PRIVACY POLICY

INTRODUCTION

Nationwide Realty Corp. (“Nationwide”, “we”, “our” or “us”) is a British Columbia based commercial and residential real estate brokerage licensed with the BC Financial Services Authority (“BCFSA”).  We respect your privacy and we are committed to protecting it in accordance with this Privacy Policy (“Policy”), applicable privacy and real estate legislation, and any other applicable provincial or federal legislation. 

Nationwide provides our licensed real estate professionals (“agents” also known as independent contractrors ) and our clients with access to a software application, Nationwide Realty Corp. (the “App”) and various web site / social media platforms.    The App allows individuals to connect and communicate with Nationwide agents about real estate services. It also allows Nationwide clients to access relevant real estate information, such as listings in their geographic area, exclusive Nationwide listings, and pre-sale information.

The purpose of this Policy is to provide you with information about how we collect, use, disclose and protect your personal information in connection with the App, our website https://nationwiderealty.ca/ (the “Site” or any other sites ), as well as any other services made available through or in relation to the App and Site (the “Services”). 

In this Policy, “personal information” means information about an identifiable individual.   

This Policy applies to all users of the App, (this web site ) or any other Site and Services (“Users”).  This Policy applies only to information we collect in the App and in e-mail, text, and other electronic communications sent through or in connection with the App, Site or Services.  This Policy does not apply to information that we collect offline or on any other applications or websites, including third party websites that you may access through the App or Site.  Note that if you decide to engage the services of a Nationwide agent, who work as independent contractors, your relationship with Nationwide and the agent will be subject to additional terms and conditions, including those set out in applicable service agreements and related privacy and consent forms.  At that point, Nationwide is required by law to collect certain additional personal information from you.

Your use of the Site and the App is subject to our Terms of Use. https://nationwiderealty.ca/terms-conditions.html

CONSENT

Please read this Policy carefully.  By downloading, installing, registering with, or using the App, by visiting and using the (this web site ) or any Site provided by us , or using our Services, you acknowledge the notices in this Policy and you consent to our collection, use, disclosure, and retention of your personal information in accordance with this Policy and as otherwise permitted by law. 

We seek to collect, use and disclose your personal information with your consent or as otherwise permitted by applicable privacy laws. Subject to situations where consent is not legally required, we typically identify the purpose(s) for which we are collecting your personal information at or before the time we collect it. Depending on the sensitivity of the personal information we collect and the purposes for which we propose to collect, use, and disclose that information, your consent may be express, deemed or implied. When you voluntarily provide personal information to us, we will imply your consent.

In some cases, Nationwide may seek your consent for the use and disclosure of your personal information after it has been collected, but before it has been used or disclosed (e.g. where we want to use your personal information for a purpose not previously identified to you).  We will not use or disclose your personal information for any new purpose without first identifying the new purpose and providing notice to you or obtaining your consent (as applicable), unless otherwise permitted by law. 

If you wish to withdraw your consent to our collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information please contact us using the contact information in the “How to Contact Us” section below.  In some cases, withdrawal of your consent may not be possible due to legal obligations or requirements.  Withdrawal of your consent may also mean that you will not be able to access or use the App and/or we will no longer be able to provide certain Services to you. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, do not download, register with, or use the App, the Site, or our Services. 

PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT ABOUT YOU AND HOW WE COLLECT IT

Nationwide collects personal information from Users of the App and Site.  We have described the types of information that we collect in the categories below. 

1.              Personal Information You Provide to Nationwide

When you download, register with, or use the App or when you use the Site, Nationwide will collect the following types of personal information:

  • Contact information: we collect your personal information when you contact Nationwide directly to inquire about Site, the App, and/or the Services. This may include your name, e-mail address, mailing address, phone number, and other information that you choose to provide to us. For example, we collect your name and e-mail address when you send us a message via the “Contact Us” form on our Site, or when you send us an inquiry via e-mail.  Users can also sign up on the Site to receive electronic communication from Nationwide regarding our Services and news and events, including our newsletter.  To receive this electronic communication, we need to collect your e-mail address.  When you subscribe to our newsletter, you will be required to acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to comply with the Site’s Terms of Use and this Policy.  If you do not agree with the Terms of Use or this Policy, do not subscribe to our newsletter.

  • Home information: if you decide to use the “How much is my property worth” feature on the App, we collect your contact information your property address.

