I just had to make a rare trip to the city and all I can say is: What economic crisis?

[Subdivisions]

I live in the small city of Cleburne about 25 miles from downtown Ft. Worth, where I had to go this morning. In that relatively short distance I saw some evidence of what may have been stimulus dollars at work on school and road work along the way, which would not seem unusual to me given my knowledge of the situation. However, I was very taken aback and surprised at the amount of private construction from a hospital; to a couple of convenience stores; to a strip mall; to residential homes. There were also new businesses already built and in operation since my last journey up that way. The big box stores were busy as well as well as the strip shops. Traffic was heavy for a workday. Of course, those last two items may be skewed due to the season but it was busy along the way no less. There were a couple of construction sites that looked like the funding dried-up in mid-stride but all-in-all it didn't look here as if there was a liquidity/credit crisis. And it looks like lots of people still have jobs as well as the ones being hired to work in these new businesses.

Anyone else here in Texas seeing similar economic activity - to the point that it's hard to determine from looking whether or not there is an economic crisis in progress? Anyone else seeing a level of activity in your region that makes it hard to comprehend what we're told in the media about the current situation?

[Tigermoose]

1. The Real World usually doesn't reflect the Truth of the Internets.

That's why I prefer to fight my crusade to save the world in front of my keyboard. :sarcasm:

[LynneSin]

4. OMG NO!!!! The internets are not reality?

:cry:

Damnit, then why did Al Gore invent the Internets?

[timeforpeace]

27. One trip to the big city and you get all that? Impressive.

[LynneSin]

38. Hmmmm?

First, not sure about what trip to the big city I make although I do live in a small city. But um, ok :D

[paulk]

2. how wonderful for you and Ft. Worth

[LynneSin]

3. I'm not in Texas but I see it at work here in Wilmington, DE

everyday I go to work I see the evidence - probably from the big sign that says "Your Stimulus Dollars at work". It's all good.

[Kali]

5. view from your vehicle

to shopping centers may be a bit obscure, "subdivisions"


try listening to the homeless or the uninsured, watch what people are buying at the bargain grocery store

[Subdivisions]

12. I know there are problems out there, Kali. I'm not trying to diminish

the problems people are having. Heck, I've got a homeless relative in my living room right this minute whom I just had to go pick up from jail after having to sit out some tickets he couldn't pay. My post was more a reflection of my dismay that there is so much trouble for people out there relevant to what I saw going on out there. It's obvious I posted an anecdotal experience but I in no way mean to dispute that there are people out there having a hard time and it has done and continues to break my heart.

[Kali]

ok sorry

took your observations in the wrong tone

I do hope things start picking up for real people soon. Good luck with your relative. Thanks for helping them.

[gkhouston]

6. Actually, what I've noticed is that some restaurants have closed and not been replaced

by other businesses, some strip malls that were built a year ago still need tenants, and existing housing is still selling, but more slowly. Very little new construction is happening. Apartment complexes are offering money to their tenants for getting friends to sign leases. At the mall, people are milling around, but I didn't see that much buying going on and the soap vampires are desperate to make a sale. That was last week. I haven't been anywhere but the grocery store and gas station this week.

on edit: I'm in Houston.

[DangerousRhythm]

80. Ha, the soap vampires! Is this Baybrook Mall, by any chance?

Any time I go there I avoid making eye contact with the vampires because they insist upon physically grabbing me and trying to force me to listen to their pitches. If I'm not pressed for time I'll just stand there and let them talk themselves out, politely say I'm broke and then just walk away with the free soap, haha.

[gkhouston]

81. I was actually thinking of my last venture (misadventure?) to the Galleria.

I give them a polite, "No, thanks," and keep moving, as I hate shopping and want to minimize my mall experience on every trip. Given how desperate they've become of late, it looks like people no longer have much money to spend on frou-frou soap.

[aquart]

7. Every time I go outside, another store has closed, a bar shut down.

And another bank has opened. This is Manhattan and the vacant retail spaces are everywhere.

[SOS]

55. This past Friday evening, one week before Christmas

My friend and I walked around midtown.
Went into Saks and Bloomingdales.

