Privacy Policy

1. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected through gosterling360.com and through related communications with Sterling Real Estate Group, including website forms, property inquiries, telephone calls, text messages, emails, open houses, in-person communications, and other interactions related to our real estate services.

This Policy also applies to information maintained in systems we use to operate our brokerage, such as customer relationship management systems, lead-management platforms, transaction-management systems, website tools, and communications platforms.

This Policy does not control the privacy practices of independent third-party websites or services that may be linked to or embedded within our Site. Those services may maintain their own privacy policies and practices.

2. Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with Sterling Real Estate Group and the Site.

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you submit a form, request information, inquire about a property, request a home valuation, request a showing, communicate with one of our brokers, sign up for real estate information, or otherwise contact us, you may provide information such as:

• Name;
• Email address;
• Telephone number;
• Mailing address;
• Property address;
• Preferred method of contact;
• Buying or selling timeline;
• Property-search preferences;
• Price range and desired property characteristics;
• Information about a property you own or may wish to sell;
• Questions, messages, and other information you choose to provide.

2.2 Property Search and Website Account Information

If property-search features allow you to create an account, save a search, save a property, request information, or receive listing updates, information associated with those activities may be collected and stored.

This may include search criteria, listings viewed, saved properties, search preferences, price ranges, locations, property types, and other real estate preferences.

2.3 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit the Site, certain technical and usage information may be collected automatically by our website, hosting providers, analytics tools, advertising technologies, security systems, and other service providers.

This information may include:

• IP address;
• Browser and device type;
• Operating system;
• Approximate geographic region derived from an IP address;
• Pages and property listings viewed;
• Searches performed;
• Referring website or advertising source;
• Time spent on pages;
• Links and buttons clicked;
• Form interactions;
• Cookie and similar technology identifiers;
• Advertising and campaign attribution information;
• Website security and server-log information.

2.4 Information From Third Parties

We may receive information from third parties involved in providing or supporting our real estate services. Depending on the circumstances, these sources may include:

• Multiple listing services and IDX providers;
• Public property and government records;
• Real estate advertising and lead-generation platforms;
• Search engines and advertising platforms;
• Social media platforms;
• Other real estate professionals;
• Clients or individuals who refer someone to Sterling;
• Technology and service providers supporting our Site and brokerage.

2.5 Sensitive Information

We do not intend for ordinary website forms to be used to submit highly sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers, complete financial-account numbers, passwords to financial accounts, or other information that is unnecessary for an initial real estate inquiry.

If sensitive information is required during an actual real estate transaction, it may be collected through appropriate transaction, financial, title, escrow, lender, e-signature, or other secure systems rather than through a general website inquiry form.

3. How We Use Information

Sterling Real Estate Group may use information we collect to:

• Respond to questions and real estate inquiries;
• Provide requested property information;
• Schedule or coordinate property showings;
• Assist prospective buyers and sellers;
• Provide property-search results and real estate information;
• Provide saved searches, listing updates, or market information when requested;
• Route an inquiry to an appropriate Sterling real estate broker;
• Communicate regarding an active or prospective real estate transaction;
• Provide and administer real estate brokerage services;
• Maintain client and brokerage records;
• Operate, maintain, secure, and improve our Site;
• Understand how visitors use the Site;
• Measure advertising and marketing performance;
• Improve our marketing, website content, and lead-generation systems;
• Prevent spam, fraud, misuse, and security incidents;
• Comply with legal, regulatory, brokerage, and recordkeeping obligations.

We may also use information to personalize real estate information based on the preferences or property interests you have provided to us.

4. How We Share Information

Sterling Real Estate Group does not sell your personal information for money.

We may disclose information when reasonably necessary to operate our business, provide requested services, or comply with applicable law.

4.1 Sterling Brokers and Personnel

Information may be shared with Sterling Real Estate Group brokers, staff, contractors, or other personnel when necessary to respond to an inquiry, provide brokerage services, administer a transaction, or operate the brokerage.

4.2 Service Providers

We may provide information to companies that perform services on our behalf, including providers of:

• Website hosting and infrastructure;
• IDX and property-search technology;
• Customer relationship management and lead management;
• Email and communications services;
• Telephone and text-message services;
• Website analytics;
• Advertising and conversion measurement;
• Transaction management and electronic signatures;
• Document storage;
• Cybersecurity, spam prevention, and website protection;
• Other technology used to operate our brokerage.

4.3 Real Estate and Transaction Professionals

When reasonably necessary for a requested service or transaction, information may be shared with other real estate professionals or service providers, such as cooperating real estate brokers, lenders, escrow or title companies, inspectors, contractors, attorneys, or other professionals.

We may also make introductions to third-party professionals when you request or authorize us to do so.

4.4 Legal and Safety Reasons

We may disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law, legal process, regulatory requirements, court orders, government requests, or to protect the rights, safety, security, or property of Sterling Real Estate Group, our clients, our brokers, Site users, or others.

4.5 With Your Direction or Consent

We may disclose information for another purpose when you direct, request, or authorize us to do so.

4.6 Mobile Information

Mobile information and SMS consent information will not be sold or shared with third parties for their independent marketing or promotional purposes. Information may be provided to service providers when necessary to deliver communications you have requested or consented to receive.