  • Financial information: if you communicate with a Nationwide agent on the App about selling your property, the Nationwide agent may collect some financial information.  For example, the Nationwide agent may collect information about your budget, whether you are pre-approved for financing or loans, and the amount of down payment available for a pre-sale purchase.

  • Messaging information: we use a third party services provider to facilitate messages between Nationwide agents and clients on the App. The third party services provider, currently PubNub, may collect personal information about these messages, including the content of any message.  PubNub’s privacy policy is available here.

  • Account and profile information: we collect your personal information when you register for an account (“Account”) with Nationwide, typically after downloading the App, and when you create or modify your Account or user profile.  This includes information such as your first and last name, your e-mail address, mobile telephone number, username and password.  Agents can register for and login to their Account via the App or the Site.  When a User registers for an Account, they will be required to acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to comply with our Terms of Use and this Policy. If you do not agree with the Terms of Use or this Policy, do not sign up for an Account.

  • Social media information: when you visit or message one of Nationwide’s social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube), we may collect personal information that you choose to submit to us such as your name, contact information, opinions, or any other information you choose to provide to us. 

  • Ratings, reviews, questions: we collect the information you include in any feedback you provide to Nationwide through the App.  We also collects the personal information that you include in any feedback that you provide to Nationwide by e-mail, through the Site, or through our social media platforms.  This may include your expressed opinions and comments about your experience with Nationwide and/or its agents.

  • Other information: we collect any other personal information that Users submit directly to Nationwide on a voluntary basis.    

2.              Personal Information Automatically Collected When Using the Site or App

  • Address book information: If a User wants to save agent or client contact information in their mobile device’s address book, Users can permit Nationwide to access the address book on their mobile device through the device’s privacy settings. 

 
  • Device information: when you access and use the App or the Site, we may automatically collect information about your access to and use of the App or the Site, such as your: internet protocol (IP) address, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), device identifier, device manufacturer, device model, operating system, platform type.

 
  • Technical and usage details: Nationwide’s third party service providers such as Google Analytics and Sentry collect information about your browsing behaviour on the Site.  Nationwide receives this as aggregated information about usage of the Site, such as the sections of the Site that you visit, the date and time of your use of the Site and your in-media time, your actions within the Site, connection speed, Site crashes and other system activity, the URLs you visited before and after using the Site, and certain content that you download from the Site. 

 

  • Location information: if you have enabled location services through your device, Nationwide may collect the geolocation of your device when you are actively using the Site or the App.  Some location-based services offered by Nationwide, such as the searching properties nearby, require your location information for the feature to work. 

 

  • Cookies and tracking technology: Nationwide collects personal information when you access the App and the Site via cookies. 

HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

Nationwide uses the personal information that we collect about Users for the following purposes:

  • Communications: we use your contact information to contact and correspond with you directly, manage our relationship, and in relation to your use of the App or Site and in relation to the provision of our Services.  For example, we use your mobile telephone number to text you a password to create your Account and to sign into your Account. Nationwide may use your contact information to provide you with information or services that you have requested.  For example, a Nationwide agent may use your e-mail address or telephone number to provide you with real estate listings and other information to assist you with the sale or purchase of real estate.  We may use your contact information to notify you when App updates are available, and of changes to any services we offer or product through it. Where we have your consent to do so, we may send you information about Nationwide’s Services, including general updates and announcements and newsletters (see below for information on how to “opt-out” of receiving certain communications from us).

  • Account and profile information: we use your Account and profile information to set up provide you with access to certain areas of the App and the Site, to create and set up your Account and user profile, and to administer your use of the App, Site and/or Services. 

  • “How much is my property worth?” feature: if you utilize the “How much is my property worth?” feature in the App, we use the residential or commercial address that you provide in order for a Nationwide agent to provide you with their estimate on valuation, recommended listing price, and information about how the agent might market the property.  In order to provide the valuation, the Nationwide agent may also use the address to visit the property.  

  • Financial information: we use financial information you provide in order to provide you with properties that suit your budget and other criteria, as well as to determine whether your down payment is sufficient for a pre-sale purchase.

  • Messaging information: we may use this information for User support services (e.g. to resolve disputes), for safety and security purposes, and to improve the App and our Services.  As explained above, we use a third party service provider to facilitate messages between agents and clients.  The service provider uses personal information to facilitate messages between agents and clients.