It was surreal.

There were more models spritzing perfume than there were customers.

[dmallind]

8. Ironically you will get criticism from those who do the same

People who pretend that improvements in housing sales can't be real because they live near a lot fo foreclosures and their market is still losing value

People who claim that unemployment can't really be going down or anywhere close to 10% because they see a lot of homeless people in their area.

People who say retail sales can't be going up because their store was quiet one snapshot of a shopping weekend.

You each make the same mistake - extrapolating anecdotes to refute data. The two ain't the same thing, and never will be. Fact is, Texas in general and DFW in particular have seen less of a hit than most places. Local unemployment is much lower than the average. Doubtless your stores will be doing better too.

But I live in the suburbs of Buffalo. We essentially have been stagnant. Wasn't much of an economic powerhouse before the recession. Didn't lose a hell of a lot more during it. If I worked on anecdotal data I'd say "no change but still pretty grim as it has been for years". If either of us lived in, say, Las Vegas and relied on anecodtal data we'd be saying that it is impossible to sell a house and foreclosures are destroying the economy which used to be booming.

The reality is that regional differences aside, the nation's economy has been hit hard BUT is starting to recover. Your personal experience that all is well, mine that all is still ho hum and a putative LV native's that they are still in deep shit do not change the national picture.

[tammywammy]

9. You should make it through Arlington on I-20

New restaurants and businesses opening every week practically at I-20 and Matlock.

I live in east Arlington and I haven't noticed much difference in business or amount of traffic at my usual places either. North Texas hasn't suffered nearly as much as others during this recession.

[Subdivisions]

19. Hi tammywammy. I've have several people who've told me that Arlington hasn't

seemed to have slowed down much during this recession. The last time I was out that way, the stadium was still under construction but it was busy, busy then too. I guess we can consider ourselves lucky as many of our brothers and sisters elsewhere are having a hard time of it. I think about them every day, hoping things will get better soon.

[tammywammy]

23. Yes, we've been lucky

I've personally been lucky. I was laid off from my job in accounting at a car dealership back on June 30 and got my job offer for where I am now on July 1st (started on July 27th). I do recognize my good fortune and I wish everyone was doing a lot better.

The construction in Arlington has just been crazy. The retail has really jumped, I'm really stunned with all the build up over there. Speaking of which, I'm headed that way after work, gotta hit up Hobby Lobby. :)

[Subdivisions]

Yea, I'm lucky too. REAL lucky. I'm a union metal tradesman and things are

bad right now as we get paid two to three times as much as our non-union counterparts. And we're always being laid off when a job is completed. So, I spent years teaching myself how to build and manage websites as a hobby in my spare time and, luck of all luck, landed a job writing content for the website of a consumer product manufacturer, which lead to the job I have now as an online retail store/website manager. And, even luckier for me, our business dropped-off sharply during the recession but not so bad my job had to be cut. So, I am humbled by my own good luck. I only wish things were better for those who are hurting right now.

[Hippo_Tron]

35. Arlington is one of the richest counties in the country

[tammywammy]

41. There's more than one Arlington

This is in Texas, not Virginia.

[Hippo_Tron]

43. Oh haha, should've realized that from your posts

I'm on painkillers right now so I'm a little out of it, lol.

[tammywammy]

44. That's okay

I hope you feel okay.

[Jazzgirl]

69. Tammy, I live in southwest Arlington.

You are right about the new mall extension off of Matlock. It has gotten really crazy there. I don't understand it but I agree, we have been lucky and haven't suffered as much as many places. I wonder how long it will last?

[tammywammy]

71. I went to Hobby Lobby this evening after I got off work

There was another new restaurant open, an Italian place there in the Highlands. New stuff opening up all the time, and people are there, the parking lots pretty full every time I drive by. Even over in east Arlington where I live I haven't noticed places shutting down (including the tons of mom and pop stores along in there). The only places I see that have shut down were places bought out b/c of the stadium. Lots of smaller places sold off to whomever is planning on building there before the Superbowl.

