This Privacy Policy describes how The Real Estate Firm (“The Real Estate Firm,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and shares information when you visit or use our website, treftn.com, and any related pages, forms, and communications (collectively, the “Site”). By using the Site, you agree to the practices described here.
1. Information we collect
Information you provide
When you contact us, request a home tour or valuation, apply for a career, register for an account, or otherwise reach out, you may provide information such as your name, email address, mobile or other phone number, mailing or property address, your buying/selling preferences, and the contents of your message.
Account information
If you create a visitor account to save searches and favorite properties, we store your email address, a securely hashed password, and the searches, favorites, and listings you save or view.
Information collected automatically
Like most websites, we automatically collect certain technical information — such as your IP address, browser and device type, pages and listings you view, referring pages, and similar usage data — through cookies and similar technologies (see “Cookies and tracking” below).
Information from third parties
We receive property listing data from Multiple Listing Services (“MLS”) and their participating brokers (see “MLS and IDX listing data” below). This is information about properties, not personal information about you.
2. How we use your information
- Respond to your inquiries and connect you with one of our agents.
- Provide the services you request — home searches, saved searches, favorites, tour scheduling, and property or market information.
- Send you communications you’ve asked for or that relate to your inquiry, including transactional messages, listing alerts, and — where permitted — market updates and other marketing (by email or text).
- Operate, maintain, secure, and improve the Site.
- Comply with our legal, regulatory, and professional obligations.
3. Text messaging (SMS/MMS)
If you provide your mobile phone number and opt in, you may receive text messages from The Real Estate Firm and/or your agent — for example, replies to your inquiry, tour coordination, listing information, and follow-ups related to your real estate needs.
Message frequency. Message frequency varies based on your interactions with us.
Message and data rates. Message and data rates may apply.
We do not share your mobile information. No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent are never shared with any third parties. Information may be shared only with the vendors that help us operate our messaging program (for example, our messaging provider), solely so we can deliver these messages to you.
Opting out. You can cancel text messages at any time by replying STOP to any message. After you send STOP, we will send one confirmation and then stop sending texts. For help, reply HELP or contact us at (865) 770-4030. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.
You are not required to consent to receive text messages as a condition of buying or selling a property or using our services.
4. Email communications
We may send you transactional emails (responding to your inquiry) and, where permitted, marketing emails such as listing alerts and market updates. Every marketing email includes an unsubscribe link, and you can opt out at any time through that link or our unsubscribe page. Some of our marketing emails include open- and click-tracking so we can understand engagement and improve what we send.
5. Cookies and tracking
We use cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember your preferences, measure how many property pages you’ve viewed, and understand how the Site is used. Some pages use analytics and, for our own marketing emails, open/click measurement. You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings, though some features (such as saved searches) may not work without them.
6. How we share information
We do not sell your personal information. We share it only as follows:
- With our agents and staff — so the right person can respond to your inquiry and assist you.
- With service providers — vendors who host our Site and deliver our email, text messaging, mapping, and similar services, under contracts that limit their use of your information to providing those services to us.
- For legal reasons — when required by law, regulation, legal process, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our clients, our company, or others.
- In a business transfer — in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, subject to this policy.
As stated above, your mobile phone number and SMS opt-in consent are never shared with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing.
7. MLS and IDX listing data
Property listings on the Site are provided through the Internet Data Exchange (“IDX”) program of the applicable MLS and are sourced from participating brokers. Listing content is owned by the listing brokers and the MLS and is provided for consumers’ personal, non-commercial use to identify prospective properties.
IDX information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS or The Real Estate Firm. Listings are subject to prior sale, change, or withdrawal, and you should independently verify all information, including square footage, lot size, schools, taxes, and property condition. If you believe a listing displayed on the Site is inaccurate, please contact us and we will work with the MLS to address it.
8. Data retention
We keep personal information for as long as needed to provide our services, maintain our client relationships, and meet our legal, accounting, and professional obligations, after which we delete or de-identify it.
9. Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information — for example, storing account passwords only in a securely hashed form. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, however, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
10. Your choices and rights
- Opt out of marketing emails using the unsubscribe link in any message.
- Opt out of text messages by replying STOP.
- Access, correct, or request deletion of your account information, or ask us about the personal information we hold, by contacting us below.
Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under applicable privacy laws. We will respond to verifiable requests as required by law. We do not knowingly discriminate against you for exercising these rights.
11. Children’s privacy
The Site is intended for adults and is not directed to children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us information, please contact us so we can delete it.
12. Third-party links and services
The Site may link to third-party websites and services, such as our preferred mortgage partner. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties; their own privacy policies govern your use of their services.
13. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date above. Material changes will be posted on this page, and your continued use of the Site after an update means you accept the revised policy.
14. Contact us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your information, contact us at:
The Real Estate Firm
Knoxville, Tennessee
Phone: (865) 770-4030
Email: info@therealestatefirmtn.com
See also our Terms & Conditions.