Gold Coast Schools Review 2024

With the help of our in-house editorial team, our platform’s members and external subject matter experts, this comprehensive review of Gold Coast Schools became possible and available for free to those considering this course!

In this review we evaluated Gold Coast Schools’ curriculum, pricing, and other important aspects to help our readers make a more educated purchase decision.

All the customer reviews and ratings on this page have been submitted by our platform’s members who either currently use or used to use the reviewed product/service in the past. We never receive any compensation for the inclusion of products and/or services in our product/service reviews. However, by visiting retailer/manufacturer of the reviewed product/service by clicking links within our content may earn us commissions from your purchases. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about our review and rating process.

— Kimberly Anderson, Senior Creative Editor at Real Estate Bees

Gold Coast Schools is an online real estate school company that provides licensing and non-licensing education to real estate professionals based in Florida.

The school provides pre-licensing education, post-licensing programs, and continuing education for local agents and brokers.

The school also has qualifying courses for different construction professionals (builders, plumbers, roofers, etc.), real estate appraisers, mortgage brokers, and insurance agents.

Although Gold Coast Schools is considered an online school, the institution also offers conventional classroom learning as well as livestream classes.

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• Real estate agents
• Mortgage brokers
• Real estate appraisers
• Home insurance agents
• Construction consultants
• Property managers
• Home builders

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Gold Coast Schools was started in 1970 by Larry Greer as a single-location real estate school in Tamarac, Florida.

At the time, the school only offered agent and broker pre-licensing classes, but it later added new programs in the 1990s.

Larry Greer, the founder, served as a course instructor until 1994 when he retired, and his twin sons (Jim and John Greer) took over the business.

Jim and John were also course trainers until 1998, when they branched out to executive-level management. Some of the current real estate trainers include:

• Adam Narkier — A licensed broker and instructor who joined Gold Coast Schools in 2015. Adam takes students through the 63-hour sales associate pre-license course and the 14-hour continuing education program.

• Abraham Valencia — An experienced educator who started teaching real estate in 2004. He is part of Gold Coast School’s team of Spanish instructors.

• Daniele Gordon — A realtor broker associate specializing in residential and commercial real estate in South Florida. She is also a certified educator with a Master of Science in Higher Education specializing in College Teaching and Learning from Kaplan University.

• Helena Grossberg — An experienced real estate educator with a background in marketing, HR, and business administration. She teaches pre-licensing, post-licensing, and continuing education to Florida real estate agents and brokers.

• Fred DeFalco Jr. — A licensed broker and community association manager in the state of Florida with extensive experience in buying and selling real estate, property management, and real estate investing.

The complete list of Florida real estate coaches for every course is available on the company’s website.

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Gold Coast Schools is a legitimate education brand that has been around since the 1970s, which makes it one of the longest-serving real estate training companies in the country.

In that time, the school built seven physical locations across Florida where students can enroll and attend classes.

Having been around for a long time, Gold Coast Schools is one of the most popular real estate schools in Florida.

The school has received many reviews and testimonials from credible sources online, most of which are complimentary.

Additionally, Gold Coast Schools has a strong social media presence with hugely-followed accounts across all popular platforms, like Facebook and YouTube, where the company has tens of thousands of followers.

The company uses its social media accounts to provide company updates and dates for webinars, among other news.

Gold Coast Schools is also part of Colibri Group, an education brand that owns other renowned, credible online real estate schools such as McKissock Learning, Hogan School of Real Estate, Superior School of Real Estate, Colibri Real Estate, and others.

All factors considered, we’re certain that Gold Coast Schools is not a scam but a legitimate school giving each student the keys to being a successful real estate agent and achieving their realtor goals.

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Sales Associate Pre-Licensing

The Gold Coast realtor school provides the education required for first-time real estate agent (or “sales associate” in Florida) licensing and renewal.

The sales associate pre-licensing course is available as an online self-paced program, livestream classes, and in-person classroom sessions.

There are three packages for the online, self-paced mode:

• Essentials — This is the online school’s entry-level package. It costs $250 and comes with basic course offerings, including the complete state-approved 63-hour pre-licensing education, a digital course textbook, and a PDF guidebook. You also get one year of access to the program.

• Plus — The Plus plan contains all the resources in Essentials, including interactive Exam Prep, digital flashcards, access to an instructor-led crammer course, and exclusive invitation to career fairs. Gold Coast Plus costs $326.