  • Client Service improvements: we may use the personal information that you provide to us via the App or the Site to respond to your questions, comments, or requests about the App, the Site and/or our Services, to make improvements to your experience when using the App and the Site, and to improve our Services.  In addition, we may use rating and review information, and personal information you provide when you make inquiries to us, to investigate and address individuals’ concerns and questions, including to follow-up with any concerns or issues with our Services and to make improvements to your overall experience with Nationwide.  We may also use this information to suspend or deactivate Accounts, and to assist in training our employees and service providers.

  • Social media: we use this information for the purpose of responding to inquiries made to us through social media (e.g. when you click on the “Learn more” button for a property listed on our Facebook page and submit information to us through the Facebook form) and to gauge social media engagement.

  • Device, technical and usage information: we use this this information to understand traffic and activity on the App and the Site, to enable us to improve the App, the Site and/or the Services, to understand what drives traffic to our Site, to understand interest in our Services.  We also use this information to optimize your experience with the App and the Site.  We monitor system usage, server and software performance to maintain, ensure and improve the integrity of the App and the Site.

  • Location information: we use geolocation information to provide you with location-based services on the App and the Site, and to participate in interactive features on the App. For example, when you have location services turned on, we will be able to show you available nearby properties.

  • Cookies and tracking technology: Nationwide uses cookies on the Site to collect information as you navigate through the Site.  This includes the device, technical and usage information described in the sections above.  These tracking technologies assist with Site traffic analysis, allow us to understand activity on the Site and to modify the Site to reflect an individual’s interests and preferences.  Cookies also enable the Site to save and retrieve information that you enter (for example, user preferences and settings).  Cookies may remain on your device after you leave the Site (until the cookie expires or is deleted by you).

In addition to the purposes listed above, in general, Nationwide may also use the personal information we collect about Users to:

  • conduct data analysis, testing, research, and monitor and analyze usage and activity trends;

  • to ensure compliance with and identify violations of the Terms of Use;

  • to enforce our rights arising from any contracts between you and us;

  • to identify and prevent fraudulent activity and to protect security of the Site and the App; and

  • to meet legal and regulatory requirements; meet legal and regulatory requirements.

Nationwide may also use your personal information to provide you with other services you request or for other purposes we may identify at the time.

Nationwide will only use your personal information for the purpose for which it was originally collected, or for a use consistent with that purpose, unless you expressly consent otherwise or it is permitted or required by law. 

DISCLOSURE OF YOUR INFORMATION

Except as described in this Policy or in other situations where we have provided you with prior notice, have obtained your consent, or are obligated or permitted by law, Nationwide will not share your personal information with third parties. 

As noted above, if you start working Nationwide agent (represented or unrepresented), you will be presented with additional forms and agreements by the Nationwide agent and/or Nationwide.  Personal information collected in those forms and agreements is subject to the terms and conditions described in those forms and agreements by the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA), the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) , the BCFSA, applicable real estate boards, and/or the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC).  We encourage clients to talk to their Nationwide agent directly if they have any questions about what the agent may do with their personal information for the purpose of a real estate transaction or any other real estate services. 

1.              To Third Parties With Your Consent

Our clients often ask agents for referrals to third parties for assistance with a real estate transaction, for example: lawyers, notaries, home inspectors, mortgage brokers, moving companies, tradespersons.  The App contains contact information about some of these third parties, which is visible to Users.  Nationwide clients can contact these third parties directly using the information provided in the App, or they can ask their agent to make an introduction in which case the agent would disclose personal information about the client to the third party.

2.              Where Required or Authorized by Law

Under certain circumstances, Nationwide will disclose your personal information without first obtaining your consent to law enforcement and other governmental authorities when we are required or permitted by law to do so, including for the reporting of or investigation of improper or unlawful activities, or if we believe disclosure is reasonable to comply with court orders, to protect health and safety, or to protect Nationwide’s rights and property

As a condition of its license, Nationwide may also be required by law to disclose certain personal information about Users to the BCFSA. For example, Nationwide has to report any unlicensed activity to the BCFSA.  Nationwide agents are also required by the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) to collect certain personal information about their clients, such as identification information.

3.              Voluntary Public Disclosure by You

When you publish or post information to other social networking sites (e.g. posting a link to Nationwide’s Facebook page), the personal information that you post or share in connection with these third party sites is visible to other persons and can be read, collected, used and disclosed by others. Any information provided to such third-party social networking sites and other sites is outside of Nationwide’s control and is not governed by this Policy.

