Education programs compared
CRE AI Institute vs AI for CRE Collective
The CRE AI Institute teaches Claude agent workflows on every tier, practiced on a deal with answer keys, with two certificates. The AI for CRE Collective has a free tier, a lower entry price and 800+ members by its own count.
Short answer
For Claude on every tier and a deal to practice on, choose the CRE AI Institute
The CRE AI Institute teaches Claude and AI agent workflows on every tier, on the Desert Grove practice deal with answer keys. The AI for CRE Collective is the better fit for a free tier, a $39 Standard tier or community reach.
- A 7-day free trial, then Standard at $69/mo
- Live deal clinics on Premium, on your own deal
- One full lesson free, with no account
Claude curriculum
- CRE AI Institute
- On every tier
- The Collective
- Its Claude for CRE Masterclass, on Premium Source: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge
Certificates
- CRE AI Institute
- Two, in the membership
- The Collective
- Its AI for CRE Certification Course, from Standard Source: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge
Who leads it
- CRE AI Institute
- Zed Truong and the PSV team
- The Collective
- Jake Heller, a real estate developer, and Quinn Edwards, a former CBRE broker Source: AI for CRE Collective, About
Verified September 24, 2026
The two programs, side by side
We run the Institute, so it is the highlighted side. Every Collective cell links the page it was read from.
| Compared on | Our pickCRE AI Institute | AI for CRE Collective |
|---|---|---|
| Claude curriculum | Built on ClaudeClaude and AI agent workflows, end to end, on every tier | The 15-module Claude for CRE Masterclass, bundled with Premium ($99/mo) Source: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge |
| Practice deal and answer keys | The Desert Grove practice dealWith answer keys, on every tier | Not covered by the sources we checked; ask the Collective. |
| Certificates | Two certificatesAI Fluency on every tier; AI Operator on Premium | The AI for CRE Certification Course, included from Standard Source: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge |
| Live sessions | Weekly, on PremiumLive office hours and workshops, plus live deal clinics | Twice-monthly workshops; weekly office hours, masterclasses and live workshops Source: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge |
| Who leads it | Zed Truong, founder of the CRE AI InstituteWith the team at Pacific Software Ventures, which builds AI systems for CRE firms | Jake Heller, a real estate developer (6,000+ units, licensed broker and contractor), and Quinn Edwards, a former CBRE broker Source: AI for CRE Collective, About |
| Team training | PSV-led, inside your firmOn your own deals, through PSV's AI training | Team training from $3,500 Source: AI for CRE Collective, team trainingAI Kickstart Workshop: 2 live hours, onsite, up to 25 attendees, $3,500 Source: AI for CRE Collective, team training |
| Free option | A 7-day free trialAnd one full lesson free, with no account | Free tier: the newsletter, operator and tool-demo interviews, the tool database and monthly webinars Source: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.EdgeCommunity starts with a 7-day free trial Source: AI for CRE Collective, home page |
| Price | $69/mo on StandardPremium is $99/mo | Free; Standard $39/mo or $279/yr; Premium $99/mo or $799/yr; VIP $499/mo (listed September 24, 2026) Source: AI for CRE Collective, membership tiers and pricing |
| Community | A private member communityWe do not publish a member count | 800+ CRE members and 95% annual retention, by the Collective's own count Source: AI for CRE Collective, home page10,000+ newsletter readers, the Collective's figure Source: AI for CRE Collective, home page |
The honest fit
Which one should you pick
Our pick
Choose the CRE AI Institute if
- You want Claude on every tier, practiced on a deal. The Desert Grove deal, with answer keys, before you touch live data.
- You want two certificates. AI Fluency, and the advanced AI Operator on Premium.
- You want live deal clinics. On Premium, the PSV team underwrites your deal with you on screen.
- You want a curriculum from a firm that deploys these systems. PSV builds them for CRE clients, with a path to one for your own firm.
Choose the AI for CRE Collective if
- You want a free way in: its Free tier covers the newsletter, operator and tool-demo interviews, the tool database and monthly webinars.
- You want a lower paid entry price: Standard is $39 a month, or $279 a year.
- You want a large community and newsletter: the Collective reports 800+ CRE members and 10,000+ newsletter readers.
The detail
Every fact, with its source
Figures the Collective reports about itself are its claims, not our measurements.
CRE AI InstituteThe membership, in full
4 items
- A self-paced curriculum of 3 courses and 38 lessons, inside a private community of CRE professionals. Launched July 2026.
- Standard $69/mo; Premium $99/mo (against a $199/mo list price); Advisory $499/mo, which adds a monthly one-to-one hour with a PSV founder.
