We tried to write this like a human. Here's what we do with your data.
We collect data to make HomeFinder work — things like your search history so we can send you relevant listings, and your contact info so an agent can actually reach you. We don't sell your personal information. We do use third-party tools (analytics, email, ads) and those tools have their own policies worth knowing about.
If you want the full picture, read on. If something seems off or you have questions, email us directly at privacy@the-homefinder.com — a real person will respond.
Some of it you give us directly when you sign up or fill out a form. The rest we pick up automatically as you use the service — which is pretty normal for any website.
| What | For example |
|---|---|
| Account details | Name, email, phone number, password (hashed, not readable) |
| Search behavior | Homes you've viewed, filters you've set, listings you've saved |
| Transaction info | Agent messages, tour requests, offer-related documents |
| Device data | Browser type, IP address, referring URL, time on page |
| Location | City-level by default; precise GPS only if you've allowed it |
| Support history | Anything you've sent to our customer support team |
We don't collect your Social Security number, bank account details, or anything related to your mortgage directly — that's handled by Rocket Mortgage under their own privacy policy if you go that route.
Mostly: run the service. Specifically, we use your data to match you with relevant listings, connect you with agents, notify you when a home you saved drops in price, and figure out what's broken so we can fix it.
We also send marketing emails — things like "new listings in your area" or "the market just shifted in Seattle." You can opt out of those any time from your account settings or the unsubscribe link in the email. We won't take it personally.
We don't use your data to make automated decisions that significantly affect you (like loan approval). We also don't build profiles to sell to data brokers.
Yes, we use cookies. Some are essential (the site won't work without them), some help us understand how people use HomeFinder, and some are for advertising — so if you looked at a three-bedroom in Austin, you might see HomeFinder ads later when you're browsing elsewhere.
You can turn off non-essential cookies in your browser settings or through our cookie preference tool. Heads up: turning off analytics cookies means we lose the ability to see where things are broken, so we appreciate you keeping those on if you can.
Active account data stays with us as long as your account is open. After you close your account, we keep a minimal record for about seven years — mainly for legal and tax reasons. Search history gets trimmed more aggressively. If you want a specific piece of data deleted sooner, just ask and we'll do what we can within legal limits.
You have real control over your data. Depending on where you live, that includes:
To do any of these, go to your account settings or email privacy@the-homefinder.com. We try to respond within 30 days.
We use HTTPS everywhere, encrypt passwords, limit who internally can access personal data, and run regular security reviews. We've had a bug bounty program since 2019 — if you find a vulnerability, please report it to security@the-homefinder.com rather than posting it publicly, and we'll take it seriously.
No system is perfect. If there's ever a breach that affects you, we'll tell you what happened, what data was involved, and what we're doing about it.
HomeFinder is for adults — you need to be 18 or older to use the service. We don't knowingly collect data from minors. If you're a parent and think your child somehow created an account, email us and we'll delete it promptly.
We'll update this page when our practices change, and we'll note the date at the top. For significant changes — like if we ever decided to start selling data (we won't) — we'd email you directly, not just quietly update a webpage.