I don't exactly *know* I'm going not going to live there for a year, the builder may keep extending the closing date (which they keep doing due to COVID), or I may get hit by a bus.

Tell the seller agent you need X amount of time to extend your inspection period....or you will cancel. 

My hunch is that if I show up with a motivated buyer the seller might sign something but otherwise might put off moving his belongings, fail to extend auction date etc.

Nashville is great but suffering some from COVID non pays. 

You can't take the risk...chances are the eviction moratorium will be extended and you could have a jobless tenant living for free for some time. 

Note, even if insurance pays for all the damage your property suffers, you still lose.

If you moved because of a PCS the 2 out of the last 5 years rule is extended to 2 out of 10.

., tenants at sufferance aka holdover tenants) than if you had a year lease and were evicting them for non-payment.You’d definitely want to go through an attorney if either comes to pass, as it can be easy to mess up the timing or notices if you don’t really know the process and try to do it yourself, but those are my thoughts based on my experience as a non-attorney.

They’re looking for a short term 6 month lease option which will work well for me as their lease will be up in the summer if they decide not to extend.

I asked to extend the closing date with the buyers originally, but they refused stating that they were concerned with losing their mort. and not closing in time.