From the article, …”Houston, Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth are 1-2-3 in the latest employment rankings of the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas. The three Texas markets have added a total of 107,200 private-sector jobs since mid-2007, while keeping their unemployment rates below 5 percent.

Texas’ impressive performance, ironically enough, is partially the result of higher energy costs, the same factor that has bedeviled much of the rest of the nation.

‘The state’s natural resources and mining industry, helped by higher oil prices, posted an annual employment growth rate of 6.4 percent from June 2007 to June 2008 and ranked first among Texas industries in employment-growth rate,” said a midyear report from the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.

Texas also has been able to avoid the mortgage bubble that burst with devastating impact in other high-growth states such as California and Florida. bizjournals study in March identified Houston as one of the nation’s 10 most-affordable housing markets, with Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin close behind in 15th and 22nd place, respectively.

So, if you are thinking of moving here, give me a call…Texas is a fantastic place to live and play and just enjoy life to the fullest!

And if after looking for a job here, you find yourself  downtown, do yourself a favor and check out some of our fantastic restaurants for lunch or dinner. That is what I did recently…with an incredible lunch of almond encrusted trout and fresh steamed veggies at the scrumptous Louie’s 106 which is billed as a Mediterranean Grill and Tapas Bar.  You will find Louie’s  on our infamous 6th Street at 106 6th Street  www.louies106.net . It was a wonderfully delicious way to try some of their fine dining menu without the $$ cost of the dinner.  Lunch is served from 11am-5pm Mon-Friday.  (Saturday and Sunday Louie’s opens at 5 pm for dinner only).  But during the week, they also have a great happy hour from 4-7 with half-price appetizers that are just succulently sinful!  My favorite is a toss-up between the escargot which is sauteed in white wine and a walnut-herb butter sauce and their gazpacho andaluz which features fresh crabmeat and avocado swimming on the top! MMMM…hungry yet? !