4.              Third Party Service Providers

Nationwide may disclose certain personal information to third party service providers with whom it has contracted to provide certain services on behalf of Nationwide.  Currently, Nationwide uses third party service providers for the purposes set out below:

  • Software design and operation: we use a third party application development company to design and maintain the online platform that we use for the App.

  • Website design: we use a third party service provider to design our Site.

  • Cloud storage: we use a third party cloud storage provider to host certain information, including User’s personal information.

  • Analytics: we use Google Analytics and Sentry to track and analyse usage information about our Site and the App.

  • Electronic communications: we use a third party e-mail service provider to send electronic communications to Users and others who have opted-in to receiving marketing electronic communication from Nationwide.

Nationwide’s third party service providers will have access to the personal information needed to perform their functions, but we take steps to help limit their access and use of your personal information. When Nationwide uses third party service providers, we take measures to help ensure the service providers protect your personal information in accordance with the law and with appropriate safeguards for the protection of the personal information.  Any sharing of your personal information by Nationwide to a third party service provider will be conditional upon the information being used solely for the purpose for which it has been shared.  

5.              Sale or Transfer of the Business

Nationwide may decide to sell or transfer all or part of our business to a related company or to a third party, to merge with another entity, to insure or securitize our assets, or to engage in another form of corporate or financing transaction.  Nationwide may share your personal information in connection with the evaluation of and/or entry into such transactions as permitted by law. 

CHOICES ABOUT HOW WE USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR INFORMATION

Nationwide wants you to understand your choices and make informed decisions about the ways in which your personal information is used by Nationwide.  There are several mechanisms available for you to manage your privacy preferences including, for example by managing your preferences within your Account, contacting your Nationwide agent, contacting Nationwide directly, changing your browser or device settings, and/or by contacting third parties.   

1.              Opting-Out of Marketing Communications from Nationwide

If you provide Nationwide with your e-mail address and/or mobile telephone number and “opt-in” to receiving messages from us via the e-mail address and/or mobile telephone number provided, then you may receive electronic communications from us from time to time.  These electronic communications will provide you with our contact information and a method to opt-out and unsubscribe from receiving marketing information and/or any further communications from us.  You can also opt-out of receiving further communications from Nationwide by contacting your Nationwide agent, or by contacting Nationwide’s Privacy Officer at the details below.  Nationwide may use your e-mail address or mobile telephone number to communicate with you regarding important matters, such as information about your Account.  You may not opt-out of receiving communications required by law, or necessary to provide you with requested services and/or products.

2.              Cookies and Tracking Technologies

You can disable cookies by adjusting the settings on your browser.  If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of the App and the Site may not be accessible to you or may not function properly. 

You can help control the information which is collected and used by Google in respect of your interaction with our Site and the App.  To learn more about Google’s privacy practices, including how you can view and edit your preferences, please see the Google Privacy Policy. You can learn about Google’s tracking practices by going to www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/ and opt-out by downloading the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on, available at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.  To learn more about Sentry’s privacy practices, please see the Sentry Privacy Policy.

3.              Location Information

You can choose whether to allow the App and/or the Site to collect and use real-time information about your device’s location through the device’s privacy settings.  If you block the use of location information, some parts of the App and/or the Site may be inaccessible or not function properly.

HOW WE SAFEGUARD YOUR INFORMATION

Nationwide takes reasonable steps to protect your personal information.  We use administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect against unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, and disposal, in a manner appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. Nationwide will also use care when destroying or disposing of personal information to prevent unauthorized access, use or disclosure of any personal information.  Nationwide’s employees, independent contractors and agents with access to personal information are required to respect the confidentiality of such information.

The App and the Site include links to external websites, and those websites are not governed by this Policy.  Nationwide is not responsible for the privacy practices, collection of personal information, or content of external websites.  You should read their privacy policies and make an informed decision about whether you want to use those websites or those services.

Nationwide is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or compromised usernames, passwords or for any activity on your Account via unauthorized password activity.  You should take steps to protect against authorized access to your Account by, for example, choosing a strong password and keeping your login information and password private.  Nationwide is not responsible for any failure by you to secure your own devices and their access to the Internet or your use of public, unsecured networks. 

Please bear in mind that no internet or e-mail transmission is ever fully secure or error free and no security system is impenetrable.  We cannot guarantee the security of personal information at all times.  Any electronic transmission of your personal information to us is at your own risk.

