The general contractor wanted me to tender final payment to him, then sign a new contract stating that he would do the corrections at no additional charge.  

We probably weren't perfect renters in the beginning and made a few mistakes.In my case, I joined the military in 1987 at the tender age of 17. 

Most food servers, exotic dancers, and bar tenders, have very minimal 'base' income, it's mostly tip income, and a LOT of the time it's under the table money that the person does not voluntarily report to the IRS and pay taxes on.So, not a solution for you today.

The areas that lost population are almost exclusively very rural (think Appalachia) or are old, smaller rust belt industrial cities or old, smaller southern textile cities. 

If it's a 5 year SOL and the problem arises in year six, again there probably isn't a viable cause of action.Third, if the title company decides it or you as it's Insured, doesn't have responsibility to the grantee for the claimed defect for one reason or another, but you think it does, you'll probably need to hire an attorney to file suit against you and your wife individually for the alleged breach and tender it to the title company for coverage. 

I’m interested in using my VA home loan for a house that needs a little tender love and care, fix it up, refinance then turn into a rental property.

The only exception is the "Mill communities" which are small neighborhoods (3-4 parallel streets)  near old textile mills sites where every house is "exactly" the same as all of the textile mill employees lived in them. 

I would tender to my insurance company and them handle everything.

Not accepting each and every application tendered, regardless of obvious qualification issues, carries the risk of being accused of illegal discrimination.The person who applies to 20 different places possibly is not doing his own due diligence, and is unknowingly applying to places where he clearly doesn't qualify.

Don't think they care where it comes from as long as it's legal and tender.