I’m sure many of the buyers were on the edge financially. The gas prices just finished them off.
Yes, it’s a shame because they were trying awfully hard to get a better quality of life (less crime, etc.).....
As a humble store owner in the weekly repeat business, I watched at least half my customers reducing their purchases as gas prices caused them to struggle with the rent. One by one, they fell away as they reduced all discretioneries to zero, then they moved away to cheaper rentals. There was a slight offset as previous 'house owners' walked away from their houses and became renters. I closed the business and now my ex-landlord (bless both him and his property manager) have the problem as their empty units increase.