Privacy Policy
Last updated: April 5, 2026
1. Introduction
Homestead Vault ("we," "us," or "our") operates the website at homesteadvault.com (the "Platform"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Platform. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data responsibly. Please read this policy carefully. By using the Platform, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Account Information
When you create an account through our authentication provider, we collect your name, email address, and login method. We may also collect your phone number if you choose to provide it in your profile settings.
2.2 Property Information
When you register a property, we collect the property address, city, state, zip code, and property type. We may also retrieve additional property details from third-party data providers (see Section 5), including parcel number, year built, square footage, assessed value, market value, taxable value, legal description, subdivision, and land use classification.
2.3 Documents and Files
When you upload documents, we collect the file itself along with metadata you provide, including title, description, category, tags, and expiration dates. Files are stored securely in Amazon Web Services (AWS) S3 cloud storage (see Section 4).
2.4 Contractor Information
Contractors who register on the Platform provide their business name, service discipline, address, phone number, email, website, license number, years of experience, service area, and business description. This information is displayed publicly in the contractor directory.
2.5 Communications
When you send messages, quote requests, or inquiries through the Platform, we store the content of those communications to facilitate the conversation between homeowners and contractors.
2.6 Newsletter Subscriptions
If you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your email address and, optionally, your name. We also record the source of the subscription (landing page, blog, or builder portal).
2.7 Automatically Collected Information
When you visit the Platform, we may automatically collect certain information including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, and the date and time of your visit. This information is used for analytics and to improve the Platform experience.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- Provide and maintain the Platform: To operate your account, store your documents, display property information, and facilitate communication between users.
- Property data enrichment: To retrieve property tax records and property details from third-party APIs to enhance your property profile.
- Contractor directory: To display contractor listings, reviews, and portfolio information to homeowners searching for service providers.
- Location-based services: To geocode contractor addresses for location-based search functionality, enabling homeowners to find nearby contractors.
- Notifications: To send document expiration reminders, new message alerts, and other service-related notifications.
- Newsletter: To send periodic emails about home maintenance tips, platform updates, and relevant content to subscribers.
- Analytics: To understand how users interact with the Platform and to improve our services.
- Security: To detect and prevent fraud, unauthorized access, and other harmful activities.
4. Data Storage and Security
4.1 File Storage (Amazon S3)
All documents, photos, and files uploaded to the Platform are stored in Amazon Web Services (AWS) S3 cloud storage. AWS S3 provides industry-standard encryption, redundancy, and access controls. Files are stored with unique, non-enumerable keys to prevent unauthorized access. We retain your files for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the service.
4.2 Database
Account information, property records, contractor listings, and other structured data are stored in a secure MySQL-compatible database with encrypted connections. Passwords are not stored on our Platform — authentication is handled by our third-party OAuth provider.
4.3 Security Measures
We implement reasonable technical and organizational security measures, including encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/TLS), secure session management with signed JWT tokens, tokenized document sharing links with configurable expiration and PIN protection, and role-based access controls. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
5. Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services to operate the Platform:
| Service | Purpose | Data Shared |
|---|---|---|
| ATTOM Data Solutions | Property tax records and property data lookup | Property address (street, city, state, zip) |
| Google Maps Platform | Geocoding contractor addresses for location-based search | Contractor business addresses |
| Amazon Web Services (S3) | Secure file and document storage | Uploaded files and associated metadata |
| Manus OAuth | User authentication and session management | Name, email, and authentication tokens |
Each third-party service has its own privacy policy governing how they handle data. We encourage you to review their respective privacy policies. We only share the minimum data necessary for each service to function.
6. Cookies and Session Management
The Platform uses cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
- Authentication cookies: We use a signed session cookie (JWT) to maintain your login state across page visits. This cookie is essential for the Platform to function and cannot be disabled while using authenticated features.
- Security cookies: We may use cookies to help detect and prevent fraudulent activity and unauthorized access.
- Analytics: We may use analytics tools that set cookies to help us understand how visitors interact with the Platform, including pages visited, time spent, and navigation patterns.
We do not use advertising cookies or sell your data to advertisers. You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling essential cookies may prevent you from using authenticated features of the Platform.
7. Document Sharing
When you create a document share link, the documents become accessible to anyone with the link until the link expires or is revoked. Share links can be configured with expiration dates, access count limits, and optional PIN protection. Shared document views do not expose your personal information (name, email, or account details) to the recipient. You can revoke any share link at any time from your account.
8. Data Retention
We retain your personal information and uploaded documents for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal information and documents within a reasonable timeframe, except where retention is required by law or for legitimate business purposes (such as resolving disputes or enforcing our Terms of Service). Newsletter subscribers can unsubscribe at any time, after which we retain only the email address and unsubscription date for compliance purposes.
9. Your Rights
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Access: You can access your personal information through your account settings and property dashboard at any time.
- Correction: You can update your account information, property details, and contractor profile through the Platform.
- Deletion: You can request deletion of your account and associated data by contacting us.
- Data portability: You can download your documents from the Platform at any time.
- Opt-out: You can unsubscribe from newsletter communications at any time.
10. Children's Privacy
The Platform is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Platform after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.
12. Contact Us
If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us through the Platform or visit our website at homesteadvault.com.