The Evolution of the Economic Functions of Digital Platforms in Residential Real Estate Markets – from Information Intermediation to Algorithmic Coordination

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The study examines the economic functions of digital platforms in residential real estate markets. It aims to identify criteria for determining the transition of a digital platform from information intermediation to algorithmic coordination of the industry market, and to develop a reproducible model for assessing the depth of platformization. The scientific novelty of the paper lies in introducing the original concepts of the “platform coordination perimeter” and the “functional depth of platformization”, and in developing a three-level maturity matrix comprising: (1) digital support, (2) platform-based coordination, and (3) algorithmic delegation of decision-making). The historical analysis of platform evolution covers the period 2015–2025, while the assessment of functional depth is a snapshot for 2025. The results reveal a statistically significant positive relationship between the functional depth of platformization and the number of market functions delegated to the platform. In contrast, the relationship between the functional depth and platform revenue proves to be considerably weaker. The proposed model is empirically tested on six real estate platforms: Rightmove, Zillow, Beike, QuintoAndar, CIAN, DomClick.