The Boston Globe has what might be a contrarian indicator:

Many of the nation's elite business schools say courses in commercial real estate -- a field that has generated little passion in the past -- are oversubscribed.

Students are flocking to take real estate development, management, and investment classes.

Business school real estate clubs, where students gather to study and swap job-hunting tips, are popping up and drawing crowds in the Boston area and beyond. As the technology sector matures and financial markets fetch smaller returns, real estate has become an appealing career path.