Overall rental vacancy rate drops in Q4.

The vacancy rate for overall rental housing declined slightly during the fourth quarter of 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

At 9.6 percent, the fourth-quarter vacancy rate for all rental units was down from the previous quarter's rate of 9.8 percent and down from fourth-quarter

By region, rental vacancies in the fourth quarter were highest in the South at 12.3 percent, followed by the Midwest at 11.1 percent. The rate was lower in the West at 6.8 percent and lowest in the Northeast at 6.6 percent.

The rental vacancy rates in the fourth quarter of 2007 were not statistically different from their respective rates a year ago, according to the Census Bureau.