We thought that an alternative would be to rent a townhouse/ apartment for the remainder of the lease but I also have 9 cars (I collect) and with the amount of stuff and family members we have, it would be a giant inconvenience.

A number of landlords (myself included) still receive their monthly rent by receiving a check in the mail or collecting it themselves directly form the tenants.

If you’re not in the area often then yes, long term rentals may provide more stability for you.Either way, I do recommend that you buy based on reasonable long-term rent #s, not AirBNB #s, since you may not be able to do AirBNB if you’re not actively living in the property.As far as $2500-$3000 per month, if you mean gross rents then yes I think that’s do-able if you have decent-sized and -condition units and especially if you have 3 units with at least 2 beds per unit.Management fees are usually a percentage of collected rents, which is probably also true in NYC. 10% is “common” but some property managers may charge more or less depending on what services they offer, how many units they’d be managing for you (think quantity discount) and what you can negotiate.

Has anyone had any luck with mortgage companies if rent can’t be collected due to coronavirus?  

During the potential 360-day forbearance period, no fees, penalties, or interest beyond the amounts scheduled or calculated as if the borrower made timely contractual payments shall accrue on the borrower’s account.Reciprocally, servicers may not collect any such fees, penalties, or interest during this forbearance period.

This helps verify actual collected income vs what SHOULD be collected on the rent roll. 

I wouldn't say I'd be broke, but severely crippled and with no way to recoup the costs (e.g. unemployment).Come to think of it, I wonder if landlords would be eligible for unemployment if they can prove all their income is from rent and are compelled to go without collecting it for three months?

i agree with robert not all landlords are alike.but one thing we all have in common we bought are buildings on tenants paying rent.if does not matter if one unit or 1000.we all counted on that tenant paying rent.so do wantever helps you do it in collecting rent.i have found now will most tenants i will talked to most have their april rents ,and will probably have may rent will stimulas check.so start building up a cash reserve,put all major  remodeling  on hold.just fix what you must.your job now is to babysit your tenants ,try to get them to realize them stimulas check has to last along with those unemployment checks.i know none of you have signed up for this,but you have to adapt,or you will be one of the landlords that will go out of business.i seen many in 2008 ,that will stubborn in their ways and it hurt them.i was one for a liitle while then too.but you will learn without threat of eviction certain tenants our going to think they do not have to pay.your best chance is tell them work with you now to evoid eviction later.some will work out,and some not.but that is just like when you pick a tenant,you really do not know to 3 months later,if you got lucky and picked a great tenant.

At least not until April and possibly May collection are known.

Send the balance due to a collections agency and have them report the balance owed to the credit reporting agencies.