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Privacy Policy

Last updated: February 2026

1. Overview

US Rent vs. Buy Map (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is a free, browser-based real estate analysis tool available at rentvsbuymap.com. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your choices regarding that information. By using this application, you agree to the practices described below.

2. Information We Collect

2a. Information You Provide

This application does not require account registration or login. All financial assumptions you adjust (mortgage rate, rent, down payment, etc.) and any custom property values you enter are stored exclusively in your browser’s localStorage. They are never transmitted to our servers.

2b. Automatically Collected Information

When you use the map, our servers automatically receive standard web request data, including:

  • IP address (used for rate limiting and abuse prevention)
  • Browser type and version
  • Referring URL
  • Pages viewed and timestamps
  • Approximate geographic region (derived from IP)

2c. Location Data

When you search for an address, your query is sent to Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) for geocoding. When you click a property on the map, the coordinates are sent to our server-side API, which forwards them to RentCast for market estimates. We do not store a long-term history of which coordinates or addresses you have viewed.

3. Cookies and Local Storage

We do not use tracking cookies. The application uses browser localStoragesolely to remember your slider preferences and any custom property values between sessions. This data never leaves your device and can be cleared at any time through your browser settings.

Third-party services integrated into this site (see Section 5) may set their own cookies subject to their respective privacy policies.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the information described above to:

  • Serve property geometry and market estimate API responses
  • Apply rate limiting to prevent abuse
  • Monitor application performance and diagnose errors
  • Understand aggregate usage patterns to improve the product

We do not sell, rent, or share your personally identifiable information with third parties for their marketing purposes.

5. Third-Party Services

This application integrates with the following third-party services, each governed by their own privacy policies:

  • Vercel – Hosting and edge network (vercel.com/legal/privacy-policy)
  • Supabase – Database hosting for property data (supabase.com/privacy)
  • RentCast – Property valuation and rental estimates (rentcast.io/privacy)
  • OpenStreetMap / Nominatim – Map tiles and geocoding (osmfoundation.org/wiki/Privacy_Policy)
  • Vercel Analytics – Anonymous, aggregate page view metrics

6. Data Retention

Server-side logs generated by Vercel are retained according to Vercel’s standard retention schedule (typically 30 days). Cached property estimates stored in our Supabase database are retained indefinitely to improve performance, but do not contain personal information. Your browser’s localStorage data persists until you clear it manually.

7. Children’s Privacy

This application is intended for adults making real estate decisions. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can delete it.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to access, correct, or delete personal data we hold about you. Because we collect minimal personal data and do not maintain user accounts, most data associated with you is limited to short-lived server logs keyed by IP address.

To request deletion of any data associated with your IP address or to exercise other privacy rights, please contact us at the address in Section 10.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. Continued use of the application after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, you may reach us via the feedback link at rentvsbuymap.com.