To check on the tenant and the house weekly to make sure the boyfriend didn't just move in or the adult kids just move in, and that bad things are not happening in your house or that your tenant didn't just move out in the night in the middle of winter and turn off the gas, but not the water.For my $15,000 which my IRA is looking to invest, I am going to get to know the major players in my market or any market.  

Buyers consistently received bad service from selling agent such as late communication, late delivery of required documents such as lease agreements required for loan/bank (2 weeks late for 2 of the 3 lease agreements with no tenant/owner signature and haven't received 3rd lease agreement) as well as selling agent did not give notification to 2 of the 3 tenants for loan appraisal so appraiser had to come twice to property, all to which has delayed buyer's loan.

you are going to have long term bad experience.  

I would leave the linoleum if it doesn't look that bad.  

We've had good experiences with pets and bad experiences.  

It is projected to be almost as bad in the near future.

My credit is also fair, so that is not good, but it is also not bad. 

First off, since you are newbie it's not a bad idea to have representation.

This way you can help them out of a bad situation and possibly help them save their credit by avoding forclosure3.

There's a lot to be said about this, given that I invest in San Francisco, gentrification capital of America right now ;)  but I'll try to be succinct:1- the 2% or even 1% "rule" A- doesn't work in costal CA and B- is a bad way to invest IMO.