And yes, I do know we're very lucky. I wonder how Frisco's doing, I know Colin County was hurting b/c of foreclosures.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

10. Completely depends on the region.

Lake Tahoe, CA is becoming a ghost town for businesses, while San Francisco, CA seems to be doing quite well even with insanely high commercial vacancies downtown, but other CA areas have acres of abandoned homes. :shrug:

[SOCALS]

11. Can anyone explain why it is so?

What determines the condition of a particular region?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

15. I think there is a myriad of conditions --

that determines conditions of a region, but much has to do with industry base. Texas' industry base is largely oil -- no downside to that, these days. Lake Tahoe, CA depends on tourism -- they had been experiencing low snow levels for several year and had a major fire little over a year ago that depressed tourism. Much of the Central Valley here was growing wildly fueled by cheaper, new construction housing financed before the collapse. But San Francisco is hanging tough because it has a pretty diverse industry base.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

56. I wanted to also add --

the company I work for has lost 25% of it's clients the past year, we have laid off two workers, taken pay cuts, and will have no bonuses this year. And no holiday party. We will be very lucky to last another year. Oh, and I am not buying anyone Xmas presents because I can't afford it.

But it's nice to know things are going so great where you are.

[amborin]

60. yes, it's very local; varies wildly! many parts of so cal have 18% commercial vacancy & climbing

[goldcanyonaz]

13. Texas could secede and still thrive.

It's the one state where jobs are still plentiful in my area.

Unfortunately, I don't want to move to Texas.

We had job interviews in Houston about 3 years back and the freeway (I-40?) scared the heck outta me.

:scared:

[kestrel91316]

14. How wonderful for the oil barons. Unfortunately, there is another world out there,

beynd the Hummer dealerships and gated communities. Here in SoCal my clients, largely (former)middle class, are in pretty reduced circumstances compared to 3 years or so ago.

Of course, if one believes that Texas is the center of the universe and no one else matters in the least, I'm sure things are peachy keen.

[Subdivisions]

17. Did I say Texas was the center of the universe? Did I say that, based on

what I've seen, there aren't problems elsewhere and that people aren't in trouble?

I'm about sick and goddamned tired of the childish sniping for no good reason on this board. All I did was post about my observations. I did not say that Texas was the center of the goddamned universe nor did I deny that people aren't having problems due to the economic downturn. And, please show me where I said "no one else matters in the least"?

Your post just goes to show that some people are going to find a way to be assholes no matter what the topic of the conversation is.

[Kali]

20. I think it was your subject line.

It came off as skeptical of economic problems.

[Subdivisions]

24. Then the proper response would have been to ask me to clarify. I try to get

to know most of the regular posters here in GD. I expect that if someone addresses me personally, that they at least be familiar with me. If kestrel91316 knew me a little better before responding in that foul tone, she would know from my posting history that I am just as concerned about the problems people are having with mortgages, jobs, health, etc, as she is, if not more so since I sit here seeing it for 16/7. But instead she chose to be a pompous ass(hole) and I am sick of that shit on this board. I don't ever try to be the first asshole but I can sure be one in response to those who are being asses for no good reason and I'll call someone on it when I see it.

ETA: Reminds me of what my Dad used to tell me: "If you don't have something nice to say, then shut the fuck up."

[Kali]

26. well I had kind of the same reaction

but I don't spend too much time in gd, just check on the latest and respond to things that catch my eye

easy to misinterpret things in the internets due to lack of facial expressions, not knowing writing style, or history as you say

try not to take things too personal I guess, advice I have trouble with sometimes;-)

[Subdivisions]

31. Good advice, Kali. Thanks. And, you're right, context can be challenging

across these tubes. I still see no reason for someone to default to snark when there is doubt as to the context of someone else's words. If one is going to participate on these internets, one needs an instinct for these things. Admittedly, I cannot say I'm not guilty in this regard but I try very hard not to be.

[tammywammy]

18. Holy crap!

When did I become an oil baron? When did I move out of my working class east Arlington neighborhood and into a gated community McMansion? I didn't realize all us Texans were so privileged, thank god you were here to point it out.

