Privacy Policy

Effective Date: February 4, 2025

Home Search ("Service", "we", "us", or "our") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our Service.

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

Account information: name, email address, and password when you register
Board content: property listings you save, notes you write, board names and section configurations
Collaboration data: email addresses of users you invite to share boards

Information Collected Automatically

Usage data: pages visited, features used, and interactions with the Service
Device information: browser type, operating system, and device type (for responsive design purposes only)
Cookies: session cookies necessary for authentication and Service functionality

Information from Third Parties

If you sign in with Google, we receive your name and email address from Google. We do not receive or store your Google password. If you import property data from external listing sites, we store only the data displayed in your board.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

Provide, maintain, and improve the Service
Authenticate your identity and secure your account
Send transactional emails (welcome email, password resets, board invitations)
Enable collaboration features (sharing boards with other users)
Respond to support requests

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes.

3. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

Home Search is not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose personal information from children under 18.

Our registration process requires users to be at least 18 years old. If we discover that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take immediate steps to delete that information from our records.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided personal information to us, please contact us at support@homesearch.app and we will promptly delete the information.

4. Data Sharing

We share your information only in the following circumstances:

With your collaborators: when you share a board, invited members can see the board content and your display name
Service providers: we use third-party services for email delivery (Resend), authentication, and database hosting. These providers process data solely on our behalf and are bound by data processing agreements
Legal requirements: if required by law, regulation, legal process, or enforceable governmental request

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

Passwords are hashed using bcrypt with salt rounds
All data transmitted via HTTPS encryption
Authentication tokens with expiration
Database access controls and authorization checks on all operations

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account, we delete your personal data, boards, and associated content. Some data may be retained in backups for a limited period.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

Access: request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
Correction: update or correct inaccurate information via your account settings
Deletion: delete your account and associated data at any time
Data portability: request your data in a machine-readable format
Withdrawal of consent: where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time

To exercise these rights, contact us at support@homesearch.app.

8. Cookies

We use only essential cookies required for the Service to function:

Session cookies: to maintain your authenticated session
Security cookies: for CSRF protection and secure authentication

We do not use tracking cookies, advertising cookies, or analytics cookies that track you across other websites.

9. Third-Party Links

The Service may contain links to third-party websites (such as property listing sites). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on the Service and updating the effective date. Your continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, your data, or your privacy rights, please contact us at:

Email: support@homesearch.app