Veteran Southern California real estate analyst G.U. Krueger’s commentary on the housing market …

No jobs in California? No hope for housing? Depends on perspective.

Yes, the unemployment rate in California was a terrible 11.9 percent in April, just barely below Nevada’s 12.5 percent — and quite a distance from the Texan 8 percent.

But underneath, the California job markets are stirring, thanks to our geekiness.

Now can that be? Isn’t California uncompetitive?

Here are April job highlights, which may befuddle some California nihilists.

In terms of annual job changes, juggernaut Texas, of course, had No. 1 gain of 254,000 nonfarm workers. No. 2? California with 144,200 new gigs.

As for annual percentage change, California put on a decent show: 1.1 percent increase, on par with the nation.

California’s private sector added 211,800 positions — a 1.9 percent annual increase.

Good news extended to manufacturing, up 0.9 percent led by old-fashioned metal-banging industries and computer making.

Better yet, information — truly high-tech – was growing 7 percent year-over-year and gaining 29,200 jobs.

Professional and business services registered a 3.1 percent annual increase — a whopping 63,000 extra gigs. Big gainers were science-related jobs.

Psst! In Texas, information jobs fell, by a lot; and professional, scientific and technical services grew half as fast as California.

What have we learned? First, send your kids to science classes.

Second, California has competitive edges – like “the geek advantage.” We have a smart, entrepreneurial business class who knows the U.S. competes best globally with brainpower — still in ample supply in California.

No wonder venture capital spending is tops in the Silicon Valley and fourth in LA/Orange County. Where is Texas? Err, seventh … but they don’t have income tax.

For California housing, these job numbers are good news of the eventual kind. But the big question for home and apartment developers may become: “What homes do our geeks want?”