The next item on the checklist is the possibility of moisture intrusion through these cracks.

It is caused by salts/minerals in the material composing the mortar, or brick itself, being leached out (by moisture) to the surface of the brick.  

She divulged this info at our monthly poker game... it just fell in my lap.Data:1700sf3 Bedroom, 1 & 1/2 Baths, w/  bonus office space1 car garage (typical for neighborhood)Comparable properties in neighborhood sell between $150-160kEstimated damage (moisture and general damage) with a contractor at $45k (yeah, nothing to sneeze at; new roof membrane, hvac and ducts (ducts on roof on old NM house), gyp bd work, mold abatement, all new flooring, interior doors, etc.New work would include redoing the kitchen (simple and small, maybe $10k)Upgrade electrical service so we can upgrade the AC ($1.5k)Spruce up landscaping front and back $5kSmall contingency of $4.5k for misc.I feel pretty good about $65k as a healthy flip budgetSo, she owes $98,000We think it only makes sense to go into this if we can get it for $60,000 max (begin negotiations at $50,000).Purchase + flip = $125,000Potential sale on low side of $150,000Potential Profit on low side: $25,000 - carrying costsSo, the real meat of the question (other than feedback on my flip numbers) is what to do about getting the property for its current worth.

If you can't put a monitoring valve on the water supply can you put a water moisture alarms somewhere below her?  

The inspection showed no moisture except a slight leak in a kitchen sink drain.

The 11 acres is broken down into 6 various sized plots of vacant land. 3/4 of the land is on a gentle grade, the other 1/4 slopes down fairly sharply into a small valley then up the other side.

If the bottom of the pile has organic matter or household chemicals or anything with moisture, it's most likely damaging the flooring and walls and attracting pests.

I Think Drywall on basement ceilings is a bad idea, in all my houses it inhibits getting to too much of the plumbing and electrical.I always update ceiling fans, they are cheap and a good new one is a better investment that having potential complains about the old one if it were to fail.What does the wood paneling look like, newer stuff is difficult to paint, while older paneling may have moisture problems and need to be removed.

They are snapped together on top of a moisture barrier and are basically floating.

These areas are prone to excess moisture.