So, in conclusion, the home value spike of 2005-2008 was due to easy to get loans.

When the landlord I paying for the water nobody cares about usage My brother had a $3,000 spike on the water bill for one of his properties last year and the only thing the plumber could figure out is that someone had to have left their sink run for days. 

Keep in mind inventory is also down so its not like the sales are up because of a high inventory spike.

Naturally, lakefront and Lakeview experience a much higher spike in Summer.

I would probably walk on this deal and definitely would not pay more than $100 - $110K without a guaranteed short term exit and a certainty it would rent for $900 - $1100/mth.As for your financing plan, you can do better than 2.79% ... we renewed a couple of properties earlier in the year on a 5-yr term variable notes for 2.4/2.5% - these products can be converted to a fixed rate at any point in time if there was a real threat of a spike in rates.

@J Scott, March 2012 bottom retraced back to August 1996 prices before spiking back up.

We do not generally have the huge dips and spikes of other markets so it is more steady.

I'm sure you'll be glad to get back- even with the spike in house prices. 

Crime looks to be about double the national averages, but stable so I don't see in the numbers a spike ... just bouncing around (some up, some down ... i.e. robberies/theft/assault down, rape up slightly). 

Many rental properties are being put on the market, occupants are being forced to move out into new rental units causing a huge increase in demand and a spike in rents.Enjoy your time in Boise,Dori