Holler at your BOI! Boise, ID income property - what do I need to know?

[James Stout]

After reading a lot of posts about out-of-state investing, I'm turning my attention to a place I love but don't get to visit often enough: Boise, ID.

First things first, let me just say I acknowledge that I'm yet another Californian taking up space on your ski slopes...but I do have relatives and an old family home in your great state!

Does anyone have any rules of thumb for investing in small multifamily units or SFR in and around Boise? Ratios for screening deals, bedroom/bathroom configurations, rental rates, local norms for tenant-paid utilities, desirable areas, etc?

What about potential pitfalls - common local issues (foundation problems due to soil, weatherization and plumbing, special tax and utility areas, etc?