Business
Every year, Looped In celebrates by recognizing the best and worst of Houston real estate. In 2020, there was a lot to choose from. The pandemic and the need to socially distance has shaped the way we interact, which has shaped the spaces we interact in. Home sales and renovations boomed, while offices were thrown into uncertainty and hotels and small retailers floundered. Some have closed for good. As Looped In looked back on last year, we asked your thoughts on what stood out. And the people have spoken: Most Controversial Controversy 34 percent: The National Association of Realtor's new social media policy 32 percent: How the attempted Daugherty-Elliman merger panned out 26 percent: Al Hartman's handling of masks in the workplace 8 percent: The proposal to turn Sharpstown into a homeowners' association Buzziest Buzzword 56 percent: Unprecedented 22 percent: WFH 16 percent: Uncertainty 6 percent: De-densification Trendiest Development Trend 48 percent: Home office 27 percent: Plexiglass partitions 16 percent: Touchless (fill in the blank) 9 percent: Swimming pools Saddest Demise 62 percent: Luby's 15 percent: Bernie's Burger Bus 15 percent: Barry's Pizza 4 percent: Morningstar Write ins: Benjy's, Sweet Tomatoes, Wendy's Biggest Work-from-Home Perk 43 percent: Less time commuting 28 percent: More time with pets 16 percent: More time with family 13 percent: Kitchen access for lunch and snacks Brightest Glimmer of Hope (Besides the Vaccine) 49 percent: Low mortgage rates 28 percent: Escapes to nature 11 percent: Empty commercial space repurposed into housing 9 percent: Road trips Write ins: Vacation homes, freedom Connect with Rebecca Schuetz and Nancy Sarnoff. Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.