Here is a consolidated list of counties in Idaho to invest.Investing in real estate in Idaho can be highly rewarding, particularly in counties experiencing robust growth and development.

Like a lot of cities in California, San Mateo has a housing shortage, which can be seen through the high costs of housing and the increasing homeless population.

Brendan,In banking terms you might be "Risked out" meaning too many mortgages which equal "Excessive Tradelines" and those two things equal high risk.

First I start in LA but then can't find anything that makes sense as its highly competitive strong tenant rental control rights, etc.

Strategic Location: Ellenwood is a growing market with high demand for renovated properties.

Some criteria to consider when evaluating a market are:- school districts-crime rate- job/population growth  If the crime is low, schools are reputable, and job/population growth are steady/high, chances are you are looking in the right markets. 

@Christian DiCroce I don't know if Cleveland is one of the Ohio areas that is on your Radar or not but since it's been brought up here is some food for thought for you.If you are looking at Cleveland I recommend checking out The Ultimate Guide to Grading Cleveland Neighborhoods.

Have had it happen in personal houses before, it was usually due to humidity in cities with high, high humidity. 

Its high level, but just meant to persuade the next step of due diligence.I disagree with the Columbus broker, so take it for what its worth.

I'd highly suggest getting involved in local real estate meetups.