If you want a cheap home you'll have to go where nobody wants to live. It's even more true now than before. People aren't tied to their geography for work anymore. They live in the state where they want and work at the job they want. The less fortunate will have to move if they want to own property or rent from these people.
Boomers have been collecting the houses and renting them since the crash of 08. A few of them are selling at a premium right now or passing them onto their kids. Depending on the state there is also a lot of 'new' money from crypto and legalized weed. Let's not forget about those relocating from the coasts with their coastal home equity and salaries.
It's cute though that people think prices will go down in decent areas. They won't.