 610 Money News at 10 and 40 past the hour. The office vacancy rate in the district hit another record high in the second quarter. The commercial real estate and investment company says the vacancy rate rose to 22.4%, up from the previous record high of 21.6% recorded at the end of the first quarter. Industry experts say it's unlikely the vacancy rate will fall by a notable amount anytime soon, leaving property owners to grapple with a new normal.