There is something mentally when someone pays under 2 bucks a gallon and can fill the car for under 20 bucks that makes them want to spend on other sectors of the economy.I remember when gas was close to 4 bucks a gallon and oil was over 100 a barrel.

Trying to follow the 2% rule rent would be 5500, and rent here is expensive but not mental.

By then I was so mentally beyond that concept that I told him I'd rather live out of a cardboard box than work for somebody again. 

The first thing you need to do is train your thinking from a save/spend mentality to an entrepreneur/REI mentality.  

Since May 2017, I’ve listened to about 3-4 podcasts/week and have read tons of books (far more reading than I ever actually did at college) pertaining to not only real estate investing, but also negotiating, overcoming mental obstacles, business strategies, etc.

Something I value significantly is my mental sanity. 

I think that's more of an investor mentality to look at what the previous person paid and try to see if you can get the margin down.

Also mentally if I can give them what they want and they think they have won then really I have won if it's just money etc.Just like athletes on any given day no matter how well trained anyone is someone can get lucky and take you out.

But so hard to call it, AND be able to predict investor's sentiment/mentality and where they are willing to take the market.

All of us are given only one life, and there is no rehearsal to life.