I think if you have a job – you see positive aspects of growth in the economy. If you or someone in your family is having trouble finding a job – or if you fear losing your job, you’re not as rosy.
If you live surrounded by people who haven’t been hit by the recession, it’s easy to focus soley on the stock market and assume that’s the economy.
sdr talks about all the building he sees. My husband is an architect and with the exception of the hospital in Escondido (which he worked on) there is little construction in the hospital field and medical office building field. CRE is still tanking with Grub & Ellis signs a familiar/common site.
I guess it depends which direction you look whether you see distress or froth in the economy.