Choosing an online real estate school is hard.
Especially if you live in a state with a ton of great options, such as California!
However, there’s one unique real estate school that might just be the perfect match for you, and that is Allied Real Estate School.
Allied Real Estate Schools is only available in one state — California.
With 30 years in the industry, these guys know everything about the state’s real estate market.
Plus, unlike your usual 100% self study courses, Allied Schools offers livestream packages that let you get to interact with your instructors.
But you might still have one pressing question:
Should you choose Allied Real Estate Schools over ALL your other options?
Today, we will be having a deep dive on all things Allied Real Estate Schools.
We’ll take a look at:
- A TL;DR review
- An overview of Allied
- The benefits of enrolling for a course (The pros)
- Allied’s disadvantages (The cons)
- Courses and pricing
- A walkthrough on the course format
We’ll also look at reviews from previous students and weigh up Allied against its fiercest competitors in the industry.
That’s quite a lot so buckle up!
Are you ready?
Let’s go!
TL;DR – Should You Choose Allied Real Estate Schools?
Need an answer ASAP?
That’s cool.
You might not have time to read the full review so here’s what you need to know about Allied Real Estate Schools at a glance:
| Allied Real Estate Schools QUICK FACTS | |
| PROS | KEY FEATURES |
| Offers both self-paced and live streamed classes California-specific Satisfaction guarantee Money-back guarantee Fast customer support |
Courses start at $199 but can go lower with discounts California-specific school Offers two course formats Offers real estate pre-licensing and continuing education courses |
| CONS | |
| Not available in other states Courses start at $199 No mobile app No course extensions |
So what’s our verdict?
Allied is a great choice for aspiring real estate agents in California who want options for their online class format.
Those who enjoy self-studying can go for the Online Package while those who prefer to study with a group can choose Allied’s Livestream Package.
And since Allied is a state-specific school that’s only available in California, they are able to provide a unique insight into the California real estate market.
Stuff that could benefit you once you’re on the field.
They even give you access to California real estate instructors so you can learn more.
But is Allied Real Estate Schools the best school?
Let’s go on that deep-dive review and find out!
(If you’re pressed for time, you can always bookmark this article for later!)
Overview
Allied Real Estate Schools was founded in 1992 making them a leader in the real estate online education industry for three decades now.
They offer pre-licensing courses, exam prep, and continuing education courses.
There are two things that sets them apart from most online real estate schools:
- They’re California-specific
- They offer two online course formats
Yup, Allied is only available in California.
So if you’re an aspiring real estate agent in the Golden State, Allied is a great choice to start your career.
Its two online course formats also caters to different learners: ones that thrive with self-paced studying and ones that still need the classroom setup, even virtually.
Don’t worry, the education quality stays the same whichever you end up choosing.
That’s because Allied is a member of Colibri Real Estate family, one of the top real estate groups in the country.
They’ve helped thousands of real estate agents launch, sustain, and grow their careers in real estate.
The Pros
Offers Online and Livestream Packages
The best thing about Allied is its two course format options — online or livestream.
Students with different learning capacities can choose if they want to self-study or join a scheduled livestream class.
Self-paced courses are common for online real estate schools but being in a livestream class and getting to interact with your instructors and classmates is also a great experience.
We’ll explore these format options more later!
California-specific
Allied boasts that it’s a leading authority in the Golden State.
They only offer courses for California real estate agents since they launched in 1992.
And that means with three decades of experience, Allied has helped thousands of students pass exams and get their licenses.
You could be next!
You’ll learn from instructors based in California from course materials made by industry veterans.
These guys are experts when it comes to the state’s real estate market and hold exclusive insight on what makes it tick.
California is a prime real estate location with high property value and over 39 million residents that keep the market healthy.
It’s a great place to start for aspiring real estate agents but you do need all the help you can get.
Learning from the very best at schools like Allied is always a great place to start!
Satisfaction Guarantee
Enrolling for an online class could get tricky.
What if it’s not what you’re looking for?
If you don’t think Allied’s course material is for you, you have seven days from the date of purchase to request a full refund.
You can tell customersupport@alliedschools.com about your experience and request a refund.
They guarantee a response within 24 hours.
You can also reach out to them via phone support and live chat (an underrated feature, if you ask us).
Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee
If they have a Satisfaction Guarantee, they also have a Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee.
(Allied students are really protected here!)
Once you’ve finished the course and taken an exam but failed, you’ll be entitled to a refund.
That means Allied hasn’t been able to help you get your license, and to compensate, they will give you your money back.
All you have to do is send them the state’s failure notice.
However, keep in mind that this guarantee only applies if you have achieved a minimum grade of 80% in all of Allied School’s practice exams!
