Getting the Most Out of a Live Online Real Estate Class

The short answer: Treat each live session like a real classroom and add three habits around it. Before class, glance at the topic and jot down a few questions. During class, stay present, answer the instructor's questions in your head or out loud, and ask "why" questions of your own. After class, quiz yourself from memory and come back to the material again days and weeks later. These habits follow the U.S. Department of Education's research-based study recommendations, which rate quizzing and "deep" questions as having strong evidence (IES Practice Guide, Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning).

New Jersey's course rules shape the routine too: your attendance counts toward completion (N.J.A.C. 11:5-2.2(s)). If you're still deciding on a format, start with our comparison of live Zoom, self-paced and in-person courses.

Why does showing up fully matter in an online class?

Because attendance is part of finishing. To complete a NJ pre-licensure course, you need a passing grade and attendance of at least 80% of the required class hours (N.J.A.C. 11:5-2.2(s)). The rule also expects instructors to take attendance during class time (N.J.A.C. 11:5-2.1(d)).

The state rules don't spell out how an online school confirms you're there, so ask your school about its policy (camera on, check-ins or something else) before the first session. If you know you'll miss a session, read our guide to the 80% attendance rule first.

How should you set up before each session?

A few minutes of setup prevents most problems:

  • Same seat, same time. A consistent spot with a door you can close makes it easier to settle in.
  • Test your audio and video a few minutes early, especially the first night.
  • Phone out of reach, with notifications off on your computer.
  • Materials open: the course text or slides, a notebook or document for notes, and a running list of questions.
  • Preview the topic for five minutes. Skim the headings and write two or three questions you expect the session to answer.

That last step has research behind it, though not much yet. The IES guide recommends pre-questions before a new topic so learners know what to listen for, and rates that evidence low (IES Practice Guide, Recommendation 5a).

What should you do during class?

Act like you're in the front row, not watching a video:

  • Answer every question the instructor asks, even silently. Pulling an answer from memory is a form of quizzing, the habit IES rates strong for re-exposing learners to key content (Recommendation 5b).
  • Ask "why" and "how" questions. IES recommends deep explanatory questions such as "What caused Y?", "How did X occur?" and "How does X compare to Y?", also rated strong (Recommendation 7). In a real estate class that sounds like: Why does a dual agent need written consent? How is a cap rate different from a cash return?
  • Draw it. IES recommends combining graphics with verbal explanations (Recommendation 3, moderate). Sketch the parties in an agency relationship, a timeline from contract to closing, or the flow of money in a proration problem.
  • Tie rules to a concrete case. IES recommends connecting abstract ideas with concrete examples (Recommendation 4, moderate). When a rule comes up, write one sentence about how it would show up in a real deal.
  • Work the math with the instructor. For calculation topics, IES recommends alternating between worked examples and problems you solve yourself (Recommendation 2, moderate). Copy the worked example, then try the next one before the instructor shows it.

Source for all five: IES Practice Guide.

How do you stay focused through a long session?

New Jersey caps breaks at five minutes per course hour during classroom instruction (N.J.A.C. 11:5-2.1(d)), so you won't get long breaks. Use the ones you get well:

  • Stand up and move rather than checking email.
  • Have water and a snack ready before class starts.
  • Write a one-line summary of the last hour while it's fresh.
  • If your attention drifts, switch to writing: answer the last question the instructor asked, in your own words.

What should you do after each class?

This is where most learning is kept or lost:

  1. Same night or next morning, quiz yourself from memory. Close your notes and write what you remember about the session's main points, then check. IES rates quizzing for re-exposure strong (Recommendation 5b).
  2. Come back later. IES recommends reviewing key content again after a delay, rated moderate (Recommendation 1). In a course that runs several weeks, revisit each topic at least once a week or two after it's taught.
  3. Judge your learning after a delay, not right away. The guide notes that the best time to tell whether you've learned something "is not immediately after" studying but after time away (Recommendation 6a, low). Material that feels easy at the end of class may not stick.
  4. Use quiz results to choose what to study. Wrong answers tell you where to spend time (Recommendation 6b, low).

One caution: the IES guide was written mainly for grades 3 through 12. Its authors say the findings are "probably as pertinent to college instruction," but adult licensing courses weren't the focus (IES Practice Guide).

How does class time connect to the state exam?

Directly. NJ's rule says instructors "must provide information on the State license examination and the Commission's license issuance procedures" (N.J.A.C. 11:5-2.1(d), as amended effective Jan. 20, 2026). Write those parts down carefully, because they're your roadmap for what comes after the course. Keep PSI's content outline next to your notes, too. PSI says not to schedule the exam until you're familiar with its topics (PSI candidate bulletin).

The course also ends with a school final exam, which is separate from the PSI exam. Our page on the school final vs. the state exam explains the difference, and how many weeks the 75-hour course takes helps you plan your review around your schedule.

What does a simple weekly routine look like?

WhenWhat to doTime
Before each sessionPreview headings, write 2–3 questions5–10 minutes
During each sessionAnswer every question, ask "why," sketch, work the mathClass time
After each sessionWrite what you remember, then check15 minutes
Once a weekQuiz yourself on topics from 1–2 weeks ago30–45 minutes
Before the finalMixed practice across all topicsAs needed

Adjust the times to your life. If you're working full-time, our study plan for working adults fits review around a job. For the course itself, see Business Elementary's 75-hour course.

Sources

Last reviewed: October 30, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to keep my camera on in a live online NJ real estate class?

The state rules require attendance of at least 80% and have instructors take attendance during class (N.J.A.C. 11:5-2.2(s); 11:5-2.1(d)), but they don't set a camera rule. Ask your school about its attendance policy.

How long are the breaks in the NJ 75-hour course?

No more than five minutes of each course hour may be used for breaks during classroom instruction (N.J.A.C. 11:5-2.1(d)).

What's the best way to remember what I learned in class?

Quiz yourself from memory after class and revisit topics later. The IES practice guide rates quizzing for re-exposure as strong evidence and spaced review as moderate (IES Practice Guide).

Should I rewatch recordings instead of attending live?

Check with your school. Attendance of at least 80% of the required class hours is needed to complete the course (N.J.A.C. 11:5-2.2(s)). The state rules we reviewed don't say whether a recording counts toward those hours.

Is it normal to forget material between sessions?

Yes. That's why the research favors returning to material after a delay rather than reviewing it once (IES Practice Guide, Recommendation 1).