@Jesse S.I have a portfolio of 10 small multi-family properties here in Brooklyn where the center point is Prospect Park.More specifically, I own properties in Ditmas Park, Windsor Terrace, Clinton Hill and Bed-Stuy.Additionally, all 10 properties are between 2 to 4 Units, NONE are Rent Controlled or Rent Stabilized, and all have two or more Partners.The first property we bought was in 1997 in Ditmas Park.The last we bought we bought was in 2018 in Bed-Stuy right near the A-Train at Nostrand Ave stop.Acquisitions are on hold mainly because of very uncertain, unfriendly to Landlord politics.This past June, a suite of Renter Friendly laws were passed.Most of the changes strengthened the laws that were already here in NYC for Rent Controlled and stablized apts.However, other parts of the law affects every single rental, including non-regulated apts in the State of NY.

Worst case you can always just do M2M and phrase it as things are uncertain for them and you don't feel right locking them into a contract if there is any uncertainty on their ability to fulfill it and you don't want to cause an undue hardship. 

Australia is or has passed legislation to curtail that, as has Hong Kong and Canada- indirectly with audits on their version of EB-5.

My question, which I also posed to realtors and got an uncertain answer, is 1) will HUD even consider  another [lower] offer from me at a later date - or reject it out of hand because of previously terminated contract? 

This is my first property and first time returning a deposit so I guess I'm a bit uncertain.

@Justin HoweThe best way to structure a lease option assignment is not to assign a deal because you're acting as a broker when you assign a dealThere is legislation in Florida and Ohio about assigning lease options without a licenseIf you record your option and charge an option release fee to the buyer, that's your best strategy versus assigning a lease option

I am unfamiliar with the provisions under Alberta's tenancy legislation, but you might have a look.  

Lenders on construction loans were too uncertain about when the market was going to turn around. 

While we don't have (yet) the burial sites, we have a unique collection of 60's hippies that (still) love communism, and hate tech, progress (no idea why they are called "progressive") and success (especially landlord and real estate success roils their blood :)  Add to that an extremely incompetent Bored of Stupidvisors which has a nack for passing local rent control legislation that gets ruled unconstitutional in superior court.

I'm pretty sure the link you posted is the latest legislation on the topic.