Privacy Policy

CertifiedRealEstateAppraiser.com ("we," "our," or "the platform") is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that data.

1. Information We Collect

From appraisal request submissions (consumers)

When you submit an appraisal request through our Find an Appraiser form, we collect: your name, email address, phone number, property address, property type, appraisal purpose, and any additional details you provide voluntarily.

From directory listing applications (appraisers)

When you apply for a directory listing, we collect: your full name, business name, email address, phone number, city, state, website URL, license type, service areas, specialties, and a professional bio. We also collect payment information through Stripe — we do not store credit card numbers directly; all payment processing is handled by Stripe.

From practice exam submissions

When you take the practice exam, we collect your email address and your exam attempt data (score, correct answers) to save your result and process your unlock purchase if applicable.

Automatically collected data

We may collect standard web analytics data including IP address, browser type, referring URL, and pages visited. This data is used in aggregate and is not tied to individual identities.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Match appraisal requests with qualified appraisers in your area
• Process directory listing applications and payments
• Verify appraiser credentials against the ASC National Registry
• Deliver practice exam results after payment verification
• Respond to contact form inquiries
• Send transactional emails related to your request, listing, or purchase
• Improve the platform and user experience

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not use your information for advertising targeting.

3. Data Sharing

We share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

• With appraisers: When you submit a consumer appraisal request, your contact and property information is shared with qualified appraisers in your area so they can respond to your request.
• With Stripe: Payment information is processed by Stripe, Inc. under their own privacy policy and PCI-DSS compliance standards.
• With Airtable: We use Airtable as our secure backend database to store form submissions and directory records.
• As required by law: We may disclose information if required by applicable law, regulation, or legal process.

4. Data Retention

Consumer appraisal request data is retained for up to 12 months and then deleted or anonymized. Directory listing data is retained for the duration of the listing and for 12 months following expiration or cancellation. Practice exam attempt data is retained for up to 6 months.

5. Your Rights

You have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal data. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the address on our contact page. We will respond within 30 days.

6. Cookies

We use localStorage (browser storage) to temporarily save your practice exam results between the quiz submission and the payment return. This data is stored only in your browser and is cleared after your results are displayed. We do not use tracking cookies or third-party advertising cookies.

7. Security

All data transmitted to and from this platform is encrypted via HTTPS. Sensitive credentials (Airtable tokens, Stripe keys) are stored as server-side environment variables and are never exposed in client-side code. Payment processing is handled entirely by Stripe and is PCI-DSS compliant.

8. Children's Privacy

This platform is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact

For any privacy-related questions or requests, please use the form on our contact page.