• Pro — The Pro package is priced at $402 and comes with all the resources included in Plus and Essentials. The package also features unique course offerings such as access to livestream classes and workshops, along with free access to the post-licensing education required for first-time license renewal.

The three packages also apply to livestream and classroom training.

• Essentials — Gold Coast Essentials costs $450 for the livestream option and $455 for the in-person training option. The course plan includes all the course material in the Essentials online self-paced plan.

• Plus — The Plus package costs $516 for livestream learning and $531 for classroom learning. Plus contains all resources included in the corresponding online self-paced package.

• Pro — To get access to the Pro package, you will have to pay $592 for livestream training and $607 for classroom learning. Here, you also get all the materials in the Pro online course, plus free access to post-licensing and continuing education.

Note that the sales associate exam prep resources can be purchased separately for $96.

 

Sales Associate Post-Licensing

Florida-based realtors can get their post-licensing education at Gold Coast Schools either through online learning, virtual live meetings, or in-person classes.

The course contains the complete state-approved 45-hour post-licensing program.

• Online course: $199
• Livestream class: $219
• Classroom learning: $219

 

Continuing Education

Continuing education for sales associates and brokers is delivered via the three main modes:

• Online course: $25.95
• Livestream class: $99
• Classroom learning: $99

 

Broker Pre-Licensing and Post-Licensing Education

Pre-licensing classes for aspiring brokers are available via online, virtual, and classroom learning. There are two course packages to choose from across all learning modes:

• Essentials — For online learning, the Essentials plan costs $402, while for virtual classes and classroom learning, the course fees are $501 and $516, respectively.

• Plus — The self-paced online course costs $440 for the Plus package. Livestream and classroom training are slightly more expensive at $577 and $592, respectively.

Gold Coast Schools also provide state-approved broker post-licensing education. The school charges $275 for the online, self-paced format and $419 for the livestream and classroom study options.

 

Construction Licensing

Gold Coast Schools provides numerous licensing programs for various construction professionals.

There are certification programs for general contractors, builders, residential contractors, roofing experts, plumbers, and many other professionals.

Like other Gold Coast Schools programs, construction classes are available through the three main delivery modes.

The classes range between $799 and $2,799, depending on the professional program you choose and the mode of delivery.

Besides pre-licensing, the Florida real estate school also provides continuing education for construction professionals.

There are numerous CE courses for different construction professions, with fees ranging between $99 and $249.

Visit the company website and navigate to your preferred course to find the exact course fee.

 

Community Association Management Education

Community Association Management (CAM) pre-licensing classes are available in two packages:

• Essentials — CAM Essentials costs $299 for the online, self-paced learning option. Livestream and classroom learning costs $319 and $339, respectively.

• Plus — The Plus package costs $399 for the online option and $419 and $439 for the virtual and in-person classes, respectively.

 

Industry Training Courses

• Property management training — Gold Coasts School’s property management training is only available for classroom learners and is priced at $159.

• ‘Next Step’ career program — This is a three-hour training program for pre-licensees and new sales associates designed to help them plan their career paths. The course is only available via livestream and costs $99.

• Luxury agent training — Gold Coast Schools has partnered with the Institute of Luxury Home Marketing to provide education for aspiring luxury home agents. The course costs $545.

• Plan reading — This is a classroom course that helps you study and understand architectural plans. The class costs $429.

• Hurricane wind mitigation — You can join this four-hour livestream class for $199. The course allows you to conduct hurricane wind mitigation inspections legally.

• Estimations and bidding program — This is a 2-day virtual workshop that aims to help builders estimate day-to-day construction costs.

• Real estate appraiser education — Thanks to a partnership with a sister school, McKissock Learning, Gold Coast Schools can offer appraisal classes to professionals based in Florida. Appraisal trainee education ranges between $1,325 and $1,925, while pre-licensing costs $1,249 and $3,089. CE appraisal education starts from $339.

• Mortgage professionals — Gold Coast Schools provides mortgage broker education through OnCourse Learning, a third-party online education company. The course costs $599.

• Insurance — Gold Coast Schools offers several insurance pre-licensing education programs through XCEL Solutions, a third-party insurance education brand. The courses range between $199 and $399 for the online learning packages, while livestream and classroom learning costs $325.

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• Online, self-paced learning — A majority of Gold Coast Schools training programs are delivered via online learning. Here, you purchase a course and take it on your own time through the school’s interactive self-studying software.

• Instructor-led virtual classes — Another way you can take classes is through virtual Zoom classes in which an instructor takes you through the course. The class schedules for live classes are set in advance and are publicly available on the company website.

• Classroom learning — There are seven Gold Coast Schools locations where you can take your classes. The school provides the schedules and locations for in-person classes on the company website.

• Exam preparation resources — Gold Coast Schools provides exam preparation material such as digital flashcards, state exam simulators, 1,200+ exam questions, and live crammer sessions as part of a course package or as a standalone resource.

• Course textbooks and guidebooks — There are a number of programs that come with physical textbooks and guidebooks. However, most additional print course materials are provided in PDF.

• Instructor access — Gold Coast Schools provides online learning students with phone contacts of course instructors for easy access and instant feedback in case you require tailored assistance.

• Virtual workshops — The Gold Coast real estate school organizes and hosts many livestream workshops throughout the year. The workshops may be tailored to career development, networking, Q&A sessions for select topics, and much more.

Note: Gold Coast real estate schools online programs come with one-year access to the course, while for virtual and classroom courses, you get two years of access.

If you fail to complete the course within the specified period, you will have to pay additional fees for course extension.

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Sales Associate Pre-Licensing Education

Gold Coast Schools provides the required, state-approved 63-hour pre-licensing education to first-time sales associate licensees.

The course curriculum is not available to the public, but the following resources are included when you enroll:

• The complete 63-hour course
• Exclusive PDF textbook and guidebook
• Exam prep
• Access to virtual workshops and select livestream classes

 

Sales Associate Post-Licensing

Florida requires salespeople to complete 45 hours of post-licensing education within the first year of licensing. The post-licensing course syllabus consists of 13 topics which include:

• Real Estate Agent as a Career
• Real Estate Laws and Rules
• Evaluating and Pricing Property
• Working with Sellers
• Financing Programs
• Working with Buyers
• Basic Residential Product Knowledge
• Fair Housing Laws
• Closing Real Estate Transactions
• Foreclosures, Short Sales, and Auctions
• Condos, Coops, and Timeshares
• Real Estate Investing and Taxation
• Becoming a Broker or Manager

 

Continuing Education

Every two years, real estate sales associates and brokers based in Florida are required to complete 14 hours of state-approved continuing education.

Some of the topics covered in the CE program include Real Estate Core Law and Business Ethics, among others. You will have to be enrolled in the CE program to access the complete curriculum.

 

Broker Pre-Licensing Education

If you have completed two years as a sales associate in the state of Florida, you can upgrade to a broker real estate license by successfully completing broker pre-licensing education.

Gold Coast Schools provides the complete state-approved 72-hour education across the three learning modes.

Unfortunately, the broker pre-licensing course syllabus isn’t publicly available on the company website or other credible online sources. Still, the following course resources are included:

• Exclusive textbook
• Access to livestream cram class
• Gold Coast Schools exam prep
• Access to select livestream and classroom sessions at no extra charge
• Phone access to instructors

 

Broker Post-Licensing Education

Once you have obtained your broker license, you will need to complete the state-required 60 hours of post-licensing education within the first year of licensing.

The 60-hour course is split into two 30-hour programs:

• Broker Post-License Management
• Single Family Residential Property Management

Gold Coast Schools does not provide the course curriculum for the broker post-licensing training program.

 

Professional Contractor Education

Gold Coast real estate school has several pre-licensing and CE programs for various professionals in the construction industry. There are 11 certification courses available:

• General Contractor
• Building Contractor
• Residential Contractor
• AC AB Contractor
• AC Mechanical Contractor
• Roofing Contractor
• Plumbing Contractor
• Glass and Glazing Contractor
• Pool and Spa Contractor
• Home Inspector
• Building Inspector

Each program has a unique curriculum, but the school hasn’t made them available to the public — you have to be enrolled to find out.

 

Community Association Management Education

A Community Association Manager (CAM) helps planned communities manage the day-to-day activities of shared neighborhoods, properties, and facilities.

Gold Coast Schools provides the education required to become a licensed CAM through online learning, virtual classes, and in-person learning.

The real estate school does not provide the course curriculum for the Florida Community Association Manager License Course.

