I had to visit a doctor the other day, which I usually dread.

When you are over 50, a trip to the doctor is like poking your finger in a light socket – you might get a shock.

I'm convinced that doctors, like house inspectors, can always find problems if they look hard enough.

The same goes for economists.

Lately all I've heard about the U.S. employment market has been bad news.

Layoffs in the auto sector. Cutbacks in mortgage company employment. Airlines shutting down or announcing job reductions. If this isn't a recession, it will sure do.

But so far, the news from the North Texas job market hasn't been as bad as I would have thought. Economists see it the same way.

"We have seen a slowdown, but Texas and Dallas-Fort Worth have held up quite well in terms of job growth," says D'Ann Petersen, business economist with the Federal Research Bank of Dallas.

"I'm sure this will be positive news for local real estate, although it does appear that commercial investment activity remains slow," she said.

Indeed, the rate of employment growth here is down. During the 12 months ending in April, about 67,000 new jobs were added in the D-FW area.

That compares with an 86,000 gain in the previous 12 months.

Still, job growth in North Texas is among the highest in the nation – good news for the local real estate market, which is counting on further employment growth to fill empty houses, offices and such.

Local economic analysts say they are keeping an eye on the job situation.

"I would have thought that the employment numbers by now would have reflected a greater slowdown than what we've seen thus far," said economist Jeanette Rice of Verde Realty.

"But there are signs that local economic expansion will slow – not to U.S. levels, but weaker than today," she said.

But through April, the job numbers look good.

"The job growth and general economic health of the state, and D-FW specifically, is one of the primary reasons why our housing market has stayed up," said Dr. James Gaines of Texas A&M University's Real Estate Center.

"The primary driver is the energy sector, of course, but others like finance and business services, government and retail trade have also done very well.

"Also, contrary to popular belief, construction employment is actually up, not down, despite the dramatic fall-off in residential construction."

News this week of a bankruptcy filing by Legacy Capital Investments LLC didn't come as a surprise.

The Dallas-based real estate firm was facing foreclosures on multiple properties in Flower Mound and Frisco, according to the most recent postings.

Legacy Capital – headed by Ken Good – sought Chapter 11 protection listing millions in debt. Affiliated companies also filed for reorganization.

This week's huge sale of a nationwide apartment portfolio includes two Dallas-area properties.

California-based Avanath Capital Partners teamed up with MacFarlane Costa Housing Partners to buy 26,000 apartments in 273 complexes from California-based Simpson Housing Solutions.

The local acquisitions are the Treymore North Apartments in East Dallas and Homes of Persimmon in southwest Dallas, according to the buyers.