5. Cookies, Pixels, and Tracking Technologies

Our Site and the services that support it may use cookies, pixels, tags, web beacons, local storage, server logs, and similar technologies.

These technologies may be used to:

• Operate essential Site functionality;
• Remember preferences;
• Support property-search functionality;
• Maintain website security;
• Understand how visitors use the Site;
• Measure traffic and conversions;
• Identify which advertising or marketing source led a visitor to the Site;
• Improve website and advertising performance.

Browser Controls

Most web browsers allow you to control or delete cookies through browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of portions of the Site.

6. Email, Telephone, and Text Communications

If you provide your contact information and request information from Sterling Real Estate Group, we may contact you to respond to your inquiry and provide relevant real estate information.

Where a form specifically requests consent to telephone, text, or email communications, communications will be made in accordance with the consent provided and applicable law.

Text Messages

If you consent to receive text messages, message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply depending on your wireless plan. You may reply STOP to a marketing text message to request that marketing text messages stop.

Email

Marketing emails may include an unsubscribe mechanism. You may use that mechanism to opt out of future marketing emails.

Consent Is Not a Condition of Purchase

Consent to receive marketing telephone calls, text messages, or emails is not a condition of purchasing any property or service.

Requests to stop marketing communications do not necessarily prevent communications that are required or reasonably necessary regarding an active transaction, requested service, or other non-marketing matter.

7. Children’s Privacy

The Site is intended for adults and is not directed to children under 13 years of age.

Sterling Real Estate Group does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the Site. If we learn that such information has been submitted to us, we may take reasonable steps to delete it.

A parent or guardian who believes a child has provided personal information through the Site may contact us using the information in Section 16.

8. Your Privacy Choices and Rights

Depending on applicable law and the nature of the information we maintain, you may request that we:

• Provide information about personal information we maintain about you;
• Correct inaccurate personal information;
• Delete certain personal information;
• Stop or limit certain marketing communications;
• Withdraw consent where processing depends on consent.

Certain information may need to be retained despite a deletion request when required for legal, regulatory, brokerage, transaction-recordkeeping, accounting, fraud-prevention, dispute, or other legitimate purposes.

To submit a privacy request, email hello@gosterling360.com.

We may need to verify your identity before processing certain privacy requests.

9. Advertising and Analytics

Sterling Real Estate Group may use analytics, advertising, and conversion-measurement technologies to understand how visitors find and use our Site and to evaluate the effectiveness of our marketing.

These technologies may collect information such as pages visited, advertisements viewed or clicked, referral sources, device information, cookie identifiers, and actions taken on the Site.

We may use advertising platforms, including search-engine and social media advertising platforms, to promote Sterling Real Estate Group and our real estate services.

Those platforms may use cookies or similar technologies according to their own privacy policies and settings.

10. Information Security

Sterling Real Estate Group uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures intended to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

No website, electronic communication, database, or information system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of information transmitted to or maintained by us.

Users should avoid submitting highly sensitive information through ordinary website forms or unsecured email unless specifically instructed to do so.

11. Data Retention

Sterling Real Estate Group retains personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, to provide requested services, maintain appropriate business and brokerage records, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

Different categories of information may be retained for different periods depending on the nature of the information and applicable requirements.

12. Third-Party Sites and Services

The Site may contain links to, content from, or integrations with third-party websites and services.

These may include property-search technology, mapping services, government resources, mortgage or lending resources, social media platforms, video services, real estate resources, and other websites.

Sterling Real Estate Group does not control the privacy practices of independent third parties. When you leave our Site or interact directly with a third-party service, that party's privacy policy may apply.

13. Real Estate–Specific Information

Real estate transactions may require information beyond what is ordinarily collected through the public portions of this Site.

When you become a client or participate in a transaction, Sterling Real Estate Group may collect and maintain information necessary to provide brokerage services and satisfy applicable transaction and recordkeeping requirements.

This information may include:

• Signed brokerage agreements;
• Purchase and sale agreements;
• Listing agreements;
• Property disclosures;
• Offer and negotiation information;
• Financial qualification or lender information relevant to a transaction;
• Inspection and due-diligence documents;
• Transaction communications;
• Closing and transaction records;
• Other documents required for the brokerage file.

Transaction information may be retained as required by applicable Washington real estate laws, regulations, brokerage policies, contractual obligations, and other recordkeeping requirements.

14. State Privacy Rights

Privacy rights differ depending on where a consumer resides. Residents of certain states may have additional rights regarding access to, correction of, deletion of, or certain uses of their personal information.

If you believe a state privacy law provides you with additional rights, you may submit a request to: hello@gosterling360.com.

We will evaluate requests under the law applicable to the individual making the request and may request information reasonably necessary to verify identity or authority.

We will not unlawfully discriminate against an individual for exercising applicable privacy rights.

15. Changes to This Policy

Sterling Real Estate Group may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our Site, services, technology, business practices, or applicable requirements.

When the Policy is updated, the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page will be revised.

Your continued use of the Site after an updated Policy is posted is subject to the updated Policy.