I'd prefer a small business.

I can do that through charging points, but since I'm getting it at a lower rate than you could as a consumer, I prefer to mark up the rate while still being lower than most others in the market.

However, once we implemented technology a few years ago, even our local clients prefer to avoid driving and switched to doing business remotely.

.), I'd recommend that the residential units fully cash flow the loan as my experience is that mixed use properties are tougher to finance as most lenders tend to prefer one or the other and something in the middle gets more difficult.For example, and granted I don't know anything about the area/neighborhood, I would expect this property (https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/111-NW-Har...) to be easier to finance than the mixed-use property you mentioned. 

(Feel free to message me directly if you prefer.

For several reasons (property taxes, politics), I would prefer to begin real estate investing somewhere other than locally. 

For wholesalers: How are you adapting to buyer preferences or creating irresistible deals despite tighter margins?

You could also check what Realtors in your market are preferred agents here on BP- they should have at least a little experience with investing and a network built up. 

Would the person who takes on more labor to repair the property have greater preferred equity or is this usually treated differently?

I think broader consumer taste is killing malls, which includes online shopping, but also even where people are choosing to live and how they are spending their time/money, more broadly.I worked for a company that bought a failing mall back in 2012 (online shopping was "killing retail" then too), redeveloped most of it into more open air power center and sold.