Cookie Policy

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile phone) when you visit a website. They help websites remember information about your visit, making it easier to visit the site again and making the site more useful to you.

Similar technologies include:

• Web beacons: Small graphic images used to track user behavior
• Pixel tags: Transparent images used to track page views and user actions
• Local storage: Technology that stores data locally on your device
• Session storage: Temporary data storage for your browsing session

2. Types of Cookies We Use

2.1 Essential Cookies

These cookies are necessary for our website to function properly and cannot be disabled. They include:

• Session cookies: Keep you logged in during your session
• Security cookies: Protect against fraud and ensure secure transactions
• Authentication cookies: Remember your login status
• Load balancing cookies: Distribute traffic across our servers

2.2 Functional Cookies

These cookies enhance your experience by remembering your preferences:

• Language preferences: Remember your selected language
• Currency settings: Remember your preferred currency (KES, UGX, USD, EUR, GBP)
• Location preferences: Remember your search location settings
• User interface settings: Remember your display preferences
• Property search filters: Remember your search criteria

2.3 Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how our website is used:

• Google Analytics: Track page views, user behavior, and site performance
• Usage statistics: Monitor popular features and content
• Performance monitoring: Track loading times and technical issues
• User journey tracking: Understand how users navigate our site

2.4 Marketing Cookies

These cookies are used for advertising and marketing purposes:

• Advertising cookies: Show relevant ads on our site and partner sites
• Social media cookies: Enable sharing on Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms
• Remarketing cookies: Show targeted ads to previous visitors
• Conversion tracking: Measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns

3. How We Use Cookies

3.1 Website Functionality

• Keep you logged into your account
• Remember your property search preferences
• Maintain your shopping cart and saved properties
• Provide secure access to your dashboard
• Enable communication features

3.2 Personalization

• Display content in your preferred language
• Show prices in your selected currency
• Recommend relevant properties based on your interests
• Customize the user interface to your preferences

3.3 Analytics and Improvement

• Track website performance and loading times
• Understand user behavior and popular features
• Identify technical issues and areas for improvement
• Analyze conversion rates and user engagement

3.4 Marketing and Advertising

• Show relevant property advertisements
• Track the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns
• Provide personalized content and recommendations
• Enable social media sharing and integration

4. Third-Party Cookies

We work with trusted third-party partners who may place cookies on your device:

4.1 Payment Processors

• M-Pesa: Secure mobile payment processing
• MTN Mobile Money: Mobile payment services
• PayPal: Online payment processing
• PesaPal: Payment gateway services
• Wise: International money transfers

4.2 Analytics Services

• Google Analytics: Website traffic and behavior analysis
• Google Tag Manager: Tag and tracking management
• Facebook Pixel: Social media analytics and advertising

4.3 Communication Services

• Email service providers: Newsletter and notification delivery
• Chat services: Customer support and communication
• Social media platforms: Social sharing and integration

4.4 Map and Location Services

• Google Maps: Property location and mapping services
• Location services: Geographic data and navigation

5. Mobile Applications

Our mobile applications use similar technologies to cookies:

5.1 App Analytics

• Track app usage and performance
• Monitor crash reports and technical issues
• Understand user behavior within the app
• Measure feature adoption and engagement

5.2 Push Notifications

• Send property alerts and updates
• Notify about booking confirmations
• Share marketing and promotional content
• Provide customer service notifications

5.3 Device Information

• Device identifiers for analytics
• Operating system information
• App version and update tracking
• Hardware and software specifications

6. Managing Your Cookie Preferences

6.1 Browser Settings

You can control cookies through your browser settings:

• Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data
• Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data
• Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data
• Edge: Settings > Cookies and site permissions

6.2 Cookie Banner

When you first visit our website, you'll see a cookie banner where you can:

• Accept all cookies
• Reject non-essential cookies
• Customize your cookie preferences
• Learn more about our cookie usage

6.3 Opt-Out Options

You can opt out of certain cookies and tracking:

• Google Analytics: Google Analytics Opt-out
• Facebook Ads: Facebook Ad Preferences
• Email tracking: Unsubscribe from our newsletters

7. Impact of Disabling Cookies

While you can disable cookies, this may affect your experience:

7.1 Essential Cookies

Disabling essential cookies may result in:

• Inability to log into your account
• Loss of shopping cart contents
• Security vulnerabilities
• Reduced website functionality

7.2 Functional Cookies

Disabling functional cookies may result in:

• Loss of language and currency preferences
• Need to re-enter search criteria repeatedly
• Less personalized experience
• Reduced convenience features

7.3 Analytics and Marketing Cookies

Disabling these cookies may result in:

• Less relevant advertisements
• Repeated display of the same ads
• Less personalized content recommendations
• Reduced ability to measure marketing effectiveness

8. Data Protection and Privacy

We are committed to protecting your privacy when using cookies:

8.1 Data Security

• Cookies are encrypted and secured
• Personal data in cookies is minimized
• Regular security audits and updates
• Compliance with data protection laws

8.2 Data Retention

• Session cookies expire when you close your browser
• Persistent cookies have defined expiration dates
• Analytics data is retained according to our data policy
• You can delete cookies at any time

8.3 International Transfers

Some of our cookie data may be processed in countries outside Uganda, including:

• United States (Google Analytics, social media platforms)
• European Union (payment processors, cloud services)
• Other countries where our service providers operate

9. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect:

• Changes in our cookie usage
• New features and services
• Legal and regulatory requirements
• Industry best practices

We will notify you of significant changes by:

• Updating the "Last Updated" date
• Displaying prominent notices on our website
• Sending email notifications to registered users
• Updating our cookie banner

10. Legal Basis for Cookie Use

We use cookies based on the following legal grounds:

10.1 Consent

• Marketing and advertising cookies require your consent
• Social media and third-party tracking cookies
• Non-essential analytics cookies

10.2 Legitimate Interest

• Website security and fraud prevention
• Basic analytics for service improvement
• Technical functionality and performance

10.3 Contractual Necessity

• Essential cookies for service delivery
• Payment processing and transaction security
• User authentication and account management

11. Contact Information

If you have questions about our Cookie Policy or want to exercise your rights regarding cookies, please contact us:

12. Related Policies

This Cookie Policy should be read in conjunction with our other policies:

• Privacy Policy - How we handle your personal data
• Terms of Service - Rules for using our platform
• Data Protection Policy - Our data protection practices