Spokane-based Haven Real Estate Group has been acquired by Houston-based Epique Inc., which does business as Epique Realty.

Haven Real Estate founders Robert and Cambria Henry say they agreed to join the Texas brokerage because of its extensive market presence, resources, and its culture of agent development. 

"We've always known that as a relatively small regional company, there was only going to be so much that we could offer our agents, and there was only going to be so much growth opportunity," says Robert Henry.

Epique's investment in new technology will benefit clients and Haven's 42 real estate agents, he says.

For instance, the Texas brokerage's website is integrated with artificial intelligence capable of analyzing consumer search criteria and can start conversations with potential homebuyers, resulting in significantly improved engagement. The AI program also suggests similar homes or neighborhoods that align with the customer's previous search history and can show comparable listings as ads on social media.

"Consumers are really embracing that," Henry asserts. "Clients communicated 600% more with the AI than they did with human interaction." 

For agents, Epique's active database of over 35,000 consumers offers information about where individuals are in the homebuying process. Multiple Listing Service rules and regulations are also available for agents to reference on demand, and multiple daily online classes are available for agents' continued education.

"There are so many things that would cost us literally hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to implement or match," Henry says. "How could we not provide these tools for our agents?"

A new leadership structure at Haven positions Carl Dufton, who joined Epique last July, as its new designated broker for the state of Washington, Henry says. 

The Henrys are stepping into new roles as managing brokers, where they'll spend less time on administrative duties and more time on leadership training and agent development, they say.

"I'm really excited," Cambria Henry says. "It's going to free me up to ... go out on a listing appointment with them or show them how to do a correct market analysis."

The couple decline to disclose the terms of the acquisition.

Haven will retain its brand name and  continue operating its offices in the Washington Cracker Co. Building, at 304 W. Pacific, in downtown Spokane, and at 418 E. Lakeside, in Coeur d'Alene.