This sounds like a rather pervasive scam.

@Kenneth Sesley  People from foreign countries lending money over the internet has scam written all over it unfortunately.  

Curt, there are old scams attached to non-refundable EM deposits, they are not down payments, but consideration for the contract.

Properties are booking very well on Airbnb/VRBO, but several properties without so much as an inquiry on BDC.Not even getting scam offers. 

I've noticed even when I explain it to friends, they look at me like I'm trying to scam the elderly or something.

The applicant said she'd paid cash and would get a receipt, but never gave it to me.People trying to scam us "evil landlords" so they can get a bigger nicer place they probably can't afford !!

http://www.northbergen.org/Departments/rent-control  Fortunately the NJ anti eviction statute does not apply as the previous owner occupied also.

There would be all sorts of anti-trust lawsuits around if this were the case.Getting a property under contract and then shopping that contract around is what's at play.Someone mentioned Equitable Interest.

I get leary on EBay, only because I have known people who got scammed/screwed there.

Most people I know who are anti-gun have little to no real-life experience with firearms, and use action movies as their sole frame of reference.