Report: 13 percent of U.S. homes vacant

According to a recent census report, the national vacany rate rose to 13 percent, up from 12.1 percent in 2007. A CNN Money article explained that high residential vacancies have led to a weaker housing market, with many foreclosed homes remaining unsold.

"More vacant homes equal more downward pressure on home prices," said Brad Hunter, chief economist for Metrostudy, a real estate information provider.

With a vacancy rate of 22.8 percent, Maine led all U.S. states, followed by Vermont at 20.5 percent, Florida at 17.5 percent, Arizona with 16.3 percent and Alaska at 15.9 percent. Connecticut had the lowest vacancy rate at 7.9 percent.

The vacancy rate is slightly skewed, however, as the census counts ski lodges and beach houses as vacated properties, which boosts the percentages in vacation destinations, such as Maine and Florida. More than two-thirds of Maine's vacancies were vacation houses in 2009.

"You can only live in one home," said William Chapin of the Census Bureau's Housing Statistics Branch. "If you own five homes that you occasionally live in, four of them will be counted as vacant."

Discounting these homes, Maine and Connecticut's rates are lower, at 7 and 6.1 percent, respectively. For other states, discounting vacation houses still presented high rates, such as 10 percent in Florida and 11.4 percent in Nevada.

A recent Forbest report regarding the emptiest cities in the country found that Orlando had the highest vacancy rate of all major metros. 

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