Purpose of Addressing Observability
This page explains the structural constraints that limit what can be observed about residential real estate through listing-based datasets. Its purpose is to clarify why visibility should not be confused with completeness or representativeness.
Observability is treated here as a conditional state shaped by how residential information becomes published, mediated, and captured.
Listings as a Conditional Observation Channel
Residential listings represent properties that pass through specific publication channels at a given moment. Visibility depends on decisions made by property holders, intermediaries, and platforms, rather than on the existence or scale of housing.
As a result, what is observable reflects participation in listing systems, not the underlying residential landscape.
Structural Limits of What Can Be Seen
Large portions of residential housing remain structurally unobservable through listings. Long-occupied residences, informally transferred housing, and properties without digital representation are absent by design.
These absences are not gaps to be filled but boundaries that define what the dataset cannot speak to.
Implications for Interpretation
Observability constraints prevent reliable aggregation, comparison, or extrapolation. Visible listings cannot be treated as samples, proxies, or indicators of broader residential conditions.
This page establishes a strict interpretive boundary: listing-based data describes exposure only and remains silent on all residential contexts outside that exposure.