- A 7-day free trial, and one full lesson free with no account.
- Everything in the membership is on the Institute page.
AI for CRE CollectiveWho leads it, and its own figures
5 items
- Led by Jake Heller, a real estate developer (6,000+ units, licensed broker and contractor), and Quinn Edwards, a former CBRE broker. Source: AI for CRE Collective, About
- Launched in August 2025, per Jake Heller's interview with Voyage LA. Source: Hidden Gems: Meet Jake Heller of AI for CRE Collective
- The Collective says it has 800+ CRE members and 95% annual retention. Source: AI for CRE Collective, home page
- The Collective reports a newsletter readership of 10,000+. Source: AI for CRE Collective, home page
- The Collective says it tracks 700+ AI products across 15 categories. Source: AI for CRE Collective, home page
AI for CRE CollectiveTiers and price
3 items
- Free; Standard $39/mo or $279/yr; Premium $99/mo or $799/yr; VIP $499/mo, as listed September 24, 2026. Its prices have changed before. Source: AI for CRE Collective, membership tiers and pricing
- The Free tier covers the newsletter, operator and tool-demo interviews, the tool database and monthly webinars. Source: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge
- The community itself starts with a 7-day free trial. Source: AI for CRE Collective, home page
AI for CRE CollectiveCourses and live sessions
3 items
- Paid tiers from Standard include the AI for CRE Certification Course. Source: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge
- The 15-module Claude for CRE Masterclass is bundled with Premium ($99/mo). Source: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge
- The Collective lists twice-monthly workshops, plus weekly office hours, masterclasses and live workshops for implementation help. Source: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge
AI for CRE CollectiveTeam training
2 items
- Team training engagements start at $3,500. Source: AI for CRE Collective, team training
- The AI Kickstart Workshop is 2 live hours, onsite, for up to 25 attendees, at $3,500. Source: AI for CRE Collective, team training
Before you buy
Questions to ask any program, including ours
Terms change, and we link another program's rather than summarise them.
- Is there a refund or money-back guarantee, and exactly what triggers it?
- Can I cancel at any time, and what happens to my access and any certificate when I do?
- Which tier includes the live sessions, and who runs them?
- What do I practice on, and are there answer keys to check my work against?
- Which AI tools does the curriculum teach in depth, and which does it only mention?
- For a team: who delivers the training, on whose documents, and what does it cost per person?
Frequently asked
Institute vs Collective, answered
What is the difference between the CRE AI Institute and the AI for CRE Collective?
The CRE AI Institute is a self-paced Claude curriculum of 3 courses and 38 lessons, practiced on the Desert Grove deal with answer keys. The AI for CRE Collective is a membership community with a newsletter, a tool database and courses.
Sources: Source 1: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge.How much does the AI for CRE Collective cost compared with the CRE AI Institute?
The CRE AI Institute costs $69 a month on Standard and $99 on Premium, after a 7-day free trial. The Collective's tiers: Free; Standard $39/mo or $279/yr; Premium $99/mo or $799/yr; VIP $499/mo, as listed September 24, 2026. Its prices have changed before.
Sources: Source 1: AI for CRE Collective, membership tiers and pricing.Is there a free option?
The CRE AI Institute has no free tier: it starts with a 7-day free trial, and one full lesson is free with no account. At the Collective, the Free tier covers the newsletter, operator and tool-demo interviews, the tool database and monthly webinars.
Sources: Source 1: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge.Do both programs teach Claude?
Yes. The CRE AI Institute is built on Claude and teaches Claude and AI agent workflows end to end on every tier. At the Collective, the 15-module Claude for CRE Masterclass is bundled with Premium ($99/mo).
Sources: Source 1: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge.Which one offers certificates?
Both. The CRE AI Institute awards two: the AI Fluency Certificate on every tier and the AI Operator Certificate on Premium. At the Collective, paid tiers from Standard include the AI for CRE Certification Course.
Sources: Source 1: AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge.Sources (6)
- AI for CRE Collective, About. Skool.
- Hidden Gems: Meet Jake Heller of AI for CRE Collective. Voyage LA.
- AI for CRE Collective, home page. aiforcrecollective.com.
- AI for CRE Collective, membership tiers and pricing. aiforcrecollective.com.
- AI for CRE Collective vs AI.Edge. aiforcrecollective.com.
- AI for CRE Collective, team training. aiforcrecollective.com.
by PSVLiveTry the Claude-native workflow on a practice deal
Claude and AI agent workflows on the Desert Grove practice deal, with answer keys. A 7-day free trial, and one full lesson free with no account.
Our members come from teams at
