Privacy Policy

HGAR sites, www.HGAR.com, RealEstateInDepth.com, and other sites owned or operated by HGAR on which this policy is linked or appears (“Site” or “Sites”) are owned, operated, and maintained by Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS®, Inc. (“HGAR”) in this Policy. Please read this Privacy Policy (“Policy”) carefully as it discloses the privacy practices of this Site. By accessing this Site, you indicate your acceptance of this Policy. Users of this site must be at least 13 years old; access or use by anyone younger is not authorized.

HGAR may modify this Policy from time to time by displaying the updated Policy on the Site. Please check this page regularly to ensure that you are familiar with the current version of Policy. Your continued use of the Site after the updated Policy is displayed indicates your agreement to the modified Policy.

HGAR is committed to your privacy and security, and wants to provide you with the best possible online experience. To that end, we want you to understand what kinds of information we gather from you, how this information is used, safeguarded, and how you can control its use.

1. Information Collection

(a) HGAR is the sole owner of the information collected on the Site. HGAR only has access to and collects information that you voluntarily give us.

(b) The kind of information that HGAR collects from you will vary, depending on how you use the Site. Sometimes HGAR will collect personally identifiable information (“Personal Information”). For example, if you choose to take advantage of the HGAR Member Services content or the HGMLS Matrix™ system, you may be asked to provide information such as a user name and password, your real name, e-mail address, phone number, and address.
(c) In addition to the Personal Information you choose to submit, our systems are set up to gather certain data to help us to better understand how the Site is being used and how we can improve it. This data may not be linked to you personally. This automatically gathered data includes your computer’s “Internet Protocol” (“IP”) address, statistics about how visitors navigate through our Site and information provided through the use of cookies and web beacons (which is described in more detail below).

(d) Finally, as you visit our Site, be aware that third parties may at times be able to gather information from you. For example, third party marketing companies and ad servers may use their own cookies, and companies offering products or services through HGAR Sites may use their own cookies and may collect and use the information you submit. In these cases, the third parties may use your information according to their own privacy policies, which may differ from this Policy.

2. Information Use and Sharing

(a) HGAR uses the information to understand your needs and provide you with better services, and may use the information for purposes such as: improve and customize the content and layout of our Sites and other communications tools; send you e-mail news updates; notify you of relevant products and services; track usage of our Sites; provide more relevant advertising on other websites; notify you of upcoming HGAR events and programs; keep internal records; and other such purposes.

(b) The use of your information depends on the context in which it is collected.  The following Sections 3-8, describe in more detail the type of information that is collected and how it is used.

(c) Additionally, we will disclose Personal Information when we believe in good faith that such disclosures (i) are required by law, including, for example, to comply with a court order or subpoena, or (ii) will help to: enforce our policies; protect your safety or security, including the safety and security of property that belongs to you; and/or, protect the safety and security of our Site(s) or third parties.

(d) HGAR will never sell your information.

3. Cookies, Web Beacons, and similar technology

(a) HGAR uses “cookies” on this Site. Cookies are small files that are sent to and stored on your computer so that we and third parties that provide services for our Sites can recognize your computer as a unique machine the next time you visit our Sites.  This technology is used to keep track of your information for your own convenience; help us optimize your online experience by altering our content depending on your particular needs or browsing patterns; provide you with advertisements (on and off our Site), products and services potentially of interest to you; help us understand the size of our audience and their traffic patterns within our network; and help us pursue similar goals.

(b) Some of our advertisers and third-party ad servers may also utilize their own cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies, which are subject to their own privacy policies. Also, companies offering products or services through HGAR websites may use their own cookies, which are subject to their own privacy policies.

4. Registered User Information

(a) The information you provide when you become a registered user to certain pages of the Sites is used primarily to help us customize your online experience.  Your user name and/or e-mail address serves as a unique identifier in our record system, and it is used together with your password to prevent unauthorized access to any information you choose to store on our Sites.

(b) The data you give us about your personal preferences and demographics (such as zip code, occupation, or other data) may be used to help us offer content, advertisements, products and services that are most likely to appeal to you.  In addition, we may share this information, in aggregate form, with our current and potential advertisers so they can know how to present their ads more effectively.

