Colibri Real Estate

Colibri Real Estate is an online real estate school for people getting their first license and for licensed agents and brokers who need continuing education. It is a learner product: you pick your state and your stage, then buy a course package, a single CE course or a CE membership. The site carries the banner "REAL ESTATE EXPRESS IS NOW COLIBRI REAL ESTATE," and the home page says that for over 25 years "Colibri Real Estate, formerly Real Estate Express," has guided aspiring and experienced real estate professionals. It describes itself as "one of the first educators to offer online real estate courses" and calls itself "The trusted real estate school for over 1.5 million students nationwide." Courses run 100% online with 24/7 access, and livestream classes are offered in many states.

The four stages of the catalog

The home page organizes everything into four stages, each sold state by state.

Pre-licensing. Step one of the site's "3 Steps to a New Career" is to complete state-approved pre-licensing hours and earn the certificate needed to apply for a license. Pre-license courses are listed for most states plus Washington DC. Hours follow each state's rules; the instructors page gives one example, Amanda Adams teaching the 60-hour Alabama Salesperson Pre-License course. Classes "are taught by active and seasoned real estate instructors that have experience and insights on the market in your state."

Exam prep. Step two is the state licensing exam. Exam prep courses use "practice tools, simulated exams, and insights tailored to your state's specific exam," with practice tests and state-specific questions. Exam prep is listed for every state plus DC.

Post-licensing. Post-license courses help new agents "fulfill your first state-mandated requirements to keep your license." They are offered in a shorter list of states, with separate salesperson (or sales associate) and broker tracks for California and Florida.

Continuing education. CE courses cover license renewal in every state and DC, with "flexible course options, expert instructors, and engaging topics." Agents can buy individual CE courses with no membership, or join a membership (below).

On top of these, a Broker License section offers upgrade courses in a set of states, from Arizona and California to Texas and Washington, and the course finder includes an option to upgrade a license to luxury agent.

How studying works

Courses are self-paced and can be taken at any hour. For those who prefer a classroom, the FAQ says "we also offer Livestream courses in many states with a variety of schedules." The FAQ section titles show the course mechanics: chapter quizzes that can be retaken, a proctored course final exam, completion certificates for livestream courses, and a Principles of Real Estate Practice eBook that can also be ordered in hard copy.

Students in the testimonials on the home page describe the experience in their own words. Shaye Mills writes that the class "is self paced which made it easy to continue with work and life" and "They provide you with everything you need to set you up for success." Elizabeth S says "You can get a tutor and your teacher is always available to support you if you need a bit of help." Matthew Luke Simpson writes "I've used this company for 2 state exams, and my exam grades show how good they are!"

The teaching staff is a real selling point. The home page counts "132+ Local Instructors," and the instructors page profiles them. Belinda Fulton has been an active agent for 30 years and a teacher for 24, and teaches livestream classes. BJ Rosow has held a broker's license for 36 years and began teaching real estate in 1981. Craig Palmer has worked in real estate for 30 years, has closed more than 800 transactions, and is a certified instructor in both pre-licensing and continuing education.

CE membership: Plus, Pro and Premier

The membership page sells a Single-State CE Membership in three tiers, with a Multi-State Pass for agents licensed in more than one state. Its comparison table lists:

• Plus: all CE courses in your state, Learning Snacks, a 15% discount on professional certification programs and $50 off Institute for Luxury Home Marketing training.
• Pro: everything in Plus, AI MasterTracks, one free professional certification program (the page puts a "$300 Value" on the certification line), 30% off further certifications and $100 off luxury training.
• Premier: the same with two free certification programs, 35% off further certifications and $100 off luxury training.

Learning Snacks are "Practical tools, articles, templates, checklists, and white papers," with new ones every quarter. AI MasterTracks, included with Pro and Premier, are self-paced online courses with 16 focused tracks on using AI across a real estate business, from lead generation to referrals, plus monthly live AI Expert Office Hours. The professional certifications include Real Estate AI Specialist, Certified Commercial Real Estate Essentials, Certified Property Management Expert, Certified Negotiation Expert, Certified Buyer Agent Expert and Real Estate Leadership & Career Achievement, and the page says new certifications launch every quarter.

The FAQ explains the difference between a membership and a package: "Unlike a package, which only covers the required courses to meet your state license education requirements, membership supports your ongoing professional growth and saves you money over time." The Multi-State option gives "unlimited access to all approved CE courses across all eligible states."

The membership page shows the tier contents but no membership prices; it routes questions to an enrollment advisor.

Guarantees, approvals and payment

The headline offer for new agents is the Pass or Don't Pay Guarantee: "If you do not pass your licensing exam on your first try, we'll refund your course costs." Elsewhere the home page words it as reimbursing "the cost of your pre-licensing package." A footnote limits it: "Due to state law, guarantee is not available in Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, and Tennessee."

On approvals, the home page FAQ answers that Colibri "is an accredited real estate school" and that "It is approved by the appropriate real estate regulatory agencies in the states where it operates."

For payment, the footer links to Affirm, and the FAQ says coupon codes are on the promotions page and that "Prices and promotions vary by product and season." Another FAQ answer notes that some brokerages reimburse real estate school costs and suggests checking with yours. The help pages also cover financial aid, Groupon purchases and duplicate receipts.

Before buying, anyone can sign up for the free practice exam, which gives "ten sample questions on crucial topics like contracts, roles and responsibilities, commissions, and more" and is powered by Compucram. Enrollment advisors answer by phone Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm CST; student support is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 7pm and Saturday from 9:30am to 4pm CST. The site also runs a Career Hub with guides, a find-a-broker tool, a commission calculator and an alumni association.

Who it suits

The clearest fit is a career changer working toward a first license while holding another job: self-paced study, state-specific exam prep, livestream classes where a schedule helps, and a guarantee that refunds the pre-licensing package after a failed first attempt in most states. Licensed agents who renew every cycle get the most from a membership, especially Pro or Premier if they want an included certification or the AI tracks. Agents licensed in several states can keep all their CE under one Multi-State Pass, and agents moving up can take broker courses in the states listed.

Two caveats. The guarantee does not apply in Florida, Michigan, New Jersey or Tennessee, so buyers there should weigh the package on its own merits. And because the membership page shows what each tier includes but not what it costs, it pays to compare the tier price with the cost of buying only your required CE courses one at a time.