I have been going to LV for 20+ years to gamble and party.

Our community, left largely uncensored (except for the 5 "S" - Sales, Sleaze, Spam, Self-Promotion, Solicitation), has discussed how to handle a recession or similar economic environment ad nauseum, to steal a phrase from @Corby Goade.But, let's address your questions here specifically. 

It’s kind of a gamble but I guess you can make an educated bet based on the market, supply/demand, and the quality of management.If you didn’t do that then I do think they’re due back their deposit.On the positive side, it sounds like you have a nice property in a popular area if it rented that quick..Best of luck! 

Horrible timing for us to decide to really step up the investment game and gambling on REI for me and my wife!

I may have had a disaster relief email in my spam that I inadvertently deleted.  

) LOL. and I laid out the risk factors. and I got 50 up votes.. so you can see there is a divide here on BP between as many doors at what ever cost or method you can get them and risk does not matter because Cash flow rentals are the safest thing to buy in the US and appreciation Is gambling etc etc. 

@Yuriy Skripnichenko - completing that link has the fine print that you are signing up for their future communications AKA spam 

I may have gotten a slightly better deal had I gambled but It’s not worth the risk of not refinancing earlier.

They have far more better things to do than fiddle with spam mail.

Particularly with a 3-year window, that is just gambling.