STORAGE AND ACCESS TO YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION OUTSIDE OF CANADA

Some of the third party service providers used by Nationwide are located outside of Canada.  As a result, your personal information may be stored and processed in the United States by one of Nationwide’s third party service providers and may be subject to the laws and access by government, courts, law enforcement or regulatory organizations in the United States.   

If you have any questions about Nationwide’s policies and practices with respect to service providers outside of Canada, you can contact our Privacy Officer at the contact information listed in this Policy below.

DATA RETENTION

We will retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes that we collected it for, for as long as we have a business or legal reason to do so, or as otherwise permitted or required by law. You can deactivate your Account through the “My Profile” section of the App and also notify independent contractror . .Please note that deleting the App. is not considered 'OPT OUT' . If you don't wish to be contacted by independent contractor in future you must notify in writing (i,e text message , email etc ) to independent contractor also CC to us admin@nationwiderealty.ca .

Under some circumstances, we may anonymize or aggregate your personal information so that it can no longer be associated with you.  We reserve the right to use such anonymous and de-identified data for any legitimate business purpose without further notice to you or your consent. 

CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 13

Our Site and the App are not intended for children under 13 years of age and we do not actively market our Services to individuals under the age of 13.  Nationwide does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under 13, do not use or provide any information on this App, register for an Account on the App, or provide any information about yourself to us via the App, Site or otherwise. If we learn we have collected or received personal information from a child under 13 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 13, please contact our Privacy Officer at the contact information listed below.

ACCESS TO AND CORRECTION OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

You can make changes to certain personal information that Nationwide holds about you by editing the information in your Account or by contacting your Nationwide agent.  You are responsible for keeping the personal information in your Account up to date and accurate.  Accounts have certain minimum personal information requirements for them to be useful for certain features of the App. 

We will not routinely update your personal information, unless such a process is necessary. Nationwide relies on you to ensure that the personal information you provide to us is as accurate, complete and up to date, as necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used.

You can challenge the accuracy and completeness of your personal information in the possession and control of Nationwide.  In appropriate circumstances, Nationwide will amend the personal information.  It is your responsibility to notify Nationwide in writing regarding any updates to your personal information. 

You may request access to your personal information and/or correction of that information by contacting Nationwide’s Privacy Officer in writing at the contact information noted below, with sufficient detail to enable Nationwide to identify the personal information being sought.  When you contact Nationwide in this regard, we may ask you for further information to confirm your identity and the nature of the information being sought. 

After we receive your request for access to personal information, Nationwide will provide you with an estimate of when you can expect a response.  In some cases, Nationwide may need additional time to respond to a request, in which case we will provide you with written notice of the extension.  Please note that in some cases, Nationwide may not provide access to personal information that we hold about you, such as where the denial of access is authorized by law.  There are also cases where Nationwide may be legally required to refuse access to personal information.  If Nationwide denies your request for access to personal information, we will advise you of the reason for the refusal, and will provide the name, title, and contact information of the designated person who can address the refusal.

Nationwide may charge a reasonable fee according to the cost required to retrieve and provide access to the requested information.  We may provide an estimate of the fee in advance and in some cases, will require a deposit for all or part of the fee.

CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our privacy practices.  We will post any changes to the Site and the App and, if the changes are significant, we will provide a more prominent notice to Users such as notification via e-mail.  Nationwide’s collection, use, disclosure, and retention of your personal information will be governed by the version of the Policy in effect at that time.  As a result, you should periodically review our Policy for the latest information on our privacy practices.

HOW TO CONTACT US

Questions, comments or concerns regarding this Policy and how Nationwide handles your personal information can be directed to the Nationwide Privacy Officer, who is responsible for our compliance with this Policy and applicable privacy laws. You can contact our Privacy Officer using any of the following methods:

Mailing Address:        8120 128 St, Unit 209, Surrey, BC V3W 1R1

E-mail:                        admin@nationwiderealty.ca

Nationwide takes complaints about our privacy practices seriously.  If you are not satisfied with Nationwide’s response to a complaint, you may have options to exercise, including to raise the complaint with the relevant Privacy Commissioner: 

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia
www.oipc.bc.ca

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta
www.oipc.ab.ca

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
www.priv.gc.ca

Reciprocity Logo The data relating to real estate on this website comes in part from the MLS® Reciprocity program of either the Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR), the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) or the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board (CADREB). Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLS® logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB.