A part-time real estate agent simply cannot fulfill their duties to their client.

The solitude and mobility you desire may both be fulfilled, and your need for "nice things" may subside a bit if your driving a Benz model class B motor home on a daily.

In turn, I would ask for bank statements and a credit report from the landlord in order to insure that they would be financially able to continue making the mortgage payments so I wouldn't be out on the street when they didn't fulfill their commitments.

If you don't want to hire a lawyer to deal with it, just write them a letter using that term and say that because of Covid 19 causing you to lose your funding, you can't fulfill the contract, and so they should refund your money. 

Either way, you are going to fulfill your mortgage loan commitment...1 year of actually living there.

If it's just communicating with the owner, then you have fulfilled your responsibility.

So, I think the concept can't be applied successfully there.My problem with people using this argument, is that they're not only saying they can't fulfill their contract, but they're going beyond then just ending the contract. 

I have 4 students set to move in to my property May 1st fulfilling the signed lease with deposit.

I think you should own the fact that your tenants do not think you've done a good job fulfilling your duties as a landlord, get the dryer installed, chalk it up to life experience and move on.

But, I think it's absolutely un-American to tell private business owners that they must fulfill the role of the government, and at a loss of profit to boot.It's like eminent domain without the required compensation!