Best Commercial Real Estate Courses • Benzinga • Become a Realtor Today

Are you planning to start a career in commercial real estate soon? Instead of spending thousands on an intensive class that doesn’t quite work for your busy schedule, consider an online, self-paced commercial real estate course. 

There are options for all skill levels and budgets. So, even if you already work in the field, you won’t have trouble finding an ideal course that piques your interest and helps you meet your career goals. 

Benzinga is here to lend a helping hand as you explore options to find the best fit. 

Here’s a glance at Benzinga’s top picks: 

Below, you’ll find the best online commercial real estate courses from LinkedIn Learning, Skillshare and Udemy. The classes are organized by skill level — beginners, intermediate and advanced students. We’ve also included a description and price point for each class to facilitate your decision-making process. 

You want a commercial real estate course led by a professional with extensive experience in the field. Refer to the instructor’s biography to learn more about their background in the industry. 

It’s also essential that they convey the knowledge you need to excel in a way that’s easy to understand — course reviews shed light on their teaching style and how they’re perceived by students. 

The best commercial real estate courses feature bonus materials to supplement the lectures, like readings, printables and quizzes. Look for these resources when evaluating your options. 

Avoid courses that impose strict deadlines, particularly if you have a busy schedule. Self-paced options are more flexible and allow you to spend as much time as you need on the lessons until you’re comfortable with the material. 

Below, you will find Benzinga’s top picks from LinkedIn Learning, Skillshare and Udemy. We’ve also categorized the courses by skill level and included a description and enrollment fee to help you find the best fit. 

Start with these courses if you’re new to commercial real estate. 

Join commercial real estate investing coach and mentor Peter Harris as he walks you through the essentials of commercial real estate and tips for each type of property. He’s also the author of “Commercial Real Estate Investing for Dummies.” 

There are lessons on what it takes to purchase your first commercial real estate investment property, the various asset classes investors target, pitfalls to avoid, how to evaluate deals and so much more. Harris also sheds light on what it takes to build generational wealth. 

Getting StartedInvesting in ApartmentsHow to Buy Your First Multi-Family Apartment BuildingApartment Loans 101Investing in Self-Storage PropertiesInvesting in Shopping CentersInvesting in Mobile Home Parks Investing in Office BuildingsProperty ManagementAvoiding Bad Commercial Real Estate DealsConclusion 

This free course can be completed in a little over 8 hours. 

You can get the inside scoop on how to get started in commercial real estate from a seasoned professional. Inside this course, you will find 7 in-depth lectures from Kenneth T. Holman, Founder of the National Association of Real Estate Advisors. 

Introduction to Commercial Real Estate BrokerageCompensation for Commercial Real Estate AgentsEstablishing a Career in Commercial Real Estate BrokerageTools of the Trade for Commercial Real Estate AgentsTypes of Commercial Real EstateAdvantages of Commercial Real Estate BrokerageThe Importance of Specialization 

Register today for 2 hours of on-demand video and 1 downloadable resource. You will also get a certificate of completion when you reach the finish line. 

You will learn about the different types of leases on CRE properties and better understand the benefits and drawbacks of financial leverage in CRE. The class also dives into calculating and analyzing CRE investment returns through IRR, NPV and the capitalization rate. 

Enroll today to access 1 hour of on-demand video, 2 articles and 2 downloadable resources. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee if the material doesn’t meet your needs. 

Facilitator Joseph Ori is an experienced corporate finance and real estate executive. 

Do you have commercial real estate investing experience under your belt? You will find these intermediate courses useful.

Who it’s for: Intermediate students

Price: Included with the monthly membership 

New to commercial real estate and interested in learning more about real estate asset classes? Look no further than this intermediate course from LinkedIn Learning. 

Overview of Commercial Real EstateIndustrial Warehouse ExampleRetail ExampleOffice ExampleOperating Assets 

Enrollment is included with a monthly LinkedIn membership. Not yet a member? Sign up for a 1-month trial to access the class for free. 