Sorry things are rough for you in SoCal, but just because someone posts positive information about their area doesn't mean they need to be shit upon. As I said elsewhere, North Texas has been lucky during the current recession. I'm very glad the businesses in my working class area aren't all going under.

[TexasObserver]

33. New construction is good news for workers.

New construction anywhere is a good thing, because it means people who are workers are getting work. Electricians, carpenters, plumbers, roofers, framers, suppliers. These people depend on new work, and when there is new work, it's a good thing.

There are over 25 million people in Texas. Most of them are not oil barons. They're ordinary people, and the ones who are hurt most by a lagging economy are Democrats. Those jobs at those new construction sites are jobs that put money in the families of the working poor.

[WolverineDG]

79. Stereo-typing much?

Yeah, all of us in Texas own oil wells. :eyes:

Which city was it that elected an openly gay mayor? San Francisco? Oh wait, that was HOUSTON.

dg

[NickB79]

16. A lot of that construction could simply be inertia

A lot of building projects take years to get off the ground. That hospital, big-box store, housing development, etc that you saw could have secured funding before the credit crisis hit and were locked into their construction plans when the crap hit the fan. Here in the Twin Cities, we drive by several big-box stores and housing developments that were finished this past summer but are still sitting empty.

As for all the shoppers out and about, I have read that there is a LOT of window shopping going on but very little actual buying this year. This weekend, when my wife and I went to wander the Mall of America, she turned to me and said "The place is packed, but no one is carrying any bags!". That was a sobering realization to say the least.

[Kali]

21. that is what happened by me

6 months of work on I-10 eastbound through here, talked to somebody on the job ans asked if it was stimulous money. they said no this was set up back before the collapse even.

[RaleighNCDUer]

22. You are looking at, seeing, leading indicators.

The jobs are still lagging, and people won't REALLY believe in a recovery until we get back to 7% unemployment or better.

The real unemployment crisis is in those big box stores getting by on a staff of 40, rather than 50. The construction site having 30 men working instead of 35. The work is still getting done, but it is slower and less efficient.

For example, the theater that I P/T at has cut the box office position to working only weekends - during the week they sell tickets from the concession counter. That's a 20% reduction of staff on weekdays. It doesn't seem like much, but the cumulative effect is still a 20% reduction in the workforce.

As business picks up, if it picks up, that position will go back to full time, I'm sure. But in the meantime...

[Subdivisions]

25. Hi RaleighNCDUer! My Mom & Dad just returned to your area

to retire after being away from the extended family from 1972. They're in Davidson, just down the highway 3 from Mooresville. I had warned them before the real estate crisis hit that it was coming and convinced them to sell their home here in Texas and get while the getting was good, go back home to NC to be near the family who are spread all over NC and VA.

Getting back to the topic at hand, the words "What economic crisis?" was sarcasm, which doesn't work in the subject line. I prolly should have included it first in the body of my post for those whose sarcasm meters are broken. And, I'm sure some of what I was seeing is a result of intertia. I have seen a couple of local projects put on hold in mid-stride. On one site near our local hospital two hotels were being built (not counting a third down the street a little ways) which were halted halfway through building. One has fired back up and is being completed while the other, literally a stone's throw across a parking lot, is still idle. And one housing addition stalled in the middle of site work. There are some closed storefronts also. But, my OP was basically about my surprise that things seem to still be kicking around here despite the obvious hardships being seen in other regions.

Good post, RaleighNCDUer. Thanks for responding =)!

[Hello_Kitty]

28. The holidays and eventually people run out of stuff. eom

[branders seine]

29. the economic crisis affects different parts of the country differently

drive to working class and poor neighborhoods.

[TexasObserver]

30. Yes, in Texas we are seeing some new construction that was unexpected.

Because interest rates are so low for many businesses and consumers seeking construction financing, and because so many in construction are out of work, there is a mini boom of new construction in Texas right now. It's not enough to get all the workers back to work, but it is enough to help keep struggling construction businesses together, working with skeleton crews.

The business or the consumer who can afford to borrow and build, and who can afford the debt service required, is taking advantage of the downturn to build right now.

These are hopeful signs. Anything that keeps people working is good. These are small companies - mom and pop businesses - that are staying afloat because they're small enough to adjust to a tighter economy.

[pitohui]

32. "i've got mine" ???

we have world wide economic indicators that point to severe recession but as long as your stomping ground in texas looks OK from the window of your SUV then everybody in the world up to and including obama is just lying and making up the recession?

it's sunny today in louisiana, so all that "stuff" about snowstorms in the northeast is just the media lying to me because it's a slow news day? :-)

seriously, you can't see the lack of logic in your post?

sure, i drive down my street and i see tens of millions being spent on new roads/bridges thanks to the katrina money and the stimulus money, louisiana is doing just fine, that doesn't mean i don't see that there's a bigger world out there than just louisiana and texas

it's an irony that the rebuilding/recovery $$$ we got has helped keep the recession away FROM OUR AREA but you don't have to go far, just head over to arizona or nevada, to see people are really hurting -- i can't tell you the number of people i've met from vegas alone who have lost anything from tens of millions of dollars to EVERYTHING including their home

there's a problem out there, i'm glad this time it's someone else's problem, but it's still for real a big big problem

[Subdivisions]

39. 'that doesn't mean i don't see that there's a bigger world out there than just louisiana and texas'

No shit, Sherlock? WTF? "i've got mine", eh? Let me ask you something, pitohui, do you honestly think that I...me...Subdivions of DU...would think that way?...Would think in the way described by your post? Well? Do you?

I want you to show me in my post where I said that just because I saw lots of economic good times on my round trip to downtown Ft Worth from Cleburne that there aren't problems elsewhere? Did you bother to even read any of my other posts in this thread, explaining more than once that your premise that just because things seem to ge going good here that I have an "I've got mine" attitude.

Has the idea that someone could simply be relating an anecdotal experience even occured to you? Can you recognize sarcasm? Do you think that I, Subdivisions, would purposely be insensitive to the problems of others?

I'll await your response.

[pitohui]

51. no i don't think you think so -- i just think your post was illogical

there weren't a lot of other posts in the thread when i responded to read so i'll just say this

yr OP was illogical and i think you are acknowledging here that you know it's illogical...so what exactly are you arguing with me about again?

the recession is real, yeah some roads are getting fixed, and some people are buying xmas shit they don't need, but the recession is still real

not sure what else you were trying to say...

[Octafish]

34. Detroit's doing great!

See it all over. Lots of Obama dollars at work. Jobs. Schools. Housing. New New Deal. You betcha.

[pitohui]

52. OMG why don't they knock that thing down before it falls on somebody?

it looks like houses i saw on mississippi after katrina, with the lower stories completely destroyed by storm surge

it looks too far gone to me, to be anything but a "tear down"

what a mess

[Octafish]

54. That's just one of THOUSANDS of houses awaiting demolition..

There's a big, big backlog.

Disappeared Detroit

OTOH, a few years back, all of three new housing permits were issued.

[goclark]

74. I lived North of Detroit ten years ago

Detroit looked just like that during the time that I lived in the
area.

Not all over but there were many once beautiful homes that would break your heart to see.

[TK421]

36. Yeah...the Matrix has a tendency to do that

[madokie]

37. My family is trying to continue n with life, buying things like we had confidence in our government

We've spent a quite a bit of money this last year that we didn't have too but we're Americans doing what I'm hoping will be good for all of us. You know you sometimes have to look at the big picture and the big picture is we have a good chance of turning things around for the better for us all. Electing President Obama was a good start, now we need to get his back rather than continue to try to tear him down at every fucking turn. Those who can need to be doing their part to help not work with the fucking pukes seeing how much can be destroyed. This defeatist attitude many have here is starting to suck if you want to know what I think.

[Subdivisions]

40. I know what you mean. I too am spending as fast as I can, doing my part.

I have no saving so I'm putting everything I make out there in the economy. I hope things get better sooner rather than later and people can get back to work.