But don’t worry, Allied courses and exam prep are equipped with info so this won’t happen to you.
Swift Tech Support
Aside from an FAQ page on their website, Allied also offers other channels to reach customer support.
You can send them an email, phone them, or start a live chat with them.
Allied agents usually respond within 24 hours.
Previous Allied students have hailed the swift tech support as one of the best things about the school.
The Cons
It’s not available in other states
While it’s great that Allied is California-specific, it would be even better if they could offer courses for other states.
So if you’re not from California, you’ll have to look for another school.
They do have Texas courses up on the website but you’ll find that it’s run by Colibri Real Estate school, Allied’s sister school.
Allied limits itself to California when it could extend its reach and help more students get their real estate licenses.
No Mobile App
Although you can access the courses online and with any gadget, it would be better if Allied had a dedicated app.
Learning through a website is fine but an app makes things smoother and better.
It certainly makes for a better on-the-go experience.
A bit pricey
We’ll be honest here, Allied could get a little hefty on the price tag.
Their courses (as you’ll see later) start at $199 for the basic tier online package.
For reference, other online real estate schools like Real Estate U and The CE Shop offer their California pre-licensing courses at $99 and $129 respectively.
But the upside is, Allied often gives huge discounts.
Watch out, that $199 could go as low as $139!
No Course Extensions
While other online real estate schools offer course extensions for an additional fee, Allied doesn’t.
If you find that your California course is expiring and you’re still not done with it, Allied lets you pay for a course retake.
And yes, this means starting the course over again.
Bummer.
So make sure you finish the course on time!
Courses and Pricing
Here’s a quick glance at Allied’s pricing and pre-licensing course inclusions:
| Real Estate Online Packages | ||
| Course | Price | Inclusions |
| Fast Track Career Program | $199 | California Department of Real Estate-approved pre-licensing courses Downloadable eBooks Practice Exams Live Instructor Access |
| Fast Track Career Premium Program | $299 | California Department of Real Estate-approved pre-licensing courses Downloadable eBooks Practice Exams Live Instructor Access Convenient Online Learning Exam Cram Webinar Exam Cram Video Digital Exam Flash Cardse Book Dictionary Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee |
| Fast Track Career Premium Plus Program | $399 | California Department of Real Estate-approved pre-licensing courses Downloadable eBooks Practice Exams Live Instructor Access Convenient Online Learning Exam Cram Webinar Exam Cram Video Digital Exam Flash Cards eBook Dictionary Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee Printed Course Textbook CE+ Membership |
As for the Real Estate Livestream Packages, each one is priced at $449.
These packages might look pricey but as we mentioned earlier, Allied often offers discounts that can lower the prices to something that’s within your budget.
For example, their Fast Track Career Program could go from $199 to $139.30.
You just have to watch out for the promo codes they regularly dish out.
As for its Continuing Education offers, Allied students can choose from two options:
- License Expirations Renewal Package – $67
- CA Allied CE PLUS Membership – $97
The first one comes with the basic courses you’ll need to fulfill your CE requirements.
But if you want to get more, we recommend going for the second option which includes a pro-series webinar, how-to videos, job aids, service discounts, and access to knowledgeable education specialists.
Course Format
Online Package
Self-paced studying (a.k.a. the Online Package) is pretty self-explanatory.
This type of course format is a great fit if you:
- Love independent learning
- Have great discipline
- Need courses that would absolutely fit any sort of schedule you have going on
The Online Package option gives you full control of your schedule and speed of going through the course.
Pros?
You call the shots here!
Study whenever you want and stop whenever you want.
Cons?
If you’re not a disciplined student or you easily lose motivation, studying by your lonesome could get boring.
And we’ll be honest here — these courses could get boring.
Although they are a combination of text and video, some Allied students have said that the videos are a little outdated.
Prepare for some heavy note taking if you want to retain any information at all.
Allied Online Packages also gives you downloadable eBooks, practice exams, exam cram videos, and more.
Once you sign up, everything is handed to you and then you’re on your own until you pass the national exam.
Livestream Package
This type of course format is the best fit for you if you:
- Prefer a bit more structure to your class schedules
- Learn more by asking instructors in real time
- Love the classroom setting even if it’s virtual
You’ll be included in a virtual classroom to learn live and online from experienced California instructors.
You can enjoy Q&A sessions and even get to interact with fellow students.
Livestream Packages are also available in a variety of day and date options, you can choose depending on which schedule works best for you.
There are options for full day or evening livestreams.
Remember to check the full class schedule before enrolling for a Livestream Package!
