Podcast

Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing with Jonathan Greene

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

Interior designer and investor Mackenzie Grate joins Jonathan to break down how design, strategy, and mindset come together to create profitable rental properties. She shares what she learned from her early long-term rentals, what newer investors often overlook, and how to design spaces that attract guests without blowing your budget.

Mackenzie also explains why knowing your investor identity matters, how the Catskills market shapes her STR approach, and why community is an essential part of long-term success. Her insights offer both encouragement and realism for anyone looking to build passive income through well-designed properties.

In this episode, you will hear:

How Mackenzie purchased her first rental while working full time
What design decisions add value and what to skip
How to choose between LTR, MTR, and STR based on your goals
Why your first deal doesn’t need to be perfect
How community and support networks make STRs sustainable

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