Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Real Estate Connect ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our services. Please read this privacy policy carefully. By using our platform, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Register for an account on our platform
• Submit a property listing
• Make an enquiry about a property
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Contact us for support

This information may include your name, email address, phone number, physical address, and any other information you choose to provide.

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you access our website, we may automatically collect certain information, including:

• Device information (browser type, operating system)
• IP address and location data
• Pages visited and time spent on our platform
• Referring website addresses
• Search queries and property preferences

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain our platform
• Process property listings and enquiries
• Connect property seekers with estate agents
• Send you relevant property alerts and notifications
• Process payments and manage subscriptions
• Improve and personalise your experience
• Analyse usage patterns to enhance our services
• Communicate with you about updates, promotions, and news
• Detect and prevent fraudulent activities
• Comply with legal obligations

4. Sharing Your Information

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 With Estate Agents

When you submit an enquiry about a property, your contact information and message will be shared with the relevant estate agent to facilitate communication.

4.2 With Service Providers

We may share your information with third-party service providers who assist us in operating our platform, processing payments, sending emails, or analysing data. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption, secure servers, and regular security assessments. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our platform. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help us:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Keep you signed in to your account
• Understand how you use our platform
• Provide personalised content and recommendations
• Measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of our platform.

7. Your Rights

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and other applicable laws, you have certain rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: You can request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal obligations
• Objection: You can object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing
• Portability: You can request your data in a structured, commonly used format
• Withdrawal of Consent: You can withdraw your consent at any time

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided below.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. When your information is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymise it.

9. Third-Party Links

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated by us. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

10. Children's Privacy

Our platform is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can take appropriate action.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: