1. Introduction
Shepherd Mortgage ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website or use our services. By using our Site, you consent to the practices described in this policy.
2. Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of information:
- Personal Information: Name, email address, phone number, mailing address, and other information you provide when submitting a loan application.
- Financial Information: Property details, purchase price, loan amount requested, rehab budgets, and other deal-related financial data submitted through our calculator or application forms.
- Documents: Purchase contracts, scopes of work, proof of funds, entity documents, photo identification, and any other documents you upload as part of your application.
- Usage Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, and browsing behavior on our Site, collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Process and evaluate your loan application
- Communicate with you regarding your application status
- Provide customer support and respond to inquiries
- Improve our website, services, and user experience
- Comply with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
- Detect and prevent fraud or other unauthorized activities
4. Information Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:
- Service Providers: With trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our business (e.g., hosting, analytics, document processing), subject to confidentiality agreements.
- Legal Compliance: When required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request.
- Business Transfers: In connection with any merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as a business asset.
- With Your Consent: We may share your information for purposes not described here only with your express consent.
5. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including 256-bit encryption for data in transit, secure document storage, and access controls. However, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any account credentials.
6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We may use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to collect information about your browsing activity. These technologies help us analyze website traffic, personalize content, and improve our services. You may disable cookies through your browser settings, but some features of the Site may not function properly as a result.
7. SMS / Text Messaging Program
Opt-In. We send SMS text messages only to individuals who have explicitly opted in by checking the SMS consent checkbox on a form on our website (e.g., the contact form at /contact) and providing their mobile phone number. Opt-in is never assumed and is not a condition of any service.
Types of Messages. Messages are limited to transactional and customer-service communications related to your loan inquiry, including: confirmation of inquiry receipt, appointment confirmations and reminders, document requests for in-progress underwriting, deal status and closing coordination updates, and responses to client-initiated questions. We do not send promotional, marketing, or rate-related SMS messages.
Frequency and Costs. Message frequency varies based on the status of your inquiry. Message and data rates may apply, depending on your mobile carrier plan.
Opt-Out. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message you receive from us. After opting out, you will receive a confirmation message and no further SMS messages will be sent. Reply HELP for help, or contact us directly at dan@shepmo.com or 408.821.8245.
No Sharing of Mobile Information. We do not share, sell, rent, or otherwise disclose mobile phone numbers or SMS opt-in consent information to third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Mobile information may be shared only with subprocessors necessary to deliver the SMS service itself (e.g., our messaging platform), and only for the purpose of delivering messages you have consented to receive.
Carriers. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.
8. Your Rights
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
- Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements
- Opt out of marketing communications at any time
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at dan@shepmo.com.
9. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Application data and associated documents may be retained for regulatory compliance and recordkeeping purposes.
10. Third-Party Links
Our Site may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
11. Children's Privacy
Our Site and services are not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected information from a child, we will take steps to delete it promptly.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
13. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at: dan@shepmo.com