tools can be customized to your study needs.
Continuing Education
As a licensed real estate salesperson in Iowa, you’ll need to complete 36 hours of continuing education (CE) every three years. You may want to take note of the features you enjoyed from your prelicensing course so you can take your CE courses at the same real estate school.
The CE Shop, for instance, conveniently offers 24 hours of CE electives as part of its prelicensing package to get a jump-start on your first renewal.
Now that you know what to expect, let’s dive into our top pick of Iowa real estate schools. Before you know it, you’ll be on the path to an exciting new career.
Best All-in-One Iowa Real Estate School: Iowa Association of Realtors
Iowa Association of Realtors Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Continuing Education
- Broker Prelicensing
The Iowa Association of Realtors (IAR) is the state’s leading professional institution representing nearly 8,000 real estate professionals in Iowa. IAR offers prelicensing and CE courses in Iowa taught by industry professionals with decades of experience.
The Iowa Association of Realtors is the only school on our list that offers your prelicensing class and mandatory courses, making it a one-stop shop for prospective students.
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Iowa Association of Realtors Pricing
The Iowa Association of Realtors offers a self-paced online course, scheduled livestream courses, and a bundle that includes your 36-hour mandatory courses.
- Prelicense Online Course ($425): This online, self-paced 60-hour course includes all your digital course materials, with unit exams and a final exam to test your understanding.
- Prelicense Classroom Weekday Course ($460): This accelerated in-person course runs eight consecutive days from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to allow you to finish your 60-hour course within a week.
- Prelicense Classroom Weekend Course ($485): Choose this in-person 60-hour course across three weekends in various locations across the state.
- Prelicense Bundle ($799): You’ll get your 60-hour prelicensing course plus the three 12-hour mandatory livestream courses in buying, listing, and ethics.
(Iowa prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: We love the Iowa Association of Realtors’ commitment to providing the most up-to-date instruction and information for their students. Plus, you won’t need to go anywhere else to complete your 36-hour mandatory courses.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: To truly go above and beyond, we wish the Iowa Association of Realtors offered more online features in their self-paced course, or created a hybrid option where students could jump into a livestream class when they’re craving live instruction.
BOTTOM LINE: You can’t go wrong choosing the Iowa Association of Realtors if you want to complete your prelicensing requirements all in one place.
Best Iowa Real Estate School for Instructor Support: Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Continuing Education
Colibri Real Estate makes our list of top Iowa real estate schools because of their top-notch instructor support for online learning. They offer online self-paced courses on a sleek, easy-to-use platform so you can take your course from anywhere.
Colibri Real Estate knows how to design an online course that keeps you engaged and offers the support you need if you get stuck. Instructor support is available in a variety of ways, including by email, live Q&A sessions, and live exam prep sessions.
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Colibri Real Estate Pricing
Colibri Real Estate offers four self-paced online prelicensing packages for prospective Iowa real estate agents.
- The Basics ($384): This package includes your 60-hour prelicensing course, three real estate e-books, and instructor support by phone and email.
- Exam Preparation ($447): Enjoy all the features of the Basics package, plus exam prep full of practice questions and a Pass or Don’t Pay guarantee.
- Exam Preparation Plus ($485): You’ll get everything in the above package, as well as an instructor Q&A session, a real estate dictionary, and the live Exam Crammer series to prepare you for your license exam.
- Ultimate Learning Package ($614): This all-in-one package includes all of the above features, plus a printed copy of the textbook and a one-year professional development membership.
(Iowa prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
The Close can SAVE 30% on any Colibri Real Estate prelicensing course in Iowa. Use promo code TheClose30 at checkout.
BEST FEATURE: Colibri Real Estate’s industry experts know how to design an online course that’s easy to use. They also look out for the pitfalls of online learning, making sure you get live support at any stage during your course.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: For those who enjoy the structure of a scheduled class, it would be great to see Colibri Real Estate offer livestream classes in Iowa. Also, students will still need to find another option to complete their 36-hour mandatory courses.
