by Calculated Risk on 4/25/2005 11:29:00 AM

The Census Bureau released their Housing Vacancies and Homeownership report for Q1 2005 this morning.

National vacancy rates in the first quarter 2005 were 10.1 percent in rental housing and 1.8 percent in homeowner housing, the Department of Commerce and Census Bureau announced today. The Census Bureau said the rental vacancy rate was not different from the first quarter rate last year (10.4 percent) or the rate last quarter (10.0 percent). For homeowner vacancies, the current rate (1.8 percent) was also not different from the rate a year ago (1.7 percent), or the rate last quarter (1.8 percent). The homeownership rate (69.1 percent) for the current quarter was higher than the first quarter 2004 rate (68.6 percent) but not different from the rate last quarter (69.2 percent).

Click on graph for larger image.

Rental vacancies are still over 10% and homeownership rates are still climbing when compared to Q1 2004.