Privacy Policy

Who We Are

The Property Forge is an Australian website providing free property investment tools and educational content. We use Google Analytics and Google AdSense to improve our website and support our operations through advertising revenue.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide Directly

We collect minimal information when you voluntarily provide it:

• Contact Information: Name, email, and message content when you contact us
• Calculator Inputs: Property data you enter into our calculators (stored locally on your device only - not sent to us)
• Feedback: Comments, suggestions, or feedback you provide

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information through Google Analytics and AdSense:

Information Type	Purpose	Service
IP Address	Analytics and location insights	Google Analytics
Browser & Device Information	Site optimization	Google Analytics
Pages Visited & Time Spent	Understanding user interests	Google Analytics
Referral Source	Traffic analysis	Google Analytics
Advertising Cookies	Personalized ads	Google AdSense

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• Provide Our Services: Operating our calculators and delivering educational content
• Communication: Responding to your inquiries and support requests
• Website Analytics: Understanding how visitors use our website to improve user experience
• Advertising: Displaying relevant advertisements through Google AdSense
• Legal Compliance: Meeting our legal obligations and protecting our rights

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Essential Cookies

We use essential cookies to ensure our website functions properly. These cookies:

• Remember your calculator inputs during your session
• Store your preferences and settings
• Ensure website security and functionality

Analytics Cookies

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website. This helps us:

• Identify which content is most valuable to users
• Improve website performance and user experience
• Understand traffic sources and user behaviour

Advertising Cookies

We use Google AdSense to display advertisements. These cookies:

• Show you relevant advertisements based on your interests
• Limit the number of times you see the same ad
• Measure advertising effectiveness

Third-Party Services

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website. Google Analytics collects information such as:

• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• How you arrived at our website (referral source)
• Your approximate location (country/city level)
• Browser and device information
• User interactions with our content

Data Sharing: This data is processed by Google in accordance with their Privacy Policy.

Opt-Out: You can opt out using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Google AdSense

We use Google AdSense to display advertisements on our website. Google AdSense:

• Uses cookies to serve personalized ads based on your interests
• Tracks your interactions with ads to measure effectiveness
• May use your browsing history across websites for ad targeting
• Allows you to see relevant advertisements related to property investment

Manage Ads: You can control personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.

How Google Uses Data: Learn more at How Google uses information from sites that use our services.

Data Storage and Security

Where Your Data is Stored

Your personal information may be stored:

• In Australia: Where possible, we store data within Australia
• Overseas: Some data may be stored with service providers in other countries, including the United States (Google services)

How We Protect Your Data

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information:

• Secure data transmission using SSL encryption
• Regular security updates and monitoring
• Limited access to personal information
• Secure backup and storage procedures

Your Rights and Choices

Under Australian privacy laws, you have the following rights:

Access and Correction

• Request access to your personal information
• Request correction of inaccurate or outdated information
• Request deletion of your personal information (where legally permissible)

Communication Preferences

• Contact us to update your communication preferences
• Opt out of personalized advertising through Google Ads Settings
• Control cookie settings through your browser

Cookie Management

• Control cookie settings through your browser
• Opt out of Google Analytics tracking
• Manage Google AdSense preferences

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary:

• Contact Information: For 2 years after our last communication
• Analytics Data: 26 months (Google Analytics default)
• Advertising Data: Managed by Google according to their retention policies
• Calculator Data: Stored locally on your device only, not on our servers

Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will:

• Post the updated policy on this page
• Update the "Last Updated" date
• Notify users of significant changes if required

Australian Privacy Laws

This privacy policy is designed to comply with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). If you have concerns about our privacy practices, you can:

• Contact us directly using the information below
• Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)

Summary

At The Property Forge, we are committed to:

• Collecting only the information necessary to operate our website and provide our services
• Using Google Analytics to understand how our website is used and improve user experience
• Displaying relevant advertisements through Google AdSense to support our free content
• Protecting your personal information with appropriate security measures
• Being transparent about our data collection and use
• Respecting your choices and privacy rights
• Complying with Australian privacy laws

Thank you for trusting The Property Forge. We're committed to maintaining that trust through responsible privacy practices while providing you with valuable, free property investment education.