Vacancy-Homeowner Rates

The U.S. vacancy rate and the rate of homeownership both declined in the first quarter of 2013 with the homeownership rate hitting the lowest level in 17 years. According to the Census Bureau the rate of homeownership in the country declined from 65.6 in the fourth quarter of 2012 to 65.2.

There were 133.08 million housing units in the U.S. in the first quarter, an increase of 486,000 from one year earlier. Of those 114,643 were occupied, an increase of 520,000 and 18.4 million were vacant, essentially unchanged from the year before. Of the total housing stock 74.5 million units or 56 percent were owner occupied and 46.1 million or 30.2 percent were occupied by renters.

The median asking price for vacant rental units in the first quarter was $718.

The median asking price for a vacant unit that was for sale was $139,800.