Terms of Service

Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Last Updated: June 7, 2026

1. Our Services

Default Research ("we," "us," or "our") operates defaultresearch.com and provides:

• Foreclosure Guides: Educational content about foreclosure processes by state and county
• Calculators & Tools: Max bid calculator, rehab estimator, financing calculator, and other investment analysis tools
• Market Intelligence: Aggregated data and insights about foreclosure markets
• Glossary & Resources: Definitions and explanations of real estate and foreclosure terminology
• Comparisons: State-by-state and concept comparisons for investor education

Our services are provided for informational and educational purposes only. We do not provide property listings, conduct real estate transactions, or offer professional advice (legal, financial, tax, or investment).

1.1 United States Only

Default Research is intended exclusively for users in the United States. All content, including foreclosure guides, state/county information, legal timelines, auction procedures, and redemption periods, applies only to U.S. jurisdictions. Foreclosure laws and processes vary significantly by country, and our information has no applicability outside the United States.

If you access this Site from outside the United States, you do so at your own risk and are solely responsible for compliance with local laws. We make no representation that our content is appropriate or available for use in other locations.

2. Eligibility

To use the Site, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms
• Not be prohibited from using the Site under applicable laws

By using the Site, you represent and warrant that you meet these eligibility requirements.

3. Acceptable Use

You agree to use the Site only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You may:

• Access and read our educational content
• Use our calculators and tools for personal investment analysis
• Share links to our content with proper attribution
• Save and share calculator results using our built-in sharing features
• Subscribe to our newsletter (optional)

4. Prohibited Conduct

You agree NOT to:

4.1 Misuse of Site

• Use the Site in any way that violates applicable laws or regulations
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Site or its systems
• Interfere with or disrupt the Site's servers or networks
• Use automated systems (bots, scrapers, crawlers) to access the Site without permission
• Attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any part of the Site

4.2 Content Misuse

• Copy, reproduce, or republish our content without authorization
• Remove any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices
• Frame or mirror any part of the Site
• Use our content to create competing products or services
• Misrepresent our content as your own or as professional advice

4.3 Harmful Activities

• Upload or transmit viruses, malware, or other harmful code
• Engage in any activity that could damage, disable, or impair the Site
• Harass, threaten, or intimidate other users or our staff
• Use the Site for any fraudulent or deceptive purposes

5. Intellectual Property

5.1 Our Content

The Site and its original content, features, and functionality are owned by Default Research and are protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. This includes:

• Written content, guides, and articles
• Calculator tools and their underlying code
• Website design, layout, and graphics
• Logos, trademarks, and trade dress
• Data compilations and databases

5.2 Limited License

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Site for personal, non-commercial purposes, subject to these Terms.

5.3 Trademarks

"Default Research" and our logos are trademarks. You may not use our trademarks without prior written consent, except as permitted for fair use (such as accurate references or links).

6. User Content

When you use our calculators or tools, you may input data ("User Content") such as property values, loan amounts, and repair estimates.

6.1 Your Responsibility

You are solely responsible for the accuracy and legality of any User Content you provide. We do not verify User Content.

6.2 License to User Content

By using our shareable results features, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to store, display, and transmit your calculator results for the purpose of providing the sharing functionality. This license terminates when you delete the shared content or when we remove it according to our retention policies.

6.3 Privacy

Our handling of User Content is described in our Privacy Policy.

7. Calculators & Tools

7.1 Educational Purpose Only

Our calculators and tools (Max Bid Calculator, Rehab Estimator, Financing Calculator, etc.) are provided for educational and informational purposes only. They are designed to help you understand concepts and perform preliminary analysis.

7.2 No Guarantee of Accuracy

Calculator results are estimates based on the inputs you provide and general assumptions. They:

• Are NOT guaranteed to be accurate, complete, or current
• Do NOT account for all variables that affect real estate investments
• Should NOT be relied upon as the sole basis for investment decisions
• May contain errors or produce unexpected results

7.3 Professional Advice Required

Before making any real estate investment decision, you should consult with qualified professionals, including:

• Real estate attorneys
• Certified Public Accountants (CPAs)
• Licensed real estate agents/brokers
• Property inspectors and appraisers
• Financial advisors

8. Third-Party Links & Services

8.1 External Links

The Site contains links to third-party websites, including our affiliate partner Foreclosure.com. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, privacy practices, or opinions expressed on these third-party sites.

8.2 Affiliate Relationships

Some links on the Site are affiliate links. When you click these links and make a purchase or sign up for a service, we may receive a commission. For details, see our Affiliate Disclosure.

