Members of the Heaps Estrin team, including Cailey Heaps and Jane McIver, gather at Rosedale Park ahead of the annual Mayfair Parade, which the team sponsored for the second consecutive year (contributed).
Heaps Estrin posts sales figures that are impressive by any standard, but inside the central Toronto real estate team much of the attention is on the small, deliberate touches that make each listing distinct.
That can mean running a direct mail campaign for a property aimed at older buyers rather than relying solely on digital ads, polishing the narrative in a client success story, or choosing the right panelists for a community event.
The strategy delivers results. Through the first four months of 2026, Heaps Estrin recorded more than $334 million in sales across 208 transactions. In 2025, the Royal LePage team reported $773 million in sales across 532 transactions.
Cailey Heaps, the team’s owner and leader, has grown Heaps Estrin into a leading Toronto real estate brand and a major player nationally. The team comprises more than 30 agents supported by a broader staff of roughly 50 to 60 people.
The in-house marketing division consists of five full-time staff. Working with outside partners and vendors, the marketing group often expands to about nine or ten contributors.
According to Jane McIver, the director of marketing and brand innovation, the team does not use a typical handoff model where marketing produces materials and agents simply apply them. Instead, agents and marketers collaborate continuously throughout campaigns and listings.
“Our in-house marketing team works closely with our agents throughout the entire process, with continuous feedback and alignment,” McIver said. “Because our agents are on the front lines with clients, their insights play an important role in shaping our strategy and execution.”
The team includes agents with experience in design, finance and architectural history. Alex Corey, the in-house architectural historian, contributes to both listing presentations and community programming.
“There’s an expert across any number of disciplines to be found here,” McIver said. “That’s the difference, as opposed to people just taking care of their own portfolio of listings. It’s a team-led approach to buying and selling real estate.”
At the same time, agents are encouraged to build specialized expertise and public profiles, supported by workshops, templates and shared resources, while operating within a cohesive brand.
The life of a listing
The backbone of each listing at Heaps Estrin is the “life of a listing,” a structured marketing process that guides properties from preparation through sale.
“From a marketing perspective, we try to give the same attention and level of care to every listing that we represent,” McIver said.
The workflow includes property preparation, pre-launch outreach, a formal launch and ongoing promotion through closing. For properties that stay on the market longer, the team reassesses marketing tactics and buyer outreach.
Channel selection depends on the property and its audience. McIver noted that print still has a role in certain campaigns.
“There may be a listing that would appeal to a much older demographic, in which case we would be better served, as would our clients, if we went with a direct mail campaign versus a splashy digital one,” she said. “So we look at everything and decide what’s best for it in the moment.”
Storytelling and brand identity
A personal, narrative-driven approach shapes much of the team’s client communication and content strategy.
“We have a deep reverence for the power of storytelling here as a brand,” McIver said.
One example is the team’s biannual print magazine, distributed to more than 40,000 homes in central Toronto and included with Toronto Life.
“We consider it a lifestyle magazine more than a real estate magazine, where we get to tell stories that are relevant for the people who call Toronto home,” McIver said. “Telling Toronto stories is a big part of our brand.”
This storytelling approach extends to listing marketing and client case studies, which often emphasize personal circumstances and life transitions surrounding a move rather than focusing solely on transaction metrics.
Events and community engagement
The team’s Real Estate Explained seminar series covers topics from financing strategies for first-time buyers and recreational property investing to broader life issues such as divorce, intergenerational wealth transfer and caregiving responsibilities within the “sandwich generation.” Panelists are drawn from a trusted network of professionals in law, finance and design.
“It demonstrates for our community that we have our own expertise insofar as the real estate part of the picture is concerned, but also that we have a prized list of collaborators and partners that we like to share,” McIver said.
The team also runs neighbourhood walking tours led by Corey that explore the architectural and social history of Toronto communities. These tours engage current clients and local residents who might not be actively buying or selling.
“We find new community members to engage with, but we also get to connect with people who maybe aren’t close to making a real estate transaction, but become part of our community,” McIver said. “We value that just as much as anything else.”
Growth through relationships
McIver said referrals and repeat clients remain the team’s primary source of new business. While digital advertising, events, direct mail and open houses play important roles in lead generation, sustained client relationships are central to long-term success.
“Our most meaningful driver of new business continues to be our brand and our client relationships,” she said. “Much of our growth comes from referrals and repeat clients, which is a reflection of the trust we’ve built over time.”
Maintaining contact between transactions is integral to the strategy. Events, publications and seminars help the team stay connected with clients during periods when they may not be actively in the market.
“Everything we do is in service to our clients,” McIver said. “And that requires both a strategic and highly tailored approach.”