That was the urbanization movement. Average families were no longer able to afford to stay in the rural areas they grew up in, but were quite well off compared

That was the urbanization movement. Average families were no longer able to afford to stay in the rural areas they grew up in, but were quite well off compared to the poor who historically occupied the urban areas. As such, they were able to swoop in and buy up everything for a song in those urban areas. That is less about their income and more about taking advantage of a market disparity. Prior to COVID many similar disparities were able to be found. In fact, there was a growing counter-urbanization movement taking advantage of it. It does seem opportunists sitting at home not allowed to do anything else during COVID squeezed a lot of them dry along with everything else, granted.