Wonderland

Two units, seven bedrooms between them, two backyards, a front yard, a pool and a hot tub. Under previous management it was underbooked and badly kept, which was a waste of a house with that much in it.

The budget was tight and we said so early. It was enough for a full buildout if every decision counted, and not enough for anything to be bought twice. A few existing pieces stayed. Everything else was chosen against that constraint.

Each unit got its own identity rather than being furnished as one property split in half. One built around local artwork, the other around music and records, both rooted in the part of Austin they sit in. They can be booked separately or together, which is why twenty-four guests works here and doesn't feel like twenty-four.

Outside, the pool and hot tub became the middle of the property rather than features listed on a page. Soccer nets went in the front yard.

Four bookings came in within hours of going live. Four five-star reviews two weeks later.