Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how Michelle G. Cothran ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and shares information about you when you visit our website at www.mcothranrealtor.com (the "Site"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or our practices, please contact us using the information provided at the end of this document.

​

Please read this policy carefully. By using our Site, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

 

1. What Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you interact with our Site, as well as certain information collected automatically through monitoring tools.

​

Information You Provide Directly

When you submit forms on our Site — including our contact form, home valuation request form, or any other inquiry form — we may collect:

• Full name

• Email address

• Phone number

• Home address (for property valuation requests)

• Any additional information you choose to include in your message or inquiry

 

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Site, certain information is collected automatically, including:

• Internet Protocol (IP) address used to connect your computer to the Internet

• Browser type and version

• Device type and operating system

• Pages visited on our Site and time spent on those pages

• Referring website or search engine

• Date and time of your visit

• Clickstream data and page interaction information

 

 

2. How We Collect Information

We collect information in the following ways:

• Contact Forms: When you fill out and submit a contact form, home valuation form, or any other form on our Site, we receive the information you provide.

• Property Inquiry: When you request a home valuation or ask about a listed property, we collect the details you submit.

• Email & Phone: When you contact us directly by email at mcothran@pbnassoc.com or by phone at (805) 888-1114, we retain records of that communication.

• Cookies & Tracking Technologies: Our Site and third-party services we use may automatically collect certain data through cookies and similar technologies (see Section 6 for details).

• Third-Party Integrations: We use third-party tools which may independently collect data when you use those services.

 

 

3. Why We Collect Your Information

We collect and use your personal information for the following purposes:

• To respond to your inquiries, questions, and requests for information about real estate services.

• To provide you with a free, personalized home valuation as requested.

• To connect you with available property listings that match your search criteria.

• To send you service-related communications, updates, and real estate information relevant to your interests.

• To improve the functionality, content, and user experience of our Site.

• To analyze Site traffic and usage patterns to help us better serve our visitors.

• To comply with applicable laws and regulations, including those governing licensed real estate professionals in California.

• To contact you regarding your inquiry or to follow up on a submitted request.

 

 

4. How We Store, Use, Share, and Disclose Your Information

​

Storage

Our Site is hosted on the Wix.com platform. Wix.com provides us with the online platform that allows us to operate and manage our website. Your data may be stored through Wix.com's data storage, databases, and general Wix.com applications. They store your data on secure servers behind a firewall. Please review Wix's Privacy Policy at www.wix.com/about/privacy for more information on how Wix handles data.

​

Use

We use your personal information only for the purposes outlined in Section 3 of this policy. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.

​

Sharing & Disclosure

We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• Affiliated Brokerage: As a licensed real estate agent, your information may be shared with our brokerage in the ordinary course of providing real estate services.

• Service Providers: We may share your information with trusted third-party vendors who assist us in operating our Site and conducting our business (e.g., website hosting, analytics), provided they agree to keep your information confidential.

• If you use our home search tool that platform operates under its own privacy policy and may independently collect your data.

• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or government authority, or if we believe such disclosure is necessary to protect our rights or comply with applicable legal obligations.

• Business Transfer: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or transfer of business assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

 

 

5. How We Communicate With You

We may contact you in the following situations and through the following channels:

• To respond to a contact form submission, inquiry, or request you have made.

• To follow up on a home valuation request or property search.

• To send real estate market updates, listings, or information relevant to your stated interests (only with your consent).

• To notify you of important updates or changes to our services.
   

We may contact you via email, phone (call or text message), or postal mail. You may opt out of receiving promotional communications from us at any time by contacting us at mcothran@pbnassoc.com or by replying to any email with the word "UNSUBSCRIBE." Please note that opting out of marketing communications will not affect our ability to contact you regarding active service requests.

 

 

6. Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies

Our Site uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and to analyze Site usage. Cookies are small text files placed on your device that allow us to recognize your browser and remember certain preferences.

