Privacy Policy

Effective Date: January 9, 2026
Last Updated: January 9, 2026

Introduction

Christy Schmaedeke, REALTOR® ("we," "us," "our," or "Company"), operating as a licensed real estate agent with Keller Williams Infinity - Elevate Real Estate Team, values your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines the types of information we collect, how we use it, and the steps we take to ensure your data is protected.

This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through our website homesforsalemorris.com (the "Site"), our mobile applications, SMS/text messaging programs, email communications, and any other services we provide (collectively, the "Services").

By using our Services, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Services.

Information We Collect

We collect information to provide better services to our users, improve our business operations, and facilitate real estate transactions. The types of information we collect include:

Personal Information

When you interact with our Services, we may collect:

Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number (including mobile/cell phone number), mailing address
Property Search Preferences: Desired location, price range, property type, number of bedrooms/bathrooms, and other search criteria
Transaction Information: Information related to real estate transactions, including property addresses, financial information (as needed for transactions), and closing details
Communication Records: Records of your communications with us, including emails, phone calls, text messages, and website inquiries
Account Information: If you create an account on our property search portal, we collect your login credentials and saved search preferences

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Site, we automatically collect:

Device Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type
Usage Data: Pages of our website that you visit, time and date of your visit, time spent on pages, click patterns, referring website addresses
Location Information: General geographic location based on IP address

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar tracking technologies to:

Remember your preferences and settings
Understand how you use our Site
Deliver personalized content and advertisements
Analyze Site traffic and trends
Improve our Services

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of our Site.

Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from:

Multiple Listing Service (MLS): Property listing information and related data
IDX Broker: Property search data and user registration information
Public Records: Property ownership records, tax information, and other publicly available data
Referral Sources: Information from individuals who refer you to our services

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

Real Estate Services

To provide real estate brokerage services, including property searches, market analysis, and transaction coordination
To send you property listings that match your search criteria
To facilitate communication between buyers, sellers, and other parties in real estate transactions
To provide home valuations and market reports

Communications

To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
To send you information about properties, market updates, and real estate news
To send appointment reminders, showing confirmations, and transaction updates
To send marketing communications (with your consent)

SMS/Text Messaging Communications

To send property alerts and new listing notifications
To send appointment reminders and confirmations
To provide transaction updates and time-sensitive information
To respond to your text message inquiries
To send marketing messages (only with your prior express written consent)

Business Operations

To improve our website, services, and user experience
To analyze trends and user behavior
To protect against fraud and unauthorized access
To comply with legal obligations

SMS/Text Messaging Program Terms

Program Description

By providing your mobile phone number and opting in to receive text messages, you consent to receive SMS/text messages from Christy Schmaedeke, REALTOR® related to:

Property listing alerts and new listings matching your criteria
Appointment reminders and showing confirmations
Market updates and real estate information
Transaction updates and time-sensitive notifications
Promotional messages about our real estate services (marketing messages require separate consent)

Message Frequency

Message frequency varies based on your preferences and activity. You may receive:

Property alerts: As new listings match your criteria
Appointment reminders: As scheduled
Transaction updates: As needed during active transactions
Marketing messages: Periodic (if you have opted in)

Opt-Out Instructions

You can cancel SMS service at any time. Simply text "STOP" to any message you receive from us. Upon sending "STOP," we will confirm your unsubscribe status via SMS. Following this confirmation, you will no longer receive SMS messages from us unless you re-enroll.

How to Rejoin

To rejoin our SMS program after opting out, you may:

Sign up again through our website
Text "START" or "SUBSCRIBE" to our number
Contact us directly to request re-enrollment

Help and Support

If you experience issues with our messaging program, you can:

Reply with the keyword "HELP" for assistance
Email us at: [email protected]
Call us at: (815) 693-5757

Message and Data Rates

Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. For questions about your text plan or data plan, contact your wireless provider.

Carrier Liability

Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Message delivery is subject to effective transmission from your wireless service provider and their terms and conditions.

Supported Carriers

Our SMS program is designed to work with major U.S. carriers including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and most regional carriers. However, some carriers may not support all message types.

How We Share Your Information

We are committed to protecting your personal information. We share your information only in the following circumstances:

Service Providers

We may share your information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our business, including:

Website hosting and maintenance providers
Email marketing platforms
Customer relationship management (CRM) systems
SMS/text messaging service providers
Property search and IDX providers
Transaction management platforms

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

Real Estate Transaction Parties

In connection with real estate transactions, we may share your information with:

Other real estate agents and brokers (as necessary for transactions)
Title companies and escrow services
Lenders and mortgage brokers (with your consent)
Home inspectors and appraisers
Other parties necessary to complete your transaction

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law, including:

To comply with legal process, court orders, or government requests
To protect our rights, property, or safety
To investigate potential violations of our terms or policies
To protect against fraud or other illegal activities

Business Transfers

If our business is sold, merged, or transferred, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and your choices regarding your information.

With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you have given us explicit consent to do so.

Mobile Information Privacy Protection

IMPORTANT: No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.

Specifically:

Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties, except for aggregators and providers of the text message services necessary to deliver our SMS communications to you.
All categories of information sharing described in this Privacy Policy exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties, excluding aggregators and providers of the text message services.
Information sharing with subcontractors in support services, such as customer service, is permitted solely for the purpose of providing support to you.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your mobile phone number or SMS consent information to any third party for their marketing purposes.

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including:

Encryption: We use SSL/TLS encryption to protect data transmitted to and from our Site
Access Controls: We limit access to personal information to authorized personnel who need it to perform their job functions
Secure Storage: Personal information is stored on secure servers with appropriate physical and electronic safeguards
Regular Monitoring: We regularly monitor our systems for potential vulnerabilities and attacks

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

Provide our services to you
Comply with legal obligations
Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements
Meet business and operational needs

When your information is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it in accordance with our data retention policies.

For SMS/text messaging consent records, we retain documentation of your consent for a minimum of five (5) years as required by telecommunications regulations.

Your Rights and Choices

Access and Correction

You have the right to:

Access the personal information we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate information
Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal and contractual limitations)

To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected] or (815) 693-5757.

Communication Preferences

You can manage your communication preferences by:

Email: Click the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email
SMS/Text: Reply "STOP" to any text message
Phone: Request to be added to our internal do-not-call list
Mail: Contact us to opt out of physical mailings

Please note that even if you opt out of marketing communications, we may still send you transactional messages related to your account or active real estate transactions.

Do Not Track

Our Site does not currently respond to "Do Not Track" signals from web browsers. However, you can manage cookies and tracking through your browser settings.

Illinois Residents

If you are an Illinois resident, you have specific rights under the Illinois Personal Information Protection Act (815 ILCS 530):

Data Breach Notification: We will notify you if your personal information is compromised in a data breach
Disposal of Records: We will properly dispose of records containing your personal information when no longer needed

California Residents

If you are a California resident, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including:

The right to know what personal information we collect and how we use it
The right to request deletion of your personal information
The right to opt out of the sale of your personal information (we do not sell personal information)
The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise your CCPA rights, contact us at [email protected].

MLS and IDX Data

Our website displays property listings through IDX (Internet Data Exchange) provided by the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The MLS data is provided for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.

The information displayed on our Site is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. We are not responsible for any errors or omissions in MLS data.

Third-Party Links

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites, including:

MLS property search portals
Lender and mortgage company websites
Home service provider websites
Social media platforms

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

Children's Privacy

Our Services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately at [email protected].