8.3 Third-Party Terms

Your use of third-party services is subject to their terms of service and privacy policies. We encourage you to review them before using such services.

9. Disclaimers

9.1 "As Is" Basis

THE SITE AND ALL CONTENT, TOOLS, AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, OR COURSE OF PERFORMANCE.

9.2 No Professional Advice

NOTHING ON THIS SITE CONSTITUTES LEGAL, FINANCIAL, TAX, OR INVESTMENT ADVICE. All content, guides, calculators, tools, and information are provided for general informational and educational purposes only. Real estate investing involves significant risks, including the potential loss of your entire investment.

You must consult qualified professionals before making any decisions, including:

• Licensed attorneys for legal advice regarding foreclosures, contracts, and property rights
• Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) for tax implications
• Licensed real estate agents or brokers for property transactions
• Professional appraisers for property valuations
• Licensed contractors for repair estimates
• Financial advisors for investment strategies

We are not licensed attorneys, real estate agents, financial advisors, or tax professionals. Our content should never be used as a substitute for professional advice.

9.3 No Data Guarantees

WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, TIMELINESS, OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION ON THIS SITE. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Foreclosure laws, timelines, and processes (these change frequently)
• State and county foreclosure procedures
• Redemption periods and statutory timeframes
• Auction procedures and requirements
• Calculator results and financial estimates
• Market data and statistics
• Links to government websites and official sources
• Any other content on the Site

Information may be outdated, incomplete, or incorrect. Foreclosure laws vary by state and county, and change frequently through legislation, court decisions, and administrative rules. You must always verify information with official government sources (county clerk, recorder, assessor, sheriff, or relevant government agencies) before relying on it.

We are not affiliated with any government agency, court, or official foreclosure entity. We do not have access to official foreclosure records, and we do not guarantee that our information reflects current laws or procedures.

9.4 United States Jurisdiction Only

All content on this Site applies exclusively to the United States. Foreclosure laws, processes, and procedures described on this Site have no applicability to any other country. International users access this Site at their own risk.

9.5 No Endorsement

Our mention of any product, service, company, or property does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. We are not affiliated with any government agency, court, or official foreclosure entity.

10. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, DEFAULT RESEARCH AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AND AFFILIATES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:

• Any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
• Any loss of profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities
• Any damages arising from your use of or inability to use the Site
• Any damages arising from reliance on information provided on the Site
• Any damages arising from unauthorized access to or alteration of your data
• Any investment losses or property-related losses

IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THE SITE EXCEED ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100) OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES. IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS, OUR LIABILITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Default Research and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

• Your violation of these Terms
• Your use of the Site
• Your User Content
• Your violation of any third-party rights
• Any investment decisions you make based on information from the Site

12. Termination

We may terminate or suspend your access to the Site immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including:

• Breach of these Terms
• Conduct that we believe is harmful to other users or the Site
• At our sole discretion for any reason

Upon termination, your right to use the Site will immediately cease. All provisions of these Terms which by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.

13. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

14. Dispute Resolution

14.1 Informal Resolution

Before filing a claim, you agree to try to resolve the dispute informally by contacting us. We will attempt to resolve the dispute informally within 60 days.

14.2 Binding Arbitration

If we cannot resolve a dispute informally, any dispute arising from or relating to these Terms or the Site shall be resolved by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules. The arbitration will take place in California, unless we agree otherwise.

14.3 Class Action Waiver

YOU AND DEFAULT RESEARCH AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING.

14.4 Exceptions

Either party may bring a lawsuit solely for injunctive relief to stop unauthorized use or abuse of the Site, or intellectual property infringement, without first engaging in arbitration.

15. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. When we make changes:

• We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
• For material changes, we may provide additional notice (such as a banner on the Site)
• Your continued use of the Site after changes constitutes acceptance of the new Terms

If you do not agree to the modified Terms, you must stop using the Site.

16. Additional Terms

16.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Affiliate Disclosure, constitute the entire agreement between you and Default Research regarding the Site.

16.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

16.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

16.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms without restriction.

17. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us:

• Contact: Contact us and select "Legal" as the department

---

Summary: Default Research is for United States users only. Our content is for educational purposes only — not professional advice. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any data, information, or calculator results. Real estate investing is risky — always consult qualified professionals (attorneys, CPAs, licensed agents) before making decisions. We're not liable for investment decisions you make. Disputes are resolved through arbitration. Contact us with questions.