ok lets ship for now

lib/models/app_cloud_prefs.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/// Cloud-synced app preferences (Home sections + Look ahead).
+library;
+
+import 'home_built_in_sections.dart';
+
+/// One-per-user prefs row mirrored in PocketBase `app_prefs`.
+class AppCloudPrefs {
+  const AppCloudPrefs({
+    required this.homeBuiltInSections,
+    required this.lookAheadMaxYears,
+  });
+
+  final HomeBuiltInSections homeBuiltInSections;
+  final int lookAheadMaxYears;
+
+  static const defaults = AppCloudPrefs(
+    homeBuiltInSections: HomeBuiltInSections.defaults,
+    lookAheadMaxYears: 5,
+  );
+
+  AppCloudPrefs copyWith({
+    HomeBuiltInSections? homeBuiltInSections,
+    int? lookAheadMaxYears,
+  }) {
+    return AppCloudPrefs(
+      homeBuiltInSections:
+          homeBuiltInSections ?? this.homeBuiltInSections,
+      lookAheadMaxYears: lookAheadMaxYears ?? this.lookAheadMaxYears,
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+/// Prefer local when the user has pending edits; otherwise take remote.
+AppCloudPrefs mergeAppCloudPrefs({
+  required AppCloudPrefs local,
+  required AppCloudPrefs? remote,
+  required bool preferLocal,
+}) {
+  if (preferLocal || remote == null) return local;
+  return remote;
+}