Course Walkthrough
To have an idea of what awaits you at Allied, here’s a little walkthrough video review:
Once you enroll and you log into your account, you’ll see the courses on your dashboard.
California courses are divided into three sections:
- Real Estate Principles
- Real Estate Practice
- Legal Aspects of Real Estate
Each course will take you 45 hours of studying.
If you purchased an exam prep, that will also appear on the dashboard.
The courses are mostly text-based with a sprinkling of short chapter quizzes here and there.
There’s a handy note taking feature you can launch on the right-hand panel.
And if you’re done studying for the day, you can hit “Close” and it will automatically bookmark the course for you.
That way when you start again, you won’t have to scroll through endless pages to see where you left off.
Instructors
You’ll be glad to know Allied gives each student access to expert instructors no matter the package option you buy.
Their instructors have almost 80 years of combined experience.
Most of them are California-based so they offer more insider knowledge on the California market.
If you need to reach out to your instructor about anything, you can always send them an email.
On your course dashboard, there’s a link that says “email your instructor.”
It allows you to send a note and wait for 24 hours for a response.
You can also call Allied customer service via 866-256-2930 and get instantly connected to one of the instructors.
That’s how fast these guys can help you out!
Aside from real estate instructors, Allied students also get access to industry-leading trainers and coaches.
Allied has partnered with the largest real estate coaching company in North America, Buffini & Company.
That gives you access to insightful coaching videos and more.
Reviews from Allied Real Estate Schools Students
Allied is a great real estate online school but you don’t have to take our word for it.
Previous students have left great reviews about the school.
Allied Real Estate Schools has earned a 4.02 out of 5 stars rating over at Agent Advice.
One student who gave it a 5-star review said that the courses were “structured nicely” but the curriculum tended to be “a bit dry.”
They recommended adding more pictures and videos to the courses.
Another student praised the school’s user-friendly interface, affordable course pricing, and the responsive tech support.
They even gave tips on how to pass the exam: Make sure you take notes!
Meanwhile, other pleased students recommended that Allied should develop an app so they can access assignments anywhere.
Another suggested an audio course option for when their hands are busy but they’ve got room to study.
What’s the general consensus?
Allied Real Estate Schools is a competent school that’s affordable, provides an in-depth curriculum and test prep, and is one of the best for online learning.
Alternatives
Is Allied Real Estate Schools a great choice to get your real estate license?
Absolutely!
But are there other online real estate schools that could compete with it?
Honestly, yes.
There are other schools like Aceable Agent, Colibri Real Estate, and The CE Shop offering courses that are available in more states.
Picking one school that would best fit what you need could be a little tricky so we’ll help you out.
Here’s a quick glance at the differences between these four online real estate schools based on their pre-licensing courses for California:
| Allied Real Estate Schools | Aceable Agent | Colibri Real Estate | The CE Shop | |
| Price range for pre-licensing in California | $139-$279 | $179-$319 | $129 – $449 | $129 – $449 |
| Courses offered | Pre-licensing, State Exam Prep, Continuing Education, Post Licensing | Pre-licensing, Continuing Education, Post Licensing, Exam Prep | Pre-licensing, Continuing Education, Post Licensing, License Upgrade, Exam Prep | Pre-licensing, Continuing Education, Post Licensing, License Upgrade, Exam Prep |
| Number of states pre-licensing courses are available | 2 | 14 | 40 | 40 |
| Inclusions for all pre-licensing tiers | Self-paced online, livestream packages, practice exam, exam cram webinar, eBooks, live instructor access, and more. | Self-paced online, narrated courses, exam prep, study aid, webinars, Q&A | Self-paced online, instructor support, exam prep, real estate PDF textbooks, exam cram, and more | Self-paced online, free online proctoring, exam prep edge, ebooks, flashcards, and more. |
You’ll notice that the price range for all four schools is almost the same but the major difference is the number of states they’re available in.
In this aspect, both Colibri Real Estate and The CE Shop take the cake.
Another big difference is while the other schools offer self-paced online learning, Allied is one of the schools that offers separate livestream packages.
Other schools will add webinars as an extra perk but Allied includes it as a whole other option for those who don’t thrive with self-paced online studying.
Let’s look at these competitors closely:
Colibri Real Estate
Although Colibri Real Estate and Allied are now owned by the same group, Colibri Real Estate, there are major differences in what they offer.
Colibri Real Estate is available in 40 states and has been in the industry since 2004.
They’ve got courses available from pre-licensing to continuing education.
And just like Allied, they also offer livestream packages for those who can’t commit to self-paced online learning.
What’s great about Colibri Real Estate is that they’re finding ways to make their courses even more entertaining.
For example, they recently included new interactive learning videos on their higher tiered packages.