However, the following resources are included when you purchase the program:

• The complete course
• PDF textbook
• Access to practice questions
• Access to other learning modes
• Access to the CAM Cram Livestream Course

 

Industry Training Courses

There are many additional programs under the Gold Coast Schools brand tailored toward agents (sales associates), construction professionals, appraisers, mortgage brokers, and insurance professionals.

We couldn’t find the course curriculums for outsourced courses (Mortgage Loan Originator, Appraisal Licensing, and Insurance Certification).

However, we did find the curriculums of some of the in-house industry training offerings:

• ‘Next Step’ career program — This training program helps pre-licensees and new sales associates plan their career paths. The course has several topics, including How to Decide Where to Work, Real Estate Specialties, Interview Tips and Questions to Ask, Employment Relationships, and others.

• Plan reading — This course helps you study and understand architectural plans. Some of the topics covered include The Basics of Plans and Drawings, Construction Basics for Plan Reading, Basic Math for Area & Volume, and Understanding Site Plans, among others.

• Hurricane wind mitigation — The course covers topics such as: A Line by Line Review of the Uniform Inspection Form, Terminologies Explained, Practical Dos and Don’ts of an Inspection, and more.

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Pros

• The school has multiple learning modes (online, virtual, and in-person learning). You can also take your course in different modes for a better learning experience.
• Gold Coast Schools lets employers post career opportunities on their website that students can apply to.
• There are many additional in-house industry training courses, allowing you to get all your real estate education on one platform.
• All major courses have Spanish versions.
• Students have access to their courses for up to 2 years, which is quite long compared to other digital schools.
• Online courses have been optimized for smartphones, PCs, and tablets.

 

Cons

• Courses don’t have a free trial or money-back guarantee.
• Gold Coast Schools courses are expensive compared to similar schools like The CE Shop.
• The school only offers education for students based in Florida.

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• Colibri Real Estate
• AceableAgent
• The CE Shop
• McKissock Learning
• Kaplan Real Estate Education
• 360training Agent Campus
• Institute for Luxury Home Marketing

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Awards & Recognition

Best Online Real Estate School (Awarded by Real Estate Bees)

Press & Media

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How many students have studied the Gold Coast Schools Program?

We couldn’t find reliable data on the number of students that have attended the Gold Coast Schools of real estate.

Still, the school has received countless reviews online from past students, the majority of which are positive.

 

Does Gold Coast Schools have a trial or money-back guarantee?

No. Gold Coast real estate courses and exam prep materials don’t come with money-back guarantees or pass guarantees.

However, the online school has a refund policy in which students get full fee refunds if they meet certain criteria (read below).

 

How to cancel Gold Coast Schools and what is the refund policy?

Gold Coast Schools has a refund policy for online, livestream, and in-person classes.

For online training programs, you can cancel within the first 30 days and get a refund, provided you haven’t completed any for-credit module.

For livestream and classroom courses, you can cancel within 24 hours from the first session to receive your refund — you will not be eligible for a refund if you fail to attend the class.

Note that there are no refunds for physical course materials and shipping fees.

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Yes, and there are several reasons for this. Gold Coast Schools has a positive reputation based on online rewiews by students who succeded in getting a Florida real estate license with this school.

The school has been praised for its highly qualified and helpful instructors, responsive online learning platform, and wide range of programs.

Its trainers ensure that students get all the necessary skills for their real estate agent resume, get ready to pass a real estate exam, and know what to do after getting their real estate license.

The school also allows students to take a course in multiple learning formats, meaning you can attend virtual and in-person classes even after purchasing the online learning version of a course.

As a result, you get an enjoyable, less monotonous learning experience.

The only major downside of the school is the high cost of courses compared to similar real estate schools. There’s also no free trial or money-back guarantee.

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• Website: Official website
• Phone: (800) 732-9140
• Email: [email protected]
• Address: 5600 Hiatus Rd Tamarac, FL 33321
• Socials: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube

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About the Author

Kristina Morales is both a licensed mortgage loan originator and real estate agent in the State of Ohio. Inspired by her years of working with buyers and sellers and seeing a need for more consumer education, Kristina created loanfully.com, an online educational resource for borrowers and industry professionals. In addition to real estate sales and mortgage lending, Kristina had an extensive corporate career in banking, treasury, and corporate finance. She ended her corporate career as an Assistant Treasurer at a publicly traded oil & gas company in Houston, TX. Kristina obtained her MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University and her B.A in Business Management from Ursuline College.