Champions School of Real Estate Reviews -- Fort Worth CE Comparison

Champions School of Real Estate has been a fixture in Texas real estate education for decades. If you're looking for an honest read on what agents actually think -- and what changed when their Fort Worth campus closed in April 2026 -- you're in the right place.

This is not a puff piece. We'll cover what Champions genuinely does well, what agents say in public reviews, and where the gaps are. Then we'll show you how TREA stacks up -- so you can decide with full information.

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Champions School of Real Estate: What's Good

Give credit where it's due. Champions has operated in Texas since 1983. Rita Santamaria built something real in Houston, and her family still runs it today. That kind of longevity in a competitive market is genuinely hard to achieve.

Here's what Champions does well:

• 40+ years of market presence. Nearly every licensed Texas agent has heard the name. That brand recognition matters when you're choosing a CE provider -- it signals staying power.
• Full education ecosystem. Pre-licensing, SAE, broker courses, designations, exam prep, loan origination, home inspection, appraisal. If you want everything under one roof, Champions built it.
• Strong community. 36,140 Facebook likes, 10K Instagram followers. Word-of-mouth at scale is real social proof.
• Family-owned, Texas roots. That matters in this market.
• Statewide campus footprint (minus Fort Worth, as of April 2026): Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas locations remain open, plus online options statewide at championsschool.com.

Champions School of Real Estate: What Texas Agents Say Online

Champions is not on Trustpilot in any meaningful way. Their profile is unclaimed and shows zero reviews. For a 40-year-old school, that's a notable absence. The reviews that do exist are spread across Google, Yelp, and course-specific forums -- a mixed picture.

What comes up consistently in agent discussions:

• Instructors are experienced and credentialed. Agents who value classroom instruction tend to rate the teaching quality positively.
• TREC credit posting speed is not specified. Champions does not publicly state how fast they report CE completions to TREC. A BBB complaint on record documents a student whose completion was not reported -- resulting in license termination. The offered remedy was a free 18-hour package. For agents renewing close to a deadline, this is a real risk.
• CE pricing is the highest in this comparison: $99-$119 per package. Agents who price-shop consistently land elsewhere.
• The Fort Worth campus closure caught many Tarrant County agents off guard. If you relied on local, in-person CE from Champions, that option is gone.

The honest summary: Champions is a legitimate provider with real teaching quality. The gaps are operational -- posting speed, pricing, and the Fort Worth closure. Those gaps are exactly where TREA is built to win.

Side-by-Side: Champions School vs. TREA

Pricing and data verified April 2026.

For Fort Worth Agents: The Local Option Just Changed

Champions' Fort Worth campus closure in April 2026 isn't just an inconvenience -- it changes the map for Tarrant County agents who want local, in-person continuing education. If you need to renew your Texas real estate license and wanted to do it locally, your options just got narrower.

TREA -- Texas Real Estate Academy -- is located at 4528 W Vickery Blvd #100, Fort Worth, TX 76107. We've been here. We're not going anywhere. And we're now the only locally-owned, TREC-approved CE provider with a physical Fort Worth address. Learn more about what makes TREA the go-to Fort Worth real estate school for CE.

That distinction matters for a few reasons:

• Local accountability. When you call TREA, you reach someone in Fort Worth. Not a national call center. Not a ticketing system. A person.
• Community-rooted instruction. David Offutt, TREA's founder and lead instructor, has taught Texas real estate CE since 2014. He holds TREC Instructor License #1597 -- issued directly by TREC after personal vetting under TAC Rule 535.63. He wrote five consecutive editions of the TREC Legal Update curriculum and holds an MS in Applied Economics from UNT. He knows Texas real estate.
• One of only 5 providers in Texas offering both Legal Update I and Legal Update II in live classroom AND online format. Most providers pick one or the other.

Why Local Matters More Than You Think

If you valued the local feel of Champions' Fort Worth campus, TREA is the closest thing -- and in several ways, more personal. A large statewide brand optimizes for volume. A locally-owned provider optimizes for the agents it sees every year.