Read: Colibri Real Estate Review For 2023 – The Pros And Cons
The CE Shop
Another great choice for getting your real estate license is The CE Shop.
The name says it all — it’s a one-stop-shop for all your real estate career needs.
They’ve got pre-licensing courses, exam prep, continuing education, and licensing upgrades too.
They also boast of a 90% national pass rate as of September 2023.
If you’re a little tight on the budget, The CE Shop not only offers tiered packages, they also regularly offer promos and discounts.
That means the usual $129 courses only tier can even go as low as $97 if you keep your eyes peeled.
Read: The CE Shop Review (2023)
Aceable Agent
Many say that Aceable Agent is the best online real estate school out there and we have to agree.
These folks have found the perfect balance that makes even a 135-hour long course entertaining.
Aceable Agent takes pride in being one of the first online real estate schools designed for mobile app and web.
Their students can download the Aceable App and learn anywhere on their phone, tablet, laptop, and desktop.
Their courses are fresh and modern, including animated videos, narrated courses, and even mini interactive games.
But while Aceable Agent is a great school, it’s still working to expand its catalog for other states.
Currently, they’re only available in 14 states with courses that start at $179.
However!
This is important.
Aceable Agent is currently only available in pdf form for California.
They’re working on bringing their full experience (which you can check out in our video below) to California, but right now, all that’s available is a pdf!
Read: AceableAgent Review 2023 – Is AceableAgent The Best Online Real Estate School?
Allied Real Estate Schools FAQ
What are the Requirements to Sign Up for Allied Real Estate Schools?
Before you can even enroll for a real estate pre-licensing course, you have to first meet basic requirements.
You must be:
- A US citizen or a permanent resident
- At least 18 years old
- A high school graduate with a diploma or equivalent
- A citizen with a clean record
Once you’re all good, you can sign up for Allied’s 135-hour pre-licensing course for California.
To actually sign up, all you have to do is go Allied’s website.
Here’s a quick step-by-step:
- Go to Allied’s website.
- Under the “Get My License” banner, select “California”.
- Choose a course format (online or livestream) and a tier.
- Sign in to your Allied account or sign up if you haven’t.
- Fill out your personal details and payment info.
- Wait for Allied’s confirmation.
And you can start studying as soon as you get the go signal.
Does Allied Real Estate Schools Provide Career Opportunities for Its Students?
As an aspiring real estate agent, of course you’d want to be associated with a school that gives its students only the best opportunities.
And since Allied is California specific, that means they’ve pulled out all the stops for their California students.
Students can join a Career Expo held multiple times a month.
This is a gathering where students can meet brokers in their area and work on their networking skills.
The Career Expo helps new real estate agents learn from others in the field and even spot career opportunities.
Interested students can sign up for the Career Expo which is held virtually for now via Zoom.
Virtual expos are held in Sacramento, San Francisco, and more locations with more dates coming up soon so stay updated!
Allied also holds Virtual Open Houses, a webinar where aspiring real estate agents get to learn more about the industry.
They can ask questions to be answered by California’s top agents.
Allied Open Houses are held regularly.
To sign up, interested students can register online and select the date they’re interested in.
What’s Allied Real Estate School’s Pass Rate?
Allied has yet to publish their student pass rate but they do have high review ratings from past students.
They boast of having a 4.3 out of 5 stars rating with 375,000 reviews.
On Indeed, they currently have a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating.
And if you’re worried about not knowing the school’s exam pass rate, don’t be.
Allied’s Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee tells you everything you need to know.
They’re confident that their students get only the best study material to help them pass the exam.
If worse comes to worst and they fail, Allied will be more than happy to give them their money back.
But that’s not going to happen to you!
Is Allied Real Estate Schools Available in Texas?
They used to be but not anymore.
Allied Texas courses are now offered through its sister school Colibri Real Estate, one of the top real estate schools in the country.
They still retain the two-format option of self-paced studying and livestream.
Allied is now solely focused on California.
Final Verdict
Despite its competitors, Allied Real Estate Schools remains an excellent choice for kickstarting your real estate career in California.
They actually considered the different kinds of learners.
The best thing about Allied is its two course format choice: self-paced online studying and livestreamed courses.
This gives students options to pick what best works for them.
Course prices start at $139 and although it could get a bit pricey, you can rest assured that these courses are ARELLO-approved and made by industry veterans.
Allied is also owned by one of the top real estate groups in the country, Colibri Real Estate, which has helped thousands of agents and brokers start their careers.
If you’re looking for a trusted recommendation, that’s it right there!
So if you’re from California and you’re looking for an online real estate school to obtain your license, you can’t go wrong with Allied.