If you lose your source of primary income, do you have enough cash to make it through the crisis? 

The PM vets I know will all confirm that you lose much less by lowering your rate of (monthly) rent than by missing an entire month of income! 

But it is very risky and you can lose all of your properties if things go wrong.

The lender at that point can exercise the Due On Sale and it becomes a problem for the subto buyer, who now has to find new financing or lose the house to foreclosure.

This could be an opportunity to add value by offering to help with clearing or relocating those items as part of any potential agreement.Why This Could Be a Good Move for YouYou see long-term potential in the property, especially with the large lot and development possibilities (even if those are years down the line).As the current tenants, you have the advantage of a direct relationship with the landlord and familiarity with the property, reducing competition and risk.This could be a chance to lock in a property that you might otherwise lose if it hit the open market, especially in today’s competitive environment.Challenges to ConsiderIf the landlord is emotionally tied to the property or reliant on rental income, they may be reluctant to sell.Financing could be tricky, especially with today’s interest rates and the gap between the current rent and what a conventional loan might cost.The development potential you’re interested in is likely a long-term play, which means the property could be financially tight in the short term, especially if you’re only breaking even or slightly negative on cash flow.Structuring a Potential DealTo make this feasible, you’ll likely need to explore creative financing options that align with both your financial capacity and the landlord’s goals.Seller Financing: Propose a deal where the landlord acts as the lender, allowing you to make monthly payments directly to them.

Logically I can't make a solid business case to cancel them, as the cash flow is fine vs losing it all with a tornado.

By your own admission, you are losing money.

You may lose 1% (in expectation) from being out of the stock and/or RE markets for those few months, but that's less than you are going to lose making a hasty decision.

You have to buy right, know where the market is headed, know ALL of your expenses and know what your various "outs" are before you commit to a property or you will lose your shirt.  

I guess a flat seasonal fee like any insurance policy, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.