BOTTOM LINE: Colibri Real Estate is for you if you’re looking for a clear, well-organized, and feature-packed online course.
Best Iowa Real Estate School for Career Resources: Kaplan
Kaplan Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Continuing Education
Kaplan’s parent company has been successfully training professionals for more than 80 years. With that kind of track record, we aren’t surprised that students keep coming back to their real estate courses too.
The company takes online education seriously, strategically designing classes with videos and interactive features so you get the most out of your course. Plus, they know your education doesn’t stop after a license exam, so they pack their courses full of helpful career tools like templates, videos, how-tos, and coaching.
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Kaplan Pricing
Kaplan offers three online self-paced prelicensing course options in Iowa.
- Iowa Real Estate Principles Package ($369): This package includes your 60-hour prelicensing course and access to an interactive study group to cover all national licensing topics in live webinars.
- Iowa Real Estate Principles with Master Exam Prep Package ($399): Choose this package to get all the features above, plus national and state exam prep.
- Iowa Career Launcher Package ($699): This top-tier package includes everything from the previous package, plus Real Estate Accelerator, a two-day course to build your business skills, and four weeks of professional coaching.
(Iowa prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: We love Kaplan’s focus on interactive study and one-on-one career support. They know that a one-size-fits-all solution doesn’t work for everyone. That’s why their interactive study group addresses your unique challenges, while the professional coaching is tailored to your career needs.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Kaplan’s career launcher package sits at the $700 mark, and students will still need to find somewhere else to complete their 36-hour mandatory courses.
BOTTOM LINE: Kaplan offers personalized career resources that are not to be missed for anyone interested in what comes after the license exam.
Readers of The Close can SAVE 5% off of Kaplan classes using promo code KAPRE5.
Can You Be a Part-time Real Estate Agent? (+ Free Guide & Videos)
Best Iowa Real Estate School for Exam Prep: The CE Shop
The CE Shop Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Continuing Education
The CE Shop already has a long-standing reputation for quality online instruction, so it’s no wonder they made our top picks. The CE Shop makes online learning convenient, laying out your course material into bite-size segments for easy learning.
Where The CE Shop really stands out is their student satisfaction and exam pass rates across the country. Overall, they boast a 90% national student pass rate on the real estate license exam, which is a pretty big deal.
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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 convenient, self-paced, online 60-hour prelicensing packages. Every package includes business e-books, career resources, digital flashcards, a study schedule, and a real estate glossary.
- Course Only ($359): This straightforward package includes your 60-hour prelicensing course alongside e-books, career resources, digital flashcards, a study schedule, and a real estate glossary.
- Standard Package ($419): In addition to the above, you’ll get Exam Prep Edge with customizable study tools and a pass guarantee.
- Value Package ($459): Enjoy all the features in the standard package, plus business-building courses to create your new career from the ground up.
- Premium Package ($559): This package includes everything from the Value Package and a 24-hour continuing education package to satisfy your CE elective requirements after getting licensed.
(Iowa prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
Readers of The Close can SAVE 35% on The CE Shop prelicensing course. Use promo code TheClose35 at checkout.
BEST FEATURE: The CE Shop’s Exam Prep Edge is a great option for anyone looking to boost their confidence on the license exam. The interactive tools assess your level of knowledge and adapt to give you more practice with challenging concepts. Plus, you can buy Exam Prep Edge as part of a prelicensing package or as a standalone option.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: If you prefer the assurance of live support to help you get through the course, The CE Shop only provides support via email. If you’re looking for study sessions or Q&A sessions, you may be better off choosing Colibri Real Estate. And again, you will still need to find somewhere else to complete your 36-hour mandatory live courses.
BOTTOM LINE: If you’re looking for exam prep tools that won’t let you down, The CE Shop is for you.
