I’m just surprised that he could find that many people at HOME to negotiate in one period of a few hours.... it probably was not all settled quite so fast.... nowadays with busy work life and two-career families, a lot of couples are not both at home within such reasonable hours....
Even if it took several years, it remains a worthy plan to me. That he purchased every property around his is the key.
The report says this occurred over “a single afternoon and evening” but that was likely glossed over. Unless he was fortunate that no household decision makers were traveling and/or away from home that entire day and night. It is quite possible that he made at least the handsome offers to each interested head of household or their proxy and then the accepted offers and details followed at some later point.
Money talks!