Privacy Policy
HomeStart ("we", "our", or "us") is a home ownership guidance application for Canadian homeowners. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use HomeStart at gethomestart.com.
1. Data we collect
When you create an account or sign in, we collect:
- From Google Sign-In: your email address, name, and Google profile ID — used solely to authenticate you and identify your account
- From email (magic link): your email address — used to send you a one-time sign-in link
- Home data you enter: property details (city, home type, move-in date), task completion status, notes, and preferences — this is the core content of the app
- Usage data: basic analytics (pages visited, session duration) via Vercel Analytics — no personally identifiable information is attached
2. How we use Google user data
HomeStart uses Google Sign-In for authentication only. We access your Google email address and name to create and identify your account. We do not access your Google Drive, Gmail, contacts, calendar, or any other Google services. We do not use your Google data for advertising or sell it to third parties.
- Email address: used to identify your account, send transactional emails (sign-in links, welcome email), and display your account in settings
- Name: displayed as a greeting within the app ("Welcome, [Name]")
- Google profile ID: used internally to link your account to your home data in our database — never exposed or shared
3. Data usage
We use your data to:
- Authenticate you and maintain your session
- Sync your home data across devices when you are signed in
- Send transactional emails (sign-in magic links, welcome email) via Resend
- Provide personalized task lists and guidance based on your home details
- Improve the app using aggregated, anonymous usage analytics
We do not use your data for advertising, profiling, or any purpose beyond operating the HomeStart service.
4. Data sharing
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties for marketing or advertising purposes. We share data only with the following service providers who help us operate the app:
- Supabase (supabase.com) — database and authentication provider. Your home data and account information are stored on Supabase servers. Supabase is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant and stores data in secure, encrypted databases.
- Resend (resend.com) — transactional email service. Used only to send sign-in links and welcome emails. Your email address is transmitted to Resend solely for this purpose.
- Vercel (vercel.com) — hosting and analytics. Hosts the HomeStart web application and provides anonymous usage analytics.
- Google — OAuth provider for sign-in. When you use "Continue with Google," Google's standard OAuth flow handles authentication.
All service providers are bound by their own privacy policies and data processing agreements. We do not share your data with any other third parties.
5. Data storage and protection
- Your data is stored in Supabase databases with row-level security (RLS) — your data can only be accessed by your authenticated account
- All data is transmitted over HTTPS (TLS encryption)
- Authentication tokens are stored in your browser's local storage and are used only to authenticate API requests to our database
- We do not store your Google OAuth tokens beyond what is needed to complete the sign-in flow
- Supabase databases are encrypted at rest
6. Data retention and deletion
Your data is retained for as long as your account is active. You can delete your account and all associated data at any time:
- In-app deletion: open the app → Settings (⚙️ icon) → Account → Delete account. This permanently deletes your account and all home data from our servers.
- By email: send a deletion request to help.homestart@gmail.com and we will delete your account within 30 days.
Upon account deletion, all your personal data (email, name, home data) is permanently removed from our databases. Anonymized usage analytics (which contain no personal identifiers) are not deleted as they cannot be linked back to you.
7. Cookies and local storage
HomeStart uses browser local storage (not cookies) to store your session token and home data locally on your device. This allows the app to function and remember your session between visits. You can clear this data at any time by signing out of the app or clearing your browser's local storage.
8. Children's privacy
HomeStart is intended for adults (18+) who are home buyers or homeowners. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
9. Changes to this policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date above. Continued use of HomeStart after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
10. Contact
For any privacy questions, data requests, or concerns:
- Email: help.homestart@gmail.com
- Website: gethomestart.com/about
HomeStart complies with the Google API Services User Data Policy. We use Google user data (email, name) solely for authentication and account identification. We do not share, sell, or use Google user data for any purpose beyond operating the HomeStart service.