Real estate school launches in Springfield

People seeking to pursue a path to a Missouri real estate license have a new option in the Queen City via a locally taught, in-person school.

Local Real Estate School LLC launched July 20 with its first class at 4225 S. Charleston Ave., said Rachel Watson, school administrator and one of the owners of the new venture. Watson, who declined to disclose other members of the ownership group, said the venture is a Missouri Real Estate Commission-approved school that already has had its first three students complete their course work.

The school offers two options for students: a 48-credit hour national pre-exam course and a 24-credit hour state real estate practice course, according to a news release. Both are taught in person by instructor Mike Brown, who brings a combined 33 years of experience in Missouri real estate and education, and also is a past board president of the Greater Springfield Board of Realtors.

School officials say the courses cover everything a student needs to sit for the state exam and step into a real estate career anywhere in Missouri.

“Creating this local opportunity for us was allowing to close that gap for people that want to get into real estate, and that maybe the online option isn't for them,” Watson said, declining to disclose startup costs. “So, they can sit into a classroom, they can ask questions, they can build relationships along the way.”

Watson, who also is operating principal at Keller Williams Local, said the school isn’t meant to serve as a recruiting tool to her firm or any other real estate agency. Local Real Estate School will give students a better pulse on the industry in the Springfield area, she said, noting students will be provided with local market data.

“Our goal is that regardless if somebody has intentions to join any other brokerage, that this is a place that they want to come because they know that they will be properly educated,” she said.

Students can complete a full 72-credit hour licensing requirement, combining the national pre-exam course and state real estate practice course in a six-day session priced at $495, according to its website. The state real estate practice course is also offered separately for a three-day session, priced at $200.

Watson said online-only options are available for those seeking to pursue a real estate license. An online search turns up examples such as Colibri Real Estate, Perry Real Estate College and Kaplan Real Estate Education. Watson said she wanted to offer a local, in-person option but doesn’t discourage people from seeking their schooling online.

“I always try to say, ‘If you can’t get off of work, or you can’t take time off, or your schedule’s very structured and you don’t have that flexibility, try online first and then see if that works for you,’” she said. “It’s just providing the options. At the end of the day, we want everybody to be able to succeed in having those options available to them.”

Course enrollment is open at TheLocalRealEstateSchool.com, Watson said. The next courses are scheduled Aug. 24 and Aug. 31 with additional options this year in November.

“Our hope with the school is that it breaks the barriers of kind of the worry of what does it entail to get into real estate,” she said.