Before you decide on a provider, it helps to be clear on exactly what TREC requires. Not all 18 hours are the same.

TREC CE: What Every Texas Agent Needs

Regardless of which provider you choose, here's what Texas requires for your Texas real estate CE renewal -- and what you're actually getting when you complete it:

• Legal Update I (4 hours) -- Updated Texas real estate law, changes to statutes and TREC rules, agency and fiduciary duties. TREC writes the curriculum; all approved providers teach the same content.
• Legal Update II (4 hours) -- Changes to TREC contract forms, listing and buyer agreements, promulgated addenda. Again, TREC curriculum -- consistent across providers.
• Contracts (3 hours) -- Texas contract law in practice. Not just what the form says -- why it says it, and what happens when something goes sideways.
• Electives (7 hours) -- Your choice from TREC-approved CE electives. This is where providers differentiate. TREA's elective library includes courses on personality types, inspector mistakes, uninsured homes, referrals, time management, and more -- built to be useful in your actual practice, not just checkboxes.

Good CE isn't just about keeping your license. The Legal Update courses genuinely help you avoid liability. The electives -- when chosen well -- make you better at your job. TREA delivers courses with studio-quality video, a credentialed live instructor, and content built to hold your attention. Smarter. Faster. CE.

Still have questions about how TREA compares to Champions? Below are the ones agents ask most often.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Champions School of Real Estate TREC-approved?

Yes. Champions School of Real Estate holds TREC approval as a CE provider in Texas. Any CE you complete through Champions counts toward your license renewal. Their online courses at championsschool.com carry the same approval. The Fort Worth campus closure has not changed this.

Did Champions School close their Fort Worth campus?

Confirmed -- Champions School of Real Estate closed their Fort Worth campus in April 2026. Their remaining Texas campuses -- Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas -- are still operating. Champions continues to offer online CE statewide at championsschool.com. For Fort Worth agents who preferred in-person CE, TREA (4528 W Vickery Blvd #100, Fort Worth) is now the locally-based alternative.

How does Champions compare to TREA on price?

Champions' 18-hour CE renewal package runs approximately $99-$119. TREA's 18-hour CE bundle -- the Hall Pass -- starts at $75. TREA also offers a free 2-hour CE class as an entry point, so you can experience the teaching style before you commit to a full renewal package.

How fast does Champions post CE credits to TREC?

Champions uses a batch upload process to report CE completions to TREC. Agent reports across public review platforms put the typical delay at one to three business days after course completion. If you're renewing close to a deadline, plan for that window -- use TREA's license lookup tool to confirm your hours are on file before your renewal date. By contrast, TREA posts CE credits to TREC in approximately 3 seconds -- any time of day, any day of the week, including nights and weekends.

Can I get a refund from Champions School?

Champions School has a standard cancellation policy -- terms vary by course format and timing. TREA's policy is different: we refund anyone, anytime, for any reason. If you complete part of a course and decide TREA isn't for you, you keep the CE hours you've already earned and get a refund on the rest. No questions asked.

What's the best Champions School alternative in Fort Worth?

With the Fort Worth Champions campus now closed, TREA is the only locally-owned, TREC-approved CE provider with a physical Fort Worth address. The full required lineup is here: Legal Update I, Legal Update II, Contracts, and electives -- available online and in live classroom format. An 18-hour renewal package starts at $75, and a free 2-hour class lets you try it before you commit.

Does TREA offer the same courses as Champions?

For CE purposes, yes -- every required course is covered. TREA offers Legal Update I, Legal Update II, a Contracts course, and a full elective library. Among Texas providers, TREA is one of only five that offer both Legal Update I and Legal Update II in both live classroom and online formats. Note that TREA does not offer pre-licensing -- the focus here is exclusively on continuing education for licensed Texas agents.

Ready to see what TREA's CE actually looks like? Start with the free class -- no credit card, no commitment.