Well back in the mid 80s I began working for some Iranians who left Iran once the Sha was deposed. THey came over and started a building supply business and I had the pleasure of working for them till 88.  An interesting and eclectic group of highly educated people, from fighter pilots, to university professors and the like, now distributing home fixtures.
Their major clients were other Iranian businesspeople, mostly home builders amongst other clients. I ran the wholesale side here in Central Ontario, dealing mostly with the Canadian clients so to speak.
It was apparant that the majority of homes being built were to be flipped. At that time I found that rather strange, being so young and naive.  There was apparant greed and of course I ran with the crowd supplying them with all they could get.
When the demand all dried up and i rates start moving.....well lets say there was blood on the street. I was one of a few left unscathed.  Lots of empty, upscale homes became spider web infested