>I'm missing what they did that denies others opportunity. Buying a couple houses in another state?

Yes. The number of affordable fixer uppers in a place like Madison is effectively fixed. The two houses they bought means two fewer young people can climb onto the property ladder.

>And sure, any wealth story has some piece that involves luck and/or timing. Nothing wrong with that.

The wrong part is not having the self awareness to realize that they were lucky.