Privacy Policy

Ashlar Lending Inc. ("Ashlar Lending," "we," "us," or "our") is a California-licensed mortgage broker (NMLS #2699657) that operates throughout the United States. We are committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding your personal and financial information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect your information when you visit our website, use our services, submit an inquiry, or otherwise interact with us.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information You Provide

When you inquire about our services, submit a pre-qualification form, apply for a mortgage, or otherwise contact us, we may collect the following types of information:

• Identifying Information: Full legal name, date of birth, Social Security Number (SSN), driver's license or government-issued ID number, and contact information (email address, phone number, mailing address).
• Financial Information: Income, employment details, employer information, bank and financial account numbers, tax returns, pay stubs, profit and loss statements, asset statements, debt and liability information, and credit history.
• Employment and Professional Information: Job title, employer name, employment offer letters, professional licenses, specialty or degree type, employment start dates, and employment contracts.
• Property Information: Property address, estimated value, property type, and intended use of the property.
• Demographic Information: Information required by federal or state regulations for fair lending monitoring purposes, which may include race, ethnicity, sex, and marital status (as required by the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act and Equal Credit Opportunity Act).
• Communication Records: Emails, phone call records, chat messages, form submissions, and any other correspondence with us.

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

• Device and Browser Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, screen resolution, and language preferences.
• Usage Data: Pages visited, links clicked, time spent on pages, referring URLs, and navigation patterns.
• Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience, analyze site traffic, and facilitate marketing efforts. See Section 7 for more details.
• Location Data: General geographic location inferred from your IP address.

1.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third-party sources, including:

• Credit reporting agencies (credit reports and scores)
• Identity verification and fraud prevention services
• Government databases and public records
• Real estate agents, lenders, title companies, appraisers, and other parties involved in your mortgage transaction
• Advertising networks and analytics providers
• Lead generation platforms and marketing partners

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Mortgage Services: To process, evaluate, underwrite, close, and service mortgage loan applications and transactions; to determine your eligibility for loan programs; to communicate with you about your application status.
• Legal and Regulatory Compliance: To comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including but not limited to the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and all applicable state licensing and mortgage regulations.
• Communication: To respond to your inquiries, send transaction-related notifications, provide customer support, and send service-related announcements.
• Marketing: To send you promotional materials, newsletters, and information about products or services that may interest you (you may opt out at any time).
• Website Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, improve our website functionality, personalize your experience, and develop new features.
• Security and Fraud Prevention: To detect, prevent, and respond to fraud, unauthorized access, and other illegal activities; to verify your identity.
• Business Operations: To manage our business operations, maintain records, conduct audits, and enforce our agreements.

3. How We Share Your Information

We may share your personal information with the following categories of recipients:

• Mortgage Lenders and Investors: To process your loan application, obtain pricing, and facilitate the funding and sale of your loan on the secondary market.
• Service Providers: Third parties who perform services on our behalf, including credit reporting agencies, appraisal management companies, title and escrow companies, flood certification providers, document preparation services, IT and hosting providers, CRM platforms, email service providers, and customer support tools.
• Real Estate Professionals: Real estate agents, brokers, or other professionals involved in your transaction, with your knowledge or consent.
• Government and Regulatory Authorities: Federal and state regulatory bodies, law enforcement agencies, and government-sponsored entities (such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, FHA, VA, USDA) as required by law or regulation.
• Legal and Compliance Purposes: To comply with legal obligations, respond to subpoenas or court orders, enforce our terms of service, protect our rights, property, or safety, or the rights, property, or safety of others.
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, asset sale, bankruptcy, reorganization, or other business transaction, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.
• With Your Consent: We may share your information for other purposes when you have given us explicit consent to do so.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties for their own independent marketing purposes, except as permitted under applicable law and disclosed in this policy.

4. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, comply with our legal and regulatory obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. For mortgage-related records, we generally retain information for a minimum of three (3) to seven (7) years following the completion or termination of a transaction, or longer as required by federal or state law. Some records may be retained indefinitely for compliance or legal purposes.

5. Data Security

We implement commercially reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include, but are not limited to:

• Encryption of sensitive data in transit and at rest (including SSL/TLS protocols)
• Access controls and authentication requirements for employees and contractors
• Regular security assessments, vulnerability testing, and monitoring
• Employee training on data protection and privacy practices
• Secure document storage and disposal procedures

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, and you provide information to us at your own risk.

6. Your Privacy Rights

6.1 California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CCPA/CPRA), including:

• Right to Know: The right to request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the sources of that information, the business purposes for collection, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it.
• Right to Delete: The right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.
• Right to Correct: The right to request correction of inaccurate personal information.
• Right to Opt Out of Sale/Sharing: The right to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising purposes.
• Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Information: The right to limit the use and disclosure of your sensitive personal information.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: The right not to be discriminated against for exercising your privacy rights.

Please note that certain personal information collected and used in connection with mortgage transactions may be exempt from some CCPA/CPRA provisions under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) exemption.

6.2 Other State Privacy Rights

Residents of other states, including but not limited to Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Montana, and other states that have enacted comprehensive consumer privacy legislation, may have similar rights under their respective state laws. If you are a resident of one of these states, you may exercise applicable rights by contacting us using the information below.

6.3 Federal Rights Under GLBA

As a mortgage broker and financial institution, Ashlar Lending is subject to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), which requires us to provide you with notice of our information-sharing practices and to safeguard your nonpublic personal information (NPI). You may have the right to opt out of certain information sharing with nonaffiliated third parties. We will provide you with the required GLBA privacy notice at or before the time we establish a customer relationship with you.

6.4 How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of the rights described above, please contact us at:

We will verify your identity before processing any request and respond within the timeframes required by applicable law. You may also designate an authorized agent to submit requests on your behalf.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

• Enable essential website functionality (session management, security)
• Remember your preferences and settings
• Analyze website traffic and usage patterns (e.g., Google Analytics)
• Deliver targeted advertising and measure campaign effectiveness
• Integrate with third-party tools and services (CRM, chat, forms)

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality. We may also use tracking pixels and scripts provided by third-party advertising and analytics platforms, including but not limited to Google, Meta (Facebook), and other providers.

8. Third-Party Links and Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services that are not owned or controlled by Ashlar Lending. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of any third-party website or service.

9. Children's Privacy

Our website and services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us immediately, and we will take steps to delete such information.

10. Do Not Track Signals

Some web browsers transmit "Do Not Track" (DNT) signals to websites. Due to the lack of a common industry standard for interpreting DNT signals, our website does not currently respond to DNT signals. We will update this policy if a uniform standard is adopted.

11. SMS and Text Message Communications

If you opt in to receive SMS or text messages from us, you consent to receiving automated and non-automated text messages related to your inquiry, loan application, or marketing communications. Message and data rates may apply. You may opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message or contacting us directly. Message frequency varies. See our Terms of Service for additional details.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and may notify you via email or a prominent notice on our website. Your continued use of our website or services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: