We're in the midst of a global pandemic! 

TBH lots of people are starting to panic about what to do with their money, given the current global economic conditions.

Focused on multifamily value add deals, 10-25 or so units,  in southern California with an emphasis on the Long Beach area. 

Depending on your hold strategy, I'd place an emphasis on the increase in FMV that will come with the added cost, maybe more so than payback period.

With this 2018 global trade war hammering the stock market and raising consumer prices across the board what is the best buy and hold contingency plan in case real estate values have peaked and may drop in future years?

That debt fund has operates steadily through the years despite the 2009-10-11 market decline, the global pandemic and now the interest rate increases.

It caused a global economic shutdown in the freaking planet and people are not sure if this is going to impact the RE market?

This is probably the best advice you've received - emphasis on the "call" part.

I graduated from Noth Texas with a business degree that had real estate emphasis.  

There are many elite forces that make it their goal to crash economies and establish their version of a global agenda.