In Austin’s rapidly evolving real estate market, home renovation is more than a means of updating aesthetics — it’s a strategic investment in property value, sustainability and neighborhood preservation.
With demand for character-rich housing soaring and historic homes facing redevelopment pressures, thoughtful renovations offer a way to enhance functionality while maintaining a connection to the past.
Architects Tom McWalters and Lindsay Maki of McWalters Collaborative Architecture and Design are at the forefront of this movement. They help homeowners transform their properties into beautiful, livable and financially sound investments.
“A house should be designed to support its owners through different phases of life,” Maki said. “Investing in thoughtful, creative modifications ensures a home can adapt and remain valuable over time.”
Preserving history while increasing value
For homeowners like Mike Georgoff, updating his 1932 cottage in Central Austin’s Pemberton Heights was a financial and lifestyle decision. His goal was to modernize the home while preserving its historic charm, a balance that required careful planning and execution.
“When conducting our renovations, Tom and Lindsay took deep care to ensure the original historic charm of the house was maintained, especially on the exterior, while adding modern luxury touches throughout and notably increasing the square footage to support a family of four,” Georgoff said.
The McWalters team took a comprehensive approach to the project. Starting with a “master plan” for both an extensive renovation and addition, they added a new garage with an additional dwelling unit (ADU) above, home offices, a new landscape plan and thoughtfully reconfigured the interior of the house to drastically increase the natural light and create truly usable spaces.
Thoughtful material choices, such as exposed brick, classic trim and detailing, custom cabinetry, resilient stones and quant ceramic tile, ensured that even the most practical spaces retained a timeless aesthetic. The homeowners’ favorite aspect of the redesign is how every choice was tailored to their lifestyle.
One of the most impactful transformations occurred with the addition of a new mud room that extends into a covered breezeway to the detached garage and guest apartment. The design team created a stunning multi-functional utility space, incorporating a half bath, laundry and custom storage solutions. The space is wrapped in casement windows that invite natural light. This frequently undervalued area now serves as a bright and efficient hub of the home.
“They completely reimagined how we could use the space,” Georgoff said. “Before, it was just an awkward pass-through. Now, it’s a place where we actually spend time, and it’s designed so beautifully that it didn’t even feel like a utility space.”
Real estate trends influenced the homeowners' decision-making process. They made careful choices that made the most sense for the home's functionality while also considering potential resale value.
“We leaned into two trends,” he said. “The first was plenty of work-from-home space. We put a beautiful office off the primary bedroom and added a mixed-use office and gym off the back of the garage. The next trend was outdoor/indoor living spaces. They reorientated our family room and took a wall that had been entirely windowless and added a pair of French doors that opened onto a new outdoor grilling, dining and soft seating area.”
A wise investment in sustainability and efficiency
Sustainability is becoming a top priority for modern homeowners, and investing in energy-efficient upgrades can lower operational costs while boosting resale value. Homes with eco-friendly features, such as solar panels and smart energy systems, can sell for up to 4% more than their traditional counterparts, according to a study from the National Association of Realtors.
The Georgoff family incorporated several green features into their renovation to future-proof their home.
“Sustainability and efficiency were design considerations for us,” he said. “We invested heavily in air conditioning and heating improvements — new top-end doors and windows, a redesigned duct system for better airflow and a maximally efficient variable-speed HVAC unit. Even with a bigger footprint, we saved substantially on utilities while lowering our climate impact.”
Beyond energy systems, the family also reimagined their landscaping to reduce water usage.
“We overhauled the landscaping, adding mixed-texture rocks and gravel where there previously was grass, switching to drip irrigation and installing native drought-tolerant plants,” Georgoff said.
Strengthening neighborhoods through innovative renovations
Homeowners who invest in renovations benefit personally and contribute to the long-term vitality of their neighborhoods. Well-maintained homes in older communities appreciate at a higher rate as buyers seek out properties with character and modern functionality, the Austin Board of Realtors reports.
This highlights the broader impact of home improvements: They preserve the architectural integrity of neighborhoods while making them more desirable for future generations.
“In Austin’s current construction market, tearing down and starting from scratch is going to be more expensive and take significantly longer than people realize,” Maki said. “There’s real value in understanding a property’s potential and working with it, rather than against it.”
A collaborative approach to home investment
McWalters Collaborative prides itself on working closely with homeowners to create residences that align with their lifestyles, budgets and long-term goals.
“Good design isn’t contingent on a client’s budget,” McWalters said. “Our goal is to work with clients who value collaboration and want to make strategic, lasting investments in their homes.”
For homeowners considering renovations, the message is clear: Well-planned improvements aren’t just expenses; they are investments that enhance functionality, efficiency and neighborhood appeal.
“It’s always worth it to invest upfront in whatever materials, systems or technologies are available for sustainability,” Georgoff said. “You lower your month-to-month maintenance costs and typically get more than paid back when it comes time to sell.”
McWalters’ Collaborative’s greatest success was creating a home that felt like a reflection of the family. They took the time to understand how the homeowners lived, worked and dreamed, resulting in a beautiful and deeply personal space.
“They cared about every detail as much as we did,” Georgoff said. “When our daughter arrived earlier than expected, Tom and Lindsay were on-site, helping with finishing touches to make sure the house was perfect for us to bring her home. That level of commitment is rare.”
"Our goal is to work with clients who value collaboration and want to make strategic, lasting investments in their homes.”