Make it more secure, and a currency that only is used in B2B transactions, i.e. you have to have access to the MLS in order to get your wallet, or a lawyer or a title company.

If you want to give this deal serious consideration talk with a VA real estate lawyer.....................

Does your partner have access to a lawyer?

Lawyers are very expensive, but he was cheaper than the amount the contractor was trying to extort. 

Maybe partnership with general and limited partners but I’ll have to talk to a lawyer about it.

@Greg Mayer - I heard a lawyer point out that “keeping the yard in good condition” is a relative statement and hard to enforce lease verbiage when issues arise.

Get a title company/lawyer/real estate agency involved to hold it as an 3rd party.I don't know if I'd be 100% sketched out at this point, but I'd start putting time limits on them.A lot of people are VERY bad book keepers and have terrible organization.

I would advise you to consult a lawyer for legal advice.

Sure, the Realtors could have/should have done more research to determine the current state of the title and to review the closing documents (some of that burden is on you, as well), however ultimately I think its the lawyer at the title company who had the responsibility to catch this.

For the disclosures and tax returns, can the lawyer that would be helping me with putting the property under contract help me out with this?