But it's not really practice (or sane) to hope that a natural disaster strikes.  

You could get lucky with a tenant who wants to live there for years, or you could strike out and get continual one-and-done leases.Have you ever read Stephen King's Pet Sematary?

Of course some people strike it lucky with owning a property for the 2 years and making bank without cash flow, but that's luck, not a strategy!

As a rookie, do you strike this conversation up cold and send them your deal? 

Other strikes against the OP getting funding: lack of experience; uncertainty of numbers - for rent, ARV, repairs; dollar amount of ARV and the loan.

I would file asap, I'm assuming you aren't the only one on the block who got hit and you had no way of knowing that a tornado was about to strike. 

There are two strikes against you already.If you buy from some of these wholesalers who claim to sell 20 to 30 properties a month you are going to strike out!!!

I am fortunate enough that this doesn’t kill me and have been running 4 apartments for over 10 years and was waiting for this bullsh4t...but unfortunately became lazy and didn’t have the process ready to strike.  

Be aware of education snobs and embedded brainwashed individuals that strike fear it the youth of America.

I disagree with the policies they have chosen and the balance they have chosen to strike regarding economy vs deaths, but I acknowledge that there was no choice that was not going to hurt a lot of people.