Is it possible to learn what you need to know to get into real estate through an online course?

The information superhighway will soon be celebrating its fiftieth anniversary soon. It then took a few decades for the web to percolate out from a fairly small coterie of research scientists and other academics into the wider general population, but once it did, our world was changed forever: It was wired.

And so just about everything is on the internet these days, and almost anyything is done through it – even sex! And the once near-exclusive preserve of worthless diploma mills, so-called distance learning has really come of age with a vengeance with the advent of the worldwide “w.” And now, in this age of Web 2.0 going on 3 or even 4, it seems like every corporate body and its subsidiary is getting in on the action.

Bah, humbug, some are tempted to say. No mere Luddites, these, some people just wonder whether e-learning can ever truly substitute for the face-to-face interactions of traditional modalities. In this article, we shall be taking a look-see at the issue for ourselves. Due to issues of legal liability, we shan’t name any names, lest we libel the guilty – wink, wink. But a brief survey of three of the most widely advertised such courses online has revealed to this author at least that business fundamentals can be properly passed along online. These courses will never compare to actual field experience, but then again nothing ever can.

No, the main attraction for these courses – their competitive advantage, to borrow an economist’s term, if you will – is that they are extremely accommodating of your schedule. With most courses, you can attend class whenever you want – and certainly in whatever you want, including your birthday suit! Convenience is their number one draw, and this kind of accessibility is not to be discounted, especially since it is not typically any more expensive than the kind of learning offered by a traditional classroom setting. In fact, these courses can be rather less expensive, particularly if you factor in considerations like time, such as the time it takes to commute to a brick-and-mortar school.

More problematic is the hands-on approach that is likely necessary for a really good grasp of how the real estate business works. Learning about the relevant laws is important but not quite what one actually does in real estate. What’s really needed is a way to cultivate the mindset of a real estate tycoon! Perhaps one of these internet real estate courses, possibly offered by a “real” school such as a government-supported local community college, may offer an actual internship as a part of the experience, which would go a long way towards just that end of teaching real-world knowledge.

Now even with all that said, however, we must end on this note, that of the legal disclaimer: Neither the author nor the publisher shall be deemed liable for the contents of this article, which constitute mere opinion only and should never in any way be misconstrued as professional advice of any kind whatsoever! Always consult the relevant professionals, properly licensed and/or otherwise qualified, when making business decisions of any financial consequence.

Author Bio: Barbra I. Miller writes frequently on real estate topics for various online publications. Please visit RealEstateForWorld.com for more great articles from industry insiders such as Isaac Toussie and others!

Category: Real Estate
Keywords: real estate, e-learning, news, property, property markets, realty, advice