Isn't reducing rent better than a vacancy?

[Andrew Morales]

New tenants who have already made a deposit and signed a contract are now asking if we'll be flexible if they lose their jobs in this new COVID-19 environment.  My first thought is that they can sell their contract, but if they can't isn't it better to accept reduced rent by 100-300 than it is to put up with a vacancy?

The situation here is that we are in a SFH with a MIL. Mortgage is 1800/mos and MIL rent is 885/mos. We'd get by without the extra income, but we're trying to think through all our options.