[TwixVoy]

42. Texas is a shit hole

Let's be real here. The republican government in Texas has kept most of you in poverty for decades. (by the standards of most blue states) Your state never HAD a housing boom because no one in your state could afford anything close to 500-2 million dollar homes like most of the blue states. (i.e. California)

Therefore Texas has actually done "well" in that you can't get much poorer than you already are. Many of the blue states are now dropping down to the republican texas governments level of living. i.e. right to work state, practically no assistance programs to speak of, people living check to check, and not much hope of a better life unless you are a rich oil baron.

[tammywammy]

46. Houses that went for millions in CA were reasonably priced in Texas

A reasonable cost of living and housing isn't something to look down upon. I live a pretty decent life here in Texas and I'm by far NOT a rich oil baron, surprisingly (I know it has to be to you) I don't know ANY rich oil barons. And while our stupid governor isn't something to be proud of, by any stretch of the imagination, the good news is that Texas is moving blue.

[TwixVoy]

47. I'm glad things are good for YOU under your republican government

But the numbers tell a different story. Your state is ranked one of the highest in the nation for child poverty, poverty in general, one of the lowest in education, and one of the lowest in union membership.

So I'm glad your middle class life is going great, and you don't "see" those people when you go to your nice shopping mall. But the statistics on your state don't lie. The republicans in Texas have insured if you aren't white, christian, heterosexual you are fucked.

The rest of nation is in crisis because we are falling down to YOUR standards of living. Go visit a blue state one time. I was in the republican shit hole known as texas before and I got the hell out as fast as I could.

[tammywammy]

48. Which is why instead of abandoning ship

I actually work to get things changed in this state.

BTW, I don't shop at a "nice shopping mall" and feel free to look up the statistics of zip code 76010 and tell me again what it's like where I live. Your assumptions about me are hilarious.

"I was in the republican shit hole known as texas before and I got the hell out as fast as I could." Thank god, there's enough assholes as it is.

[TwixVoy]

49. I apologize if my assumptions about you were wrong

but I just find it hilarious anyone could claim life is good in Texas for anyone who isn't white, middle class, republican, heterosexual, and christian.

[Artie Bucco]

50. My zip code is 75227 in Pleasant Grove in Dallas.

I am Mexican, agnostic and not exactly having that bad of a life. My neighborhood is exclusively Hispanic and Black I am not seeing mass evictions and foreclosures in my neighborhood. On top of that I can't recall any businesses closing in my neighborhood during my time period. Admittedly my neighborhood is considered a rough area but my folks are doing good for themselves pulling in 40,000k a year, not exactly middle class. All but one house in my neighborhood is unoccupied.

Hell, the only part of Dallas where I would say Blacks and Hispanics are having a hard time finding housing is in East Dallas where both groups have are being squeezed out by gentrification.

[slutticus]

65. ROFL

Yeah...poverty.
Are you kidding?

My friends in Texas can actually afford a home larger than 800 sq ft (for less than half of my similarly priced home). It's nauseating. I'm talking palaces for fractions of what I payed for my shack.


You're bashing texas because they don't have a snobby-ass real estate bubble? Wow.

I've never felt poorer since moving to california from texas. Not saying I would move back, but the "texas is a shit hole" thing is a bit much. It all depends on what you want. Wanna raise a family of four in the bay area? Good fucking luck.


Edit: Have you ever lived in TX BTW?

[tammywammy]

66. I love your screenname and avatar.

:)

[slutticus]

70. Why shank you. Your pirate cat is pretty cool too!

:P

[tammywammy]

72. I loves me some Aqua Teen

And pirate cat is cute. I may start calling him that instead of Monty/booger.

[slutticus]

73. yeah, I really relate to shake.

Wait....that's probably not a good thing to admit in public.....

[Skittles]

75. LOL

maybe the houses here weren't as hideously over-valued as they were in Cali-FORN-I-A

[bevoette]

78. omg

i assume you're being sarcastic

otherwise...dumb :eyes:

[hfojvt]

45. what I have heard in the media

is that Texas was not hit nearly as hard as some other states. The states that are really hurting as places like Michigan, Ohio, and California.

But I noticed the same thing in late June when driving through Iowa. I thought 'for a depressed economy there sure is a lot of traffic.'

