Just a really bad set of circumstances for the OP.

We don’t know all the circumstances, BUT, from the small amount of information in the OP, it does seem like the OP believes that to earn a commission the broker/agent needs to represent the buyer all the way through closing and that if the buyer terminates agreement before closing the agent no longer needs to be paid.  

Or, if possible, move into a different property, hold onto this property for another 2 years or so, (your circumstances have now changed) and you'd like to sell your investment property, 1031 all proceeds into a "like-kind" property and benefit from the 1031 tax deferral. 

This obviously is neglecting the agent fee to get a tenant in.

It is rural and 30 minutes outside of a major city, however, it does have a 20x30 shop that a tenant under the right circumstances might find desirable.

Quote from @Carlos Ptriawan: In case anyone interested to find out how to see this problem from the bridge-lender side intellegently, these information from one of the lender is very informative:Loan Modifications We may amend or modify loans that involve other-than-insignificant payment delays and provide interest rate reductions and/or extend the maturity dates for borrowers experiencing financial difficulty based on specific facts and circumstances.

If you brought your spouse and 2 kids with you, and you could argue all of your argue of your time on the trip was looking at real estate, and your personal business and activity circumstance defends being able to immediately deduct it and not treat it as a start up cost... likely 75% of much of the travel costs (airfare, food, etc) would be non-deductible. 

Also, in the rental agreement, it says:"HOLD HARMLESS AND INDEMNITY: OWNER of rental property shall not be liable forany damages and/or injury to TENANT and/or their guest(s), or their personal propertydue to TENANT’S acts, actions or neglect.

My next question is a simple one: through circumstance, we will almost certainly have real estate holdings in two states (Georgia and likely Pennsylvania).

I have seen some sellers wait two years to close on a property those are definitely rare circumstances.