Privacy Policy

Baronist (legal business name: "Baronist") is a subscription network that connects individual real estate investors so they can find partners and co-invest in properties together. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. By using Baronist, you agree to the practices described here.

Baronist is the data controller for the personal information described in this notice. That means we decide what personal data is collected and why, and we are responsible for handling it in line with applicable data protection law. Where we process data on the instructions of another party, we say so explicitly.

We process your information on the following legal bases: to perform our contract with you (running your account and providing the Services); our legitimate interests (keeping the network secure, preventing fraud and abuse, and improving the product); your consent (optional marketing email and non-essential cookies, which you may withdraw at any time); and to comply with our legal obligations (such as tax and accounting records).

Information you provide. When you create an account or edit your profile, we collect:

• Account credentials: email address and password (stored hashed).
• Identity basics: first and last name, profile photo, home city and state, and a short bio.
• Investment preferences: locations of interest, property types, strategies, role and experience level, timeline to invest, contributions, and budget range.
• Member-generated content: deal postings, messages you send to other members, soft commitments, and saved searches.
• Payment information: when you subscribe to a paid tier, we process billing through our payment provider. Baronist does not store full card numbers on its servers.

Information collected automatically. We collect device and usage data such as IP address, browser type, and how you interact with the Services (e.g., pages viewed, features used) through cookies and similar technologies.

We use the information we collect to:

• Operate, maintain, and improve the Services, including matching you with other investors.
• Authenticate you and secure your account.
• Process subscription payments and trial management, including expiration reminders.
• Display your profile, deals, and messages to other members according to your settings and tier.
• Send service, account, and email-confirmation messages (including verification emails).
• Detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, and security issues.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms.

Baronist is a networking platform, so much of the information you share is visible to other members. Your visibility depends on your membership tier and the tier of the viewer:

• Profiles and investment preferences are visible to signed-in members so they can discover and match with you.
• Contact details (such as email or phone, if you choose to add them) are restricted. Scout (free) members cannot view contact information on other profiles; visibility requires a paid tier. You remain in control of whether you provide direct contact details at all.
• Direct messages are private between the participants of a conversation.

We encourage you to share only what you are comfortable with. You can edit or remove profile information at any time.

We use cookies and local storage to keep you signed in, remember your preferences, and understand how the Services are used. Authentication tokens are stored locally on your device to maintain your session. You can clear cookies or local storage in your browser settings, though this will sign you out.

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with the following categories of recipient:

• Merchant of Record — Paddle.com. Paddle is the merchant of record for all Baronist orders. When you start a paid membership, Paddle receives the information needed to sell and support that membership: your name, email address, billing and location details, and payment information. Paddle uses it to take payment, manage your subscription, calculate and remit sales tax and VAT, issue invoices, and handle refunds and billing enquiries. Paddle acts as an independent controller for that activity — see Paddle's privacy notice. Baronist never receives or stores your full card details.
• Service providers and subprocessors acting on our instructions — authentication and account management, database and file hosting, transactional email delivery, error monitoring, and analytics.
• Other members, to the extent described in "What Other Members Can See" above.
• Professional advisers such as our lawyers and accountants, where needed.
• Authorities, where we are required to disclose information by law, or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

If you sign in with a third party such as Google, that provider shares only the information needed to create and sign into your account (e.g., your name and email).

We retain your information for as long as your account is active. If you close your account, we will delete or anonymize your profile content and personal information within a reasonable period, except where we are legally required to retain certain records (e.g., billing records). Deal postings and messages you have shared with other members may remain visible to those members in their own views even after account closure.

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your information, including encrypted password storage and access controls. However, no method of transmission or storage is fully secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. You play a role too — keep your password confidential and use a strong, unique password.

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• Access or receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention needs).
• Opt out of non-essential marketing communications.

To exercise these rights, contact admin@baronist.com. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

The Services are not directed to anyone under 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us information, please contact us and we will delete it.

Baronist is based in the United States. If you access the Services from outside the U.S., your information will be processed in the U.S. and governed by U.S. law. By using the Services, you consent to this transfer and processing.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the revised policy and update the "Last updated" date. Material changes will be communicated through the Services or by email. Your continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

Questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal information can be directed to admin@baronist.com.