Julia Huntsman said (8 months ago)

Each quarter the U.S. Census Bureau publishes renter and homeowner vacancy rates; the 2007 4th quarter rate for homeowner vacancy of 2.8% is the highest since it began collecting this information in the 1960's (see comment at end). But the 4th quarter is also typically the slowest time for the housing market in general--fewer home sales, fewer people moving due to the holidays, or taking a listed home off the market temporarily for the holiday period. See this post at http://longbeachrealestate.blogspot.com/2008/03/long-beachlos-angeles-metropolitan-area.html