I would have been able to buy competitors for nothing

[Sepmre]

I know that it might be getting annoying, but I have no one to ask my questions. So I like to thank all of you who patiently answer me.


The sentence below is the one I couldn't understand its meaning, I mean the underlined part. Does it mean that I would have won over my competitors without so much struggling?

I would have been able to buy competitors for nothing, take market share that I used to have to fight for, and buy real estate for pennies.

Thanks

 

[GoesStation]

The author means it figuratively. Read "for nothing" as "for a trivial amount of money".

 

[GoesStation]

I don't see any sign the author meant "destroyed".