​

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for the operation of the Site, such as session management.

• Analytics Cookies: We may use tools such as Google Analytics to collect aggregated, anonymized data about how visitors use our Site (e.g., pages visited, time spent, traffic sources). This data helps us improve our Site.

• Functional Cookies: These remember your preferences and help personalize your experience.

• Third-Party Cookies: Third-party services integrated into our Site — such as Google Analytics, the IDX home search tool, and social media plugins (Facebook, Instagram) — may place their own cookies. These are governed by the respective third-party's privacy policies.
   

Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being sent. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our Site. For more information on managing cookies, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

 

 

7. Your Rights and How to Withdraw Consent

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.

• Request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete information.

• Request deletion of your personal information, subject to any legal obligations we may have to retain it.

• Withdraw your consent to our use of your data at any time.

• Opt out of receiving marketing or promotional communications.

California residents may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to delete personal information, and the right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights.

To exercise any of these rights, or if you no longer want us to process your data, please contact us at:

Email: mcothran@pbnassoc.com

Phone: (805) 888-1114

Mail: 1750 S Broadway STE D, Santa Maria, CA 93454

 

 

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, to provide you with our services, or as required by applicable law. Inquiry records and communication history may be retained for the duration of any active real estate relationship and for a reasonable period thereafter in accordance with California real estate regulations.

 

9. Privacy Policy Updates

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Changes and clarifications will take effect immediately upon their posting on the website. We will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this policy whenever changes are made. If we make material changes to this policy, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you — for example, by posting a prominent notice on our Site or by sending you an email notification if we have your contact details on file.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of our Site following the posting of any changes constitutes your acceptance of those changes.

 

10. Questions and Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, or if you would like to access, correct, amend, or delete any personal information we have about you, please contact us:

 

Michelle G. Cothran

Central Coast Real Estate Agent | DRE #02151334

Address: 1750 S Broadway STE D, Santa Maria, CA 93454

Phone: (805) 888-1114

Email: mcothran@pbnassoc.com

Website: www.mcothranrealtor.com

​

11. Additional Information

​

Upon receipt of a request, we may ask you for additional information to verify your identity. Any additional information you provide will be used only to verify your identity and not for any other purpose. In order to protect your privacy and the security of Personal Data about you, we may verify your request by asking for additional identifying information appropriate in the circumstances.

Any disclosures we provide will only cover the 12-month period preceding the verifiable consumer request's receipt. The response we provide will also explain the reasons we cannot comply with a request, if applicable.

We do not charge a fee to process or respond to your verifiable consumer request unless it is excessive, repetitive, or manifestly unfounded. If we determine that the request warrants a fee, we will tell you why we made that decision and provide you with a cost estimate before completing your request.

(v) The Right to Non-Discrimination
You have the right not to be discriminated against for the exercise of your California privacy rights described above.

(vi) Selling and Sharing of Personal Data
We may use your Personal Data for the purposes described above in this Policy, and may share your Personal Data as described in this Policy.

California law places certain obligations on businesses that “sell” Personal Data to third parties or “share” Personal Data with third parties for “cross-context behavioral advertising” as those terms are defined under the CCPA. We do not “sell” or “share” the Personal Data covered by this Policy and have not done so in the twelve months prior to the effective date of this Policy. Consequently, we do not have a Do Not Sell My Info-functionality on the Site.

(vii) Sensitive Personal Data
Some Personal Data may be considered sensitive personal information under certain privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”). Sensitive personal information may include, for example, government-issued identification number, information relating to a person's race or ethnic origin, political opinions or religious beliefs, physical or mental health or condition, sexual orientation, or trade union membership. It may include information about an individual's criminal offenses or convictions, as well as any other information deemed sensitive under applicable data protection laws.

The CCPA provides consumers with the "right to limit" the use of their sensitive personal information to certain business purposes. We do not request sensitive personal information in connection with the use of its Sites.