When someone insinuates that the market could be softening, why does many  operators  go out of their way to go into denial and pretend like they’re doing great?

By the time you get thru planning the bull market could be over already.I’d try to get the entitlement process started bc the land will be worth a lot more once you have that, but if the market starts to soften you punt it.

Supply and demand have not changed.When paper assets crash hard assets like gold and real estate do well.There are some buyers that will hold off for now and there are some sellers that will hold off for now, so volume might go down for the time beeing, but the balance of supply and demand remains and I don't see 2020 prices soften.

The market has not "softened" as a result of COVID-19 yet.

Many areas have experienced a moderate slowdown last year, and are temporarily (my opinion) stable, and seem poised to soften from the high prices we have seen in the past couple of years. 

I need to replace two furnace/AC units and install one water softener.

I’m looking at buying an STR in the fall once I get settled into my house hack and I did notice prices have gone up a lot in your area in the last few years so I was hoping there may be a softening in the market

First listing was 13 months ago, the price was cut 4% after first week, no changes in price since, just relisted repeatedly (the market has softened a lot since then).

When the market softens in our area in the next 2-3 years, you'll have that money to deploy. 

Rental market is softening/readjusting.