Converting a 5 plex into 4?

[Cordell Huebsch]

Hey all!  Just a noob so please bear with me!  In the process of purchasing a 5 plex older home.  We will use traditional commercial financing to make the deal work (5 year balloon).  My question is, with the impending inflation coming and maybe subsequent interest rate increases, would you forego a little cash flow to convert the property into a 4 plex and lock in the long term financing?  The short math would be it should cash flow around $1000 mo. now, and would drop to $500/mo. after the conversion.  Have any of you done this, and is it hard to convince a lender that an existing 5 plex is now a 4?