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. Big brand. Multiple formats. Statewide reach. If you’ve held a Texas real estate license for more than a few years, you’ve probably taken a Champions class — or at least considered it. This page gives you the honest version: what Champions does well, what agents say publicly, and why Fort Worth agents are now searching for alternatives. In April 2026, Champions closed their Fort Worth campus. That changed the map for Tarrant County agents.

This is not a hit piece. It’s a comparison — the kind you actually want before you spend money on CE.

Champions School of Real Estate: What’s Good

Champions deserves credit where it’s earned. Here’s what they genuinely do well:

• Long track record. Champions has been in Texas real estate education since 1983. That’s over 40 years of curriculum development. Their materials are thorough.
• Multiple learning formats. Champions offers live classroom (at remaining campuses), correspondence, online interactive, and blended options. If you want maximum format flexibility, they have it.
• Statewide physical presence. They operate campuses in Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and other major metros. For agents near those campuses, in-person is still an option.
• TREC-approved provider. Champions is fully TREC-approved. Any CE completed through Champions counts toward your renewal — no question.
• Pre-licensing breadth. For agents working toward broker licensure or exploring pre-licensing education, Champions has one of the widest course libraries in Texas. (Note: TREA focuses exclusively on CE — we don’t compete on pre-licensing.)
• Name recognition. Champions is well-known. Many brokers and teams refer new agents to them by default. There’s comfort in a recognizable brand.

If you’re near a Champions campus and price isn’t a major concern, they’re a legitimate option. Honest is honest.

That said, reputation is built in the details. Here’s what Texas agents are actually saying publicly.

Champions School: What Texas Agents Say Online

Public review platforms — Google, Yelp, Facebook — tell a consistent story about Champions CE. Agents generally like the course content itself. The friction points show up in three areas:

TREC Credit Posting Delays

This is the most common complaint agents surface about Champions School online. Champions uses a batch upload process for reporting CE completion to TREC. Agents typically wait one to three business days — sometimes longer — before their credits appear in their TREC license file. You can check your license status directly on TREC LARS. But if Champions hasn’t posted yet, you’ll just be watching a clock. For agents renewing close to a deadline, that delay creates real stress. One late posting can mean a lapsed license.

Batch posting is the standard approach most large providers use — so this isn’t a knock on Champions specifically. It’s just worth knowing before you cut it close.

Customer Service Reach

When something goes wrong — a posting delay, a certificate question, a course access issue — reaching a live person matters. At large providers, that’s often harder than it should be. Champions’ scale is a strength in many ways, but it can work against you when you need a fast answer. Public reviews frequently mention long hold times and slow email response.

Beyond turnaround times, there’s a third factor that directly affects Fort Worth agents right now.

The Fort Worth Campus Closure

In April 2026, Champions School of Real Estate closed their Fort Worth campus. For agents in Tarrant County and the surrounding area who relied on in-person Champions CE, that’s a significant change. Champions still offers online CE at championsschool.com, but the local classroom option is gone.

This is not a rumor — it’s confirmed. Fort Worth agents who preferred Champions’ in-person format now face a choice: drive to a Dallas campus, switch to online, or find a locally-based alternative.

Side-by-Side: Champions School vs. TREA

So how do the two providers actually stack up? Here’s the direct comparison across the factors that matter most when you’re choosing a CE provider:

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. This one counts most on your license.
• 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 — courses 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 is approximately $99. 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.