Actually, co-op apartment building started in 1970-s, two of my aunts lived there. They had to pay a hefty downpayment, that is true (it was not 100x their salary, more like 20x I think - about the same as a new car). But then there were people in low-paying jobs for whom it would have been 100x...
PS I think I see your point now: the first apartments for sale after "perestroyka" were those privately owned co-ops, you are right. But even before that, houses in countryside were bought and sold privately and apartments could be bought and sold too, but it was a grey area where you would officially "exchange" a smaller apartment for a larger one and paid money under the table.
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PS I think I see your point now: the first apartments for sale after "perestroyka" were those privately owned co-ops, you are right. But even before that, houses in countryside were bought and sold privately and apartments could be bought and sold too, but it was a grey area where you would officially "exchange" a smaller apartment for a larger one and paid money under the table.