Who it’s for: Intermediate students 

The Commercial Real Estate Lease Modeling Master Class teaches you how to model commercial leases for industrial, office and retail real estate using Excel instead of Argus. It is ideal for experienced real estate professionals and investors. Aspiring real estate investment professionals who want to pursue a private equity real estate career will also find this course useful. 

Here’s a look at the syllabus: 

CRE Lease Modeling FundamentalsPart 1 – Building Out the Summary DashboardPart 2 – Building Out the CRE Leases TabPart 3 – Building Out the Monthly and Annual CF Tabs Part 4 – Finalizing the Summary TabWrapping UpBonus Lecture: Udemy Student Bonus 

Instruction is provided by real estate investing and financial modeling guru Justin Kivel. 

Have basic knowledge of real estate calculations and finance terms before you register. 

Who it’s for: Intermediate students 

If you’ve been selling commercial real estate but aren’t quite seeing the results you want, this is the perfect course for you. It pulls back the curtain on practical strategies top agents use to attain phenomenal levels of success. 

Finding Properties in Today’s MarketThe #1 Way Top Commercial Real Estate Agents Get BusinessCreating a Schedule for SuccessWhy CRE Agents Don’t Want to Work with Residential AgentsWhy Top CRE Agents Use a Coach The Ways CRE Agents Get Business How Top CRE Agents Structure Their TeamsUsing Dialers, Hiring Telemarketers and Cold CallingHow to Get Sellers to List When Inventory is Tight How to Handle Property Tax IncreasesWhat Other States are Good for Investing Listing Presentations and ProposalsCommissions and ObjectionsWhat Uncertainties You Should Know About in the CRE Market16 Top Agent Advice for New Commercial Real Estate Agents 

The course is taught by internationally recognized commercial real estate expert Michael Simpson. He is the founder of the National Commercial Real Estate Association (NCREA). 

Seasoned commercial real estate professionals will find these courses useful. 

Who it’s for: Advanced students 

Effectively Lease Commercial Real Estate Properties is another highly-rated Udemy course worth considering if you want to make the commercial rental process seamless. It includes lessons on locating properties with ease, the variances between Gross and NNN leases, lease negotiation, representing tenants and landlords and much more. 

Professor of Finance and accomplished commercial real estate professional Heather Boren divides the course into the following sections: 

The ABCs of Commercial Real EstateEstablishing Your Marketing StrategyAgency RelationshipsMaking and Submitting the OfferNegotiating the LeaseGetting Paid 

Sign up today for full lifetime access to 1.5 hours of on-demand video, 1 article and 6 downloadable resources. 

Who it’s for: Advanced students

He breaks the course down into the following modules: 

Advanced Real Estate Development Modeling GroundworkPart 1 – Building Out the Summary DashboardPart 2 – Dynamic Commercial Real Estate Lease ModelingPart 3 – Commercial Real Estate Expense ModelingPart 4 – Building Out the Monthly Cash Flow StatementPart 5 – Building a Dynamic Construction BudgetPart 6 – Modeling Commercial Development Financing Part 7 – Monthly Cash Flow Finalization and Creating the Annual Cash Flow Roll-UpPart 8 – Summary Tab Finalization and Error Checks 

Sign up today to get instant access to 13.5 hours of on-demand video, 15 articles and 9 downloadable resources. The enrollment fee also includes a certificate of completion when you reach the finish line. 

Who it’s for: Advanced students

Do you want to invest in apartment buildings but don’t have much cash to spare? Skillshare’s free course walks you through a practical step-by-step approach to getting started without pulling your hair out. 

Course IntroWhy Wholesale Apartments? Locate SellersEvaluating the DealReal Estate MathWalking Through the NumbersNegotiating PriceSubmit OffersSending Letters of InterestFinding BuyersClosing Day Tools 

It takes a little under 2 hours to complete the course. 

Ready to accelerate your real estate career or start working as a commercial realtor? Consider a course from our list of top recommendations to put your plan in motion, meet your goals and achieve the career success you’ve always dreamed of.