Its study found the average vacancy rate was 11.2%, rising to 17.1% in Northern Ireland, the worst affected nation or region.

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Nationwide the single-family vacancy rate ended the year at 2.7 percent while rentals were at 9.4 percent.

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The Local Data Company (LDC) found that the shop vacancy rate fell to 14.2% from 14.3% in 2011.

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In Rio de Janeiro the vacancy rate for high-end office space is 3.4% (versus 7.2% in Manhattan).

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The average vacancy rate for grocery-anchored centers in the top 54 U.S. markets was 11.2% in the fourth quarter, down from a recent high of 11.7% in the second quarter of 2011, according to real-estate analysis company CoStar Group.

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The figure in Scotland is lower than the UK national town centre vacancy rate of 10.9% and significantly lower than both Northern Ireland and Wales, where 17.2% and 17% respectively.

BBC: One in 10 Scottish shops lying empty