[pitohui]

53. texas and louisiana not as hard hit because they were already so far down

houston never really recovered from the crash in the 1980s, so real estate never got to those ridiculous levels it got in other areas, same for new orleans

where there was never a housing boom for over a generation, there can't be the same kind of crash

also i assume that some of texas has seen some of the re building/recovery funds from ike and gustav that we see in louisiana from gustav, katrina, rita -- construction/rebuilding is going on here when it is pretty much collapsed in places like las vegas or phoenix

this recession simply isn't as noticeable on the local level as it would be out west, where you constantly meet people in real pain, who used to be wealthy, in louisiana at least there was no wealth to lose

[Odin2005]

57. North Dakota has only a 4% unemployment rate, so we are doing pretty good out here.

At least compared to the rest of the country.

[goclark]

58. Los Angele this Christmas compared to last Christmas

looks a lot better IMO.

The stores are full, people are coming out with bags to put in their trunks.

Last year it was a ghost town around here.

We have a brand new gigantic mall near the airport called the Westfield Mall.

We tried to get in the parking lot yesterday and could not find a space.

[anigbrowl]

64. Same with San Francisco. Last year, downtown was like a cemetery

This year it's a lot better. Not what I'd call a party, but not drastically unhealthy either.

[amborin]

59. were some funded & planned much earlier? w/ completion bonds?

[upstandingcitizens]

61. I don't live in Texas

but we're doing pretty good here where I am at. Yes there's foreclosures (anyone who fell for a TV commercial promising $400,000 for $1200 a month asked for it IMHO) and there are unemployed people but there is new commercial construction and the Malls were jammed up last weekend. The parking lot at WallyMart down the road is full. Plenty of cars in and out too. I work retail and our sales are down 3% this year, which isn't to bad considering.

[sendero]

62. Texas is relatively unscathed..

... by this downturn as of yet.

Also, I believe in something I'll call "recession fatigue" where people lock down their financial house for a time and then get tired of doing so and, for a time, go back to spending.

I could cite you a gazillion reasons we are no where even close to being close to be out of these woods but the info is all out there for anyone who cares.

[Bluenorthwest]

63. No need to guess. They do stats on this stuff.

Especially building starts. So there is really no need to take a trip to the big city to find out what is going on there. No need to speculate.
Of course, I'm not in Texas, but here, what you are talking about is just not the case. No, it is not wandering hordes in the streets and not all are unemployed, and it is Christmas. But we have over 12% official unemployment here. So you know, I am glad that I'm ok, but I'd never be trying to build a case that all those people are really alright because of seeing stuff from my car as I drove to the big city.
But you have your own way of living that Christmas present spirit I see.

[Horse with no Name]

67. According to news reports

for SOME(?) reason, Texas is riding out the recession better than other areas of the country.
Sulphur Springs has the best economy in the state...and I would venture to guess that it lies in the agricultural resources of the area--but again, I honestly am NOT sure why.

[Jazzgirl]

68. I'm just waiting for all the strip malls to crash and burn.

I live in the metro and I see the same thing and don't understand it. I keep seeing all these strip malls pop up, some with only one tenant. They just finished a brand new strip mall in the last week next to the grocery store I frequent here in South Arlington and I have yet to set anybody move in. There is another just across the highway from it that has one tenant and that one has been like that for over a year. I'm not sure how successful all this building is but something has got to give.

[femrap]

76. From looking at economic

stats, I see that Texas hasn't been hit that hard. Go look at LA, RI, Ohio, Michigan, Nevada, Florida, Arizona....a very different story.

[bevoette]

77. i'm in Austin. i know that not everybody is doing as well as they have been around here...

but i would honestly be hard-pressed to cite specific examples of severe hardship i have witnessed firsthand. i am grateful for that.

you know what we see? front page stories of the million dollar condos that have been built downtown having to be auctioned for <$500,000. looking at the rest of the country...it's insanity.

i've come to the conclusion that we really are in a bubble - either a central Texas bubble, or a whole state bubble...but honestly, when i see such heart-breaking tales of the difficulties people are having - like the 60 Minutes story in Ohio this week, that brought me to tears - i am just..grateful.