From what I understand, more now than ever people are leaving large high-cost metroplexes with the opportunity to work remotely paired with harsh covid-related mandates - being cooped up in a high rise apartment can get old. 

I would figure out who the current chemical supplier is and who the rep is if they have one.

But I think they were a little harsh with their responses.

You don't want to scare away tenants because of a harsh beratement. 

Our area has a huge chemical plant industry where I believe almost anything could work in terms of real estate options. 

I think it's safe to say that the impact has been way less harsh on real estate than we all anticipated. 

They were set up like that because of the a large number of out of town people that come here to work in the local chemical plants.

They are not off the list, but haven't found anything compelling enough to go and see, and the winters are harsh.  

My difficult position is that I am currently unemployed, though I work as a contract electrician in chemical plants, I’m usually unemployed a few times a year, though make consistent yearly salary.I recently went into a lease option deal on a duplex, valued at 275k.

There's some nasty chemicals used in meth manufacturing.