296: Designing Investment Properties To Generate Passive Income with Mackenzie Grate

Jonathan Greene welcomes interior designer, real estate investor, and New York State licensed agent Mackenzie Grate to the show for a conversation about design-forward investing, building a rental portfolio from scratch, and choosing the right strategy for your lifestyle. Mackenzie, known as "Mac of All Trades," shares how she shifted from working as an assistant principal to becoming a full-time investor and designer, starting with her first long-term rental in Kingston and eventually expanding into short-term rentals, multifamily properties, and design consulting. Jonathan and Mackenzie explore mindset, risk tolerance, and how every investor evolves over time. Mackenzie explains why being clear about your investor identity matters, how to avoid overspending on design choices, and why community and local knowledge are essential for success. Her experience highlights the balance between creativity, practicality, and long-term planning. Listeners will learn what it truly takes to build a sustainable portfolio, from selecting the right first property to managing guest expectations and making design decisions that enhance both functionality and profitability. Mackenzie's combination of design expertise and hands-on investing experience offers thoughtful guidance for anyone looking to build a portfolio that performs. In this episode, you will hear: How Mackenzie bought her first long-term rental while working full-time in education The most common design mistakes investors make and how to avoid unnecessary spending Why knowing your investor identity should guide every strategic decision How local market knowledge and relationships support short-term rental success What realistic scaling looks like for new investors Why your first property does not need to be your dream property Follow and Review If you enjoy the show, please follow Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing on Apple Podcasts and leave a rating and review. It helps other listeners discover these conversations and supports the show's growth. Supporting Resources Connect with Mackenzie: Website: www.moatinteriordesigns.com Instagram: @Mackofalltrades  Connect with Jonathan: Website - www.streamlined.properties  YouTube - www.youtube.com/c/JonathanGreeneRE/videos  Instagram - www.instagram.com/trustgreene  Instagram - www.instagram.com/streamlinedproperties    Zillow - www.zillow.com/profile/streamlinen​j Bigger Pockets -  www.biggerpockets.com/users/jonathangreene Facebook - www.facebook.com/streamlinedproperties  Email - info@streamlined.properties   This episode was produced by Outlier Audio.