The Census Bureau reported that the percentage of vacant homes Rose from 2.7% in Q3 to 2.8% in Q4. They also reported that the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta area had a vacancy Rate of 4.7%. Not surprisingly, the largest growth was in the depopulating rust belt and the homebuilder meccas of the south and southwest. Some statistics from among 75 major metropolitan areas:

* Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Rate Rose from 1.8% in 2005 to 5.1% in 2007.
* Miami-Ft Lauderdale rate rose from 2.3% in 2005 to 4.4% in 2007.
* Riverside-San Bernardino rate rose from 1.2% in 2005 to 3.8% in 2007.
* Sacramento rate rose from 1.2% in 2005 to 4.2% in 2007.
* Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale rate rose from 1% in 2005 to 3.7% in 2007.

Orlando had the highest Vacancy Rate among the metropolitan areas at 7.4%, followed by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater (5.1%), Las Vegas-Paradise (4.9%), and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta (4.7%).