MIAMI—Everywhere I look in Miami I see good news on the commercial real estate front. No, it’s not like it was in 2006. But it’s not like it was in 2009, either. Miami is rising above the rubble.

One of the indicators I turn to each year is the Akerman U.S. Real Estate Summit survey. It’s a poll of senior real estate executives that takes the pulse of how confident they are, what they see as the hot sectors—and hot button issues.

This year, 82% of respondents expressed greater confidence and an improved outlook for the industry. That’s a 6% increase over last year. Noteworthy is the fact that 50% cite the improving U.S. economy as the primary driver for their optimism.