(c) By registering with and on the HGAR Site, you are confirming that you are at least 18 years old or older.

(d) Unless you specify that you would prefer not to hear from us, we may also use the e-mail address you provide at registration to contact you for promotional, administrative, or other reasons.  You may have these communications terminated at any time.  If you indicate that you’re interested in hearing from other companies or HGAR’s affiliates, we may also share your contact information for that purpose.

5. Education/Class Registration Services

(a) You may choose to register for courses available through HGAR through the Sites. You may store your preferences for convenience in using the Site, or making an online purchase.  The information you submit is used by HGAR to provide event registration; HGAR may share your information if HGAR uses a third party to actually process your registration. HGAR may also share this information with subcontractors, but only to the extent necessary to fulfill your request.  In addition, we may use the contact information and nonfinancial order information you’ve supplied, such as your e-mail address, as set out in Section 4 above.

(b) Education/class registration through the Site will require submission of financial information, such as a credit card number, for the online purchase. This financial information is used only for processing your payment, and is not retained after completion of your order unless you have given us the authority to store your credit card information. HGAR may, however, store your nonfinancial order information for accounting purposes and to help us to understand your preferences better so that we can offer you future products or services that you may find useful. Your credit card information will never be sold, shared or provided to other third parties.

6. Solicited Information

You may occasionally see surveys, contests, sweepstakes, or other features of our Site that ask you to provide us with Personal Information (“Solicited Information”). Your participation in Solicited Information requests is completely voluntary and optional. When you choose to respond to these requests, the Personal Information you offer may be used for several purposes, which include the uses set out in the Section 4 above. They also include providing information to third parties as necessary for prize fulfillment and other aspects of any sweepstake or similar offerings.

7. User Initiated Communication

Our websites enable you to e-mail us or third parties and to participate in HGAR Members Services content, bulletin boards, and discussion groups. Whenever you choose to initiate these kinds of communication with us, or anyone else, you may expect to be contacted in return.

8. Automatically Gathered Data

The information gathered automatically by our system—such as your computer’s IP address, the kind of browser you’re using, a record of your navigation through our Site, and information obtained through cookies and web beacons—may be used by HGAR so we can understand how to make our Sites convenient and useful to our audience, in addition to the other ways outlined in this Policy.  HGAR may also share this information with our current and potential advertisers so they can know how to present their advertisements more effectively.

9. Limiting Information Gathering

(a) You also have the ability to customize your e-mail correspondence from us at any time. You will either be given the chance to opt-out of email communications via the HGAR Member Services user profile or HGAR will provide a means to stop receiving email, such as contacting the appropriate webmaster with your request to unsubscribe and we will promptly remove your address from that e-mail service.

(b) If you feel concerned about the cookies that are sent between our computers and yours, you may, through your Web browser, either choose to reject them automatically, or have your computer prompt you before accepting them. Generally, this is done by selecting the appropriate cookies setting on your Web browser (usually found in “Internet Options” or “Preferences”). Please note, however, that some of our features and services depend on the use of cookies. Therefore, you will be unable to take advantage of those features if you choose not to accept cookies.

Third-Party Analytics Providers, Ad Servers, and Similar Third Parties

In addition to Cordless Media performing its own analytics and targeting content and advertisements on our Websites and elsewhere online, we may work with third-party network advertisers, ad agencies, analytics service providers, and other vendors to provide us with such information and services. These service providers may set and access their own tracking technologies on your device (including cookies and web beacons) and may otherwise collect or have access to information about you. Some of these parties may collect Personal Information over time when you visit the Websites or other online websites and services. We may share Usage Data or de-identified data about visitors with third-party advertising companies, analytics providers and other vendors for analytics and advertising purposes.

