You want to buy assets with leverage to ride with the increased inflation. 

What happens if the roof does get hailed out during this time or tenants see that it’s not new and want a new one before option expires?

Riding a bike can be suicide.

So I'm think, maybe a conventional job for the next few years may not be too bad of an idea, especially as it would help me break the news "hey mom, I'm going to buy this $520,000 4 unit with pretty much all debt, and just ride it out."

As for the people that buy and hold they will most likely ride out this downturn if they have enough cashflow and rent in their market stays the same.

What I'd really like to do is quit my job and pursue Real Estate Investing full time, ride that out till I no longer can, and make this my job/retirement.

confess your sins, say 10 hail mary's, do something nice for your enemy, and give yourself 10 lashes 

Yes, I think debt will be inflated away by design, if the US government can maintain a sticky inflation rate while goosing GDP in the name of reshoring (similar to post WWII), then they can reduce their debt to GDP ratio over the next decade and I'll be along for the ride

try to ride along on a flip without paying thousands of dollars. 

Corporate Direct being in the upper-middle range of that.So it’s not so much about the money but rather not being taken for a ride, while ensuring that the entities are formed correctly on the first attempt.