I requested that the contractor walk the attic and roof to endure we didn't have any surprises during the remodel. 

This is an endurance race not a sprint.

The real estate investor may endure these higher fees but will make up for it by spending less time and energy dealing with lower quality help.  

We fully intend on purchasing rentals at some point, and we already have this one now.Should we sell and start over with a clean financial slate, or should we endure and try to maintain this as out of state owners?  

I have back problems and pretty bad tinnitus that got me VA disability.

I am looking to gain some insights from the seasoned RE investors who have endured through downturns and not lost their money/business in the process.

Also, should we endure another market correction, atleast we would have the funds to carry out any mortgage obligations in the unlikely event we face increased vacancy (very uncommon in my area).

I have 8 months under my belt so far and have endured as much or more "setbacks" as I've ever seen in all my years of land-lording (lots of appliance replacements, A/C fixes, idiot guests that demand refunds due to crumbs in the toaster [no joke], and even the dreaded HOA Special Assessment.

I will be browsing through the forums too but there is a lot to catch up on so I apologize for any duplicating you may have to endure.

Sounds like you've endured a lot and I bet there are more than a few things you could offer with your experience.