U.S. Apartment Vacancies Decline to a Decade Low of 5.2%, Rents Increase

"Rising foreclosures (HOMFREO) and stricter mortgage-lending standards have helped make rental housing the best-performing segment of commercial real estate for the past two years. The vacancy rate has fallen for seven straight quarters from a three-decade high of 8 percent at the end of 2009, according to Reis."