Opting Out of Behavioral Advertising

Cordless Media adheres to the guidelines of the Network Advertising Initiative (“NAI”) and the Digital Advertising Alliance (“DAA”) Self-Regulatory Program for Online Behavioral Advertising, and has implemented opt-out procedures in accordance with those organizations’ programs. Some of our advertising service providers may also be members and offer an opt-out of behavioral advertising. You may want to visit http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp, which provides information regarding targeted advertising and the opt-out offered by NAI members. You may also want to visit http://www.aboutads.info/choices/, which provides an opt-out by participating companies in the DAA Self-Regulatory Program. If you would like to opt-out of behavioral advertising controlled by Cordless Media you may visit the NAI and DAA links provided above. Please note that Cordless Media and other companies may still collect information when you are online and opting out through these mechanisms does not opt you out of being served advertising. You will continue to be served generic ads while online. For more about how Google uses your information, please click here.

California Residents – Your California Privacy Rights

Pursuant to California Civil Code Section 1798.83, residents of the State of California have the right to request from companies conducting business in California certain information relating to third parties to which the company has disclosed certain categories of personal information during the preceding year for the third parties’ direct marketing purposes. Alternatively, the law provides that a company may comply, as Cordless Media does, by disclosing in its privacy policy that it provides consumers choice (opt-out or opt-in) regarding sharing personal information with third parties for those third parties’ direct marketing purposes, and information on how to exercise that choice. As stated above in this Privacy Policy, Cordless Media provides you choice prior to sharing your personal information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes. If you do not opt-in or if you choose to opt-out at the time Cordless Media offers that choice, Cordless Media does not share your information with that identified third party for its direct marketing purposes.

If you are a California resident and you have questions about our practices with respect to sharing information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes and your ability to exercise choice, please send your request by email to privacy@cordlessmedia.com write to us at: Cordless Media LLC, 502 S College Ave, Suite 205, Tempe AZ 85281, Attention: Cordless Media Legal Department. You must put the statement “Your California Privacy Rights” in the subject field of your email or include it in your writing if you choose to write to us at the designated mailing address. You must include your name, street address, city, state, and ZIP code. We are not responsible for notices that are not labeled or sent properly, or do not have complete information. Please note that we are only required to respond to one request per person each year.

10. Security

(a) HGAR takes precautions to protect your information. Whenever Personal Information about you is stored on our computers, that information is password-protected from unauthorized access or use. In addition, this information is kept only on servers that are located behind a firewall.

(b) HGAR has additional security measures for financial information. We will only transmit or ask for this information over secure Internet connections, using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption, the currently accepted standard for online security, and security keys. In addition, we require password authentication from any third parties you’ve authorized to receive this information. Finally, your credit card number and financial information are never stored on our servers.  While this means you may have to enter this information more than once, we believe the added security is worth the extra effort.

(c) Of course, we appreciate your help in safeguarding the integrity of your own and others’ privacy. We hope you’ll use common sense whenever you disclose Personal Information over the Internet. Please let us know immediately if you suspect that the information you share with us is being used in any way contrary to this Privacy Policy.

(d) You acknowledge that no data transmission is 100% secure, as such, despite HGAR’s best efforts, HGAR cannot guarantee or warrant the security of any information you provide to HGAR.

11. Outside Links

This Policy only applies to Sites owned and operated by HGAR.  Our pages contain links to websites outside our control. Please be aware that these websites may collect information about you, and operate according to their own privacy practices that may differ from this Policy.  HGAR is not responsible for content of privacy practices of other such websites.

12. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless HGAR (and its members, directors, officers, employees, service providers, representatives, and agents) against all liabilities, losses, damages, and costs (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that they may incur based on claims arising out of (1) your use of our Site or products obtained through it, or (2) a violation of this Policy. HGAR reserves the right, at our own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter for which it is entitled to indemnification. You agree to provide HGAR with whatever cooperation HGAR reasonably requests.

13. Severability

If a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any provision of this Policy are unenforceable for any reason, then that provision will be deleted and the remaining provisions will be enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. In the event a court having jurisdiction over the parties holds any provision of this Agreement invalid or unenforceable, the parties shall negotiate in good faith to replace the invalid or unenforceable provision, if possible, with a valid provision that most closely approximates the intent and economic effect of the invalid provision.

14. Contact Information

If you have concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, contact us at:

Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS®, Inc.
One Maple Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605
Phone: (914) 681-0833
Fax: (914) 294-7905
E-mail: support@HGAR.com

This privacy policy is subject to amendment or modification at any time with or without notice to you.