Risk premium.From ballpark 2012 to 2019, rates were in the 3.5% to 4.5% range, maybe rental property rates were roughly in the 4.5% to 5.5% range, while the stock market ticked away at 7% or 9% growth  (also annual, just like the interest rate, making this comparison easy) with some consistency, and many people even did much better with real estate investing than that, so the prevailing advice was to "NEVER pay your mortgage early, unless it was for 'peace of mind' or other totally valid (this isn't a knock) psychological or emotional reasons."

This topic is discussed in all 4 of the books listed above and frankly they all discuss the psychology behind self-sabotage better than I can.

I would agree, however, that there is a psychological limit to how high rents in the good neighborhoods can go.

However, I recognize the psychological effect of creative advertising, and understand its benefits from a business standpoint. 

As you're demonstrating, it's a big difference psychologically to go up $20,000 by $1,000 chunks than to go in 1 chunk.  

It is so hard for me to psychologically shell out money for stuff like that.I'm certain I'll be joining CAREI.

The vast majority of newbies fail - but it's not because they don't "think they can succeed" or any other psychological mumbo jumbo.

@Christian DozierI would read the book The Psychology of Money.

While I take buyer and buyer's agent psychology into my conversations I have with my clients, real estate agents who make decisions on what properties are best for their clients based off of their commission rate are exposing themselves to liability.

I know several art and psychology majors who didn't use those degrees in there field of work or don't make much money to live on.