As @Steve Vaughan pointed out, full costs for utilities, lawn upkeep, and snow removal are easily offloaded to the tenant, and if things go crazy on the small lawns the fixer landlord can step in with his equipment and save the day before the municipality gets on his back.It's an affordable way for people with ordinary incomes to get into REI.

I sell medical equipment and supplies.

If the only issue is that you have HVAC, electrical, or other equipment in the basement, might be worth it to move the equipment upstairs to get it out of the flood area.

Also, how do I mitigate the risk of getting refurbished equipment vs. new?

I think a lot of people are simply not equipped to think of themselves as anything other than a success in life, and anything that challenges that assumption or the external appearance of it is to be avoided at all cost.In the end, this is what vanity does to people, it turns them into fragile things unable to grapple with the crippling fear of being revealed to the world but also to themselves as less than perfect, as most definitely NOT good enough, as "losers" and "failures" and "second-raters" and all the words the most vain among us use for those they think they're a million times better than.Being able to laugh at yourself and your pretensions is a gift and a great liberation of the spirit.

Franchise fees, licensing, equipment and good will are not exchangeable. 

(Business cards, licenses, tool trailers, equipment, etc.) 

Harry Borders basically equips all the wholesalers with contracts and best practices for protecting yourself as a wholesaler.

They fix my HVAC equipment unless it is completely shot which is rare.You need people you can trust and not mess around with having to get multiple quotes.They can get to my repairs in 24 hours so I haven't needed to put someone up in a hotel.I do have some fans that I lend out if needed.You could also buy a window or portable unit to loan out if needed.My lease says AC in a non emergent repair.

I think the only answer is are you equipped to deal with the issues that need to be corrected, in order to make a profit on the building.