These Cities Have the Most Vacant Homes in America

These Cities Have the Most Vacant Homes in America

Despite the continued shutdowns and economic uncertainty brought by the COVID-19, one market that flourished in 2020 was real estate. With interest rates at an all-time low and homes appreciating at a rapid pace, houses are selling faster than ever.In most cities, inventory is depleted and bidding wars are common, yet in some parts of the country, there are large numbers of vacant homes. While many of these properties are located in tourist-centric regions that tend to have vacancies associated with seasonal vacation homes, there are also some towns with higher-than-average rental vacancy rates, homes that were recently sold but not occupied, or vacant houses that are currently for sale. There are also resort towns that might have a large number of vacant homes, but also have very low rental vacancies and struggle to provide affordable rental housing for their workforce.Canva

Areas that are economically depressed tend to have more vacancies overall, and factors such as unemployment can affect those vacancy rates. Vacancy rates can also impact both home and rental markets, as higher vacancies mean more options for those seeking housing, and can result in lower rents or real estate prices. The average vacancy rate for rentals in the U.S.