It is MUCH better to have a vacant property than one with a tenant with cashflow problems or a million excuses why they don't have your rent payment.If you're going to be flexible, be flexible with the rental price and get a good tenant.  

Please excuse me for being inquisitive, but I am a newbie, and I am trying to absorb as much as possible.

Is this just an excuse they are giving me to justify their lack of action?

When we were kids we all believed anything was possible, somewhere along the way most of us become jaded, we started making excuses and we gave up on our dreams.

I have found it cuts off all the excuses and stories and mischief...

You can tell immediately if the person is a fake because they will be stumbling to figure out what role they are supposed to be playing (are they the friend, former landlord, employer)Forgetting a form for them to fill out is sometimes good to, it gives you an excuse to go to their current apartment to knock on the door and peer inside to see how their housekeeping skills are.

Go to the court house, find the court room that deals with what ever kind of law you need an attorney for, at a break or when court is not in session, say excuse me to the bailiff, "I really could use your help please.  

So you really have no excuse to use a PM for an STR that is in the same city as you unless you truly want it to be a passive investment.

However, to have a guest in a home for long stay and not be paid is absolutely non excuseable and they handled it with little care.

Had the property under contract for several weeks and one excuse after another (waiting on CPA to get past tax season, had to go into the hospital, I just don’t want to share my financials) the sellers have not and seem to refuse to provide verifiable income and expenses.