Best Iowa Real Estate School for Livestream Classes: Center for Real Estate Excellence
Center for Real Estate Excellence Offers:
- Prelicensing
- Exam Prep
- Continuing Education
The Center for Real Estate Excellence shows off its expert instructors in interactive livestream classes. Their commitment to connecting your course material to the real world and ensuring you leave confident about your knowledge is unparalleled.
You’ll find countless happy students posting reviews on the school’s social media page, where instructors take time to reach out to past students. The Center for Real Estate Excellence makes working through your courses engaging and fun.
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Center for Real Estate Excellence Pricing
Center for Real Estate Excellence offers one 60-hour, livestream prelicensing package and three individual mandatory courses.
- 60-hour Prelicensing Course ($350): This scheduled livestream course runs from Thursday to Sunday two weeks in a row, and includes all your course material and live instructor support.
- Additional Required Courses ($100): You can schedule your 12-hour mandatory courses in buying, listing, and ethics as individual livestream classes for $100 each.
(Iowa prelicensing package prices as of December 2022)
BEST FEATURE: Some of us benefit most from the tailored learning experience that comes with live instruction. You can’t beat the Center for Real Estate Excellence’s engaging instructors and their enthusiasm to support you throughout your course. And it’s one of the few schools offering the 36-hour mandatory courses as a standalone option.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: You won’t find a wide or varied class schedule at Center for Real Estate Excellence, which only runs their prelicensing course from Thursday to Sunday. This could be tough for anyone who can’t take the last two days of the workweek off to take the course, which runs all day.
BOTTOM LINE: If you have a flexible schedule and want to be guided through your course by engaging instructors, check out the Center for Real Estate Excellence.
Iowa Real Estate Schools: FAQs
We hope this piece answered all your questions about finding the best Iowa real estate schools for your needs. Got more? Well, we have answers! Scroll down for information on our most frequently asked questions. If you don’t see an answer, be sure to ask us in the comment section below. We’d love to hear from you!
How long does it take to finish the Iowa prelicensing course?
Depending on whether you take a scheduled or self-paced prelicensing course, it can take between two weeks and two months to finish your course. The most accelerated 60-hour course from the Iowa Association of Realtors runs for eight consecutive days full time. Meanwhile, self-paced online courses will require that you set your own study schedule and keep yourself motivated.
Why do Iowa real estate schools only offer 60 hours of my 96-hour prelicensing requirements?
The Iowa Real Estate Commission (IREC) allows your 60-hour Principles of Real Estate prelicensing course to be taken in an online, self-paced format. The 36-hour mandatory course must be completed through live instruction, whether in-person or through livestream. That’s why you have more online schools to choose from for your 60-hour prelicensing course.
How much do real estate agents make in Iowa?
According to Indeed.com, real estate agents in Iowa made an average income of $80,214 in 2022. Don’t forget that, in a commission-based career, the sky is the limit on your earning potential as a real estate agent. Likewise, any business-building career has associated risks. With perseverance and a commitment to excellent customer service, you can enjoy a lucrative real estate career.
What are the post-licensing requirements in Iowa?
In Iowa, there are no post-license education requirements. Once you receive your Iowa real estate license, you are enrolled in a three-year renewal cycle. You must renew your license by December 31 of the third year after you last obtained your license, after completing 36 hours of continuing education.
How many Realtors are there in Iowa?
According to the National Association of Realtors’ November 2022 data, there are 8,263 Realtors in Iowa. This is a very slight decrease from the previous month, and almost a one percent increase from this time last year.
What’s the average home price in Iowa?
According to Zillow, home values in Iowa rose more than 10% in 2022, reaching $199,882. In a town like Gilbert, they are even higher, reaching $273,377.
Real Estate Broker vs. Agent: A Head-to-Head Analysis
Bringing It All Together
We hope that with our thorough investigations, choosing an Iowa real estate school is as easy as can be. At The Close, we’re here to support your success and encourage your growth with actionable strategies at every stage of your career. Have insights, advice, or more questions? Leave us a comment below!
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