My fiance and I are looking to buy our first home.  

Having a trusted person or family member generally sounds good for starters buy because of that relationship you might get into the issue of late payments.

It seems that a great idea for someone who is wanting to buy a Foreclosed property/REO with a VA Loan , is to find those that have the " Renovation Logo " next to them ( those listed on the HomePath website, as this houses have likely been renovated and or had things fixed, that should allow the house to Pass most Lenders guidelines ......

In the longterm your better off buying a solid property, 3-4 units if you can qualify for it, and getting started vs looking for the perfect deal for years that never comes.

Considering buying a property on the Lake of the Ozarks in Camdenton.

I generally buy furniture from Wayfair Pro if I'm on a budget or through Host GPO.

Jose,There are a few ways to answer this question, first if you can buy a Primary home then Yes, $15K is enough. 

I'm a boston-based investor,  looking to buy a multi-family unit and plan to use my residence unit as a STR. 

To answer your question directly - yes, never buy a property that neither you nor someone you trust has seen in person.  

Investment Info:Small multi-family (2-4 units) buy & hold investment.