Why Your Real Estate Agent Should Think Like a Therapist

Most real estate agents will tell you about square footage and granite countertops. But what if your agent could read your body language and tell when you’re about to make an emotional mistake that’ll cost you thousands?

Scott Thompson isn’t your typical realtor. He spent years as a social worker helping people through addiction recovery before jumping into real estate. And that background? It completely changed how he helps clients buy investment properties.

Thompson’s path into real estate was unexpected. He worked at a rehabilitation facility after his grandfather developed dementia, which pulled him into caring professions. During those years, he learned something crucial: people make their worst decisions when emotions take over.

Here’s what he brings from that work:

Reading facial expressions and body language during property tours
Building trust through complete honesty, even when it costs him a sale
Helping clients separate gut feelings from emotional reactions
Creating space for better decisions instead of rushing into offers

Thompson admits he had doubts about becoming an agent. He didn’t fit the flashy, fast-talking stereotype. But he realized real estate is fundamentally about relationships and helping people reach goals. Sound familiar?

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How Emotions Wreck Real Estate Deals

Thompson sees clients fall in love with properties after viewing just one or two homes. They want to write offers immediately. This is where his social work training kicks in.

He’ll suggest looking at more properties first. He reminds them about times they bought shoes or jackets on impulse and regretted it later. Houses are way bigger decisions.

His go-to move? The sleep-on-it approach. He tells clients they’ll probably find another home they love just as much. Go home, let emotions settle, talk it through, then decide.

The House They Almost Bought

Last week, Thompson’s clients fell hard for a flipped property. Fresh paint, pot lights, new kitchen counters, nice laminate floors. Everything looked perfect.

But Thompson and the inspector found water seepage at the baseboards. Mold throughout the bottom of the home. Despite his clients’ emotional attachment, Thompson told them straight up: don’t buy it. It would’ve been a nightmare.

That’s the kind of honesty that costs commissions but builds trust.

The Duplex Strategy That Changes Everything

Thompson recently helped a 35-year-old first-time buyer purchase a duplex for $505,000. The tenant now pays 78% of the mortgage. The buyer’s housing costs? Just $500 per month plus utilities.

You can’t rent a decent apartment for that price, let alone live in a great neighborhood in a property you’re building Equity in.

But Thompson didn’t just find the property and call it done. He ran a complete financial analysis that included:

Market rent research for realistic income projections
Mortgage calculations based on actual pre-approval rates
Property taxes and insurance costs
Maintenance reserves for furnace replacements and repairs

Here’s the smart part: Thompson uses conservative numbers. If market rent ranges from $1,800 to $2,200, he uses $1,800 for projections. Not the average. Not the high end. The low end.

This builds in a safety buffer and shows clients he’s not trying to sell them on fluffed-up numbers.

The Long Game Plan

This client isn’t stopping at one duplex. The plan is to buy multiple investment properties by age 50. The goal? Around $4,000 to $5,000 in monthly passive income.

And here’s what Thompson emphasizes: you don’t need to be rich to do this. This works on a humble income. You don’t need to earn six figures.

If the client gets married or starts a family later, he can move out and rent both units. The duplex becomes fully cash-flowing while he lives somewhere else. It’s a stepping stone, not a forever home.

Why Most People Get Investment Property Backwards

Many buyers max out their budget on their primary residence. They get the nicest house they can possibly afford, then have nothing left for investments.

Thompson’s client did the opposite. He sacrificed some privacy by living in a duplex. Used rental income to offset costs. Now he’s building equity and cash flow that’ll eventually let him afford a much bigger home, paid for largely by investment income.

It’s delayed gratification that actually pays off.

The Market Opportunity Right Now

Thompson doesn’t buy into the doom and gloom you see in headlines. He draws a parallel to media fear tactics about everything from health scares to crime rates that don’t match reality.

Here’s his take on the current market:

Prices dropped about 20% recently. Interest rates are higher than they were, but still reasonable by historical standards. Buyers were spoiled getting 1-2% mortgages. That wasn’t sustainable.

The opportunity? Buy now at reduced prices, then refinance when rates drop. You get the best of both worlds.

Why Windsor Prices Will Keep Rising

Thompson sees major growth coming to Windsor because of:

The Gordie Howe International Bridge project
A new hospital being built
A $5 billion battery plant
Ontario projecting 35% population growth in Southwestern Ontario by 2035

His prediction: Windsor becomes like a mini Hamilton. Population growth drives demand, and demand drives prices. Always has, always will.

The Big Expenses Most Investors Forget

Thompson educates investors about major costs beyond the purchase price. For flips or heavy renovations, you need to account for:

Waterproofing: $15,000 to $30,000
Roofing: $7,000 to $10,000
HVAC systems: $15,000 to $20,000
Windows: Several thousand dollars

He walks through complete financial analysis to make sure the project actually makes sense. Too many investors pour money into renovations only to break even or make minimal profit after months of work and risk.

The Timing Trick for Flips

Here’s a smart tip: if you’re flipping a property, wait to sell. Maybe rent it for a year first.

Why? If you sell three months after buying, people question how the value jumped so much so fast. But a year later, that time gap makes higher prices more acceptable. There’s a mental trigger that makes properties seem more valuable with time passage.

Hold On to Your Properties

Thompson often tells clients not to sell when they’re thinking about it. Why not just hold onto it?

He hears the same regret story constantly: “I bought this place twenty years ago. Sold it five or six years ago. Made some money, but if I’d held on, it would be worth double today.”

Unless you absolutely need to sell, hold your investment properties long-term. You’ll thank yourself later. Real estate really is a long game.

What This Means for You

Whether you’re buying your first home or your fifth investment property, emotions will try to hijack your decisions. That’s just human nature.

The trick is building in safeguards:

Sleep on big decisions instead of rushing
Look at multiple properties before falling in love
Write down pros and cons when you’re torn
Work with professionals who’ll be honest even when it costs them
Run conservative numbers, not best-case scenarios

Thompson’s approach proves something important: the best real estate decisions come from balancing emotion with analysis, enthusiasm with patience, and dreams with realistic planning.

Sometimes the best agent isn’t the one who’s fastest to close the deal. It’s the one who’ll talk you out of a bad decision and into a better future.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I make an offer on the first property I see?

No. Look at multiple properties before making a decision. You might love the first home you see, but viewing more options helps you understand the market better and avoid emotional impulse buys. Sleep on it, let your emotions settle, and then decide with a clear head.

How much should a tenant pay on a duplex investment?

In a good duplex deal, your tenant should pay 70-80% or more of your total mortgage. This dramatically reduces your living costs while you build equity. One buyer got their tenant to cover 78% of the mortgage, bringing personal housing costs down to just $500 monthly plus utilities.

What big expenses do investors forget about?

Major systems can cost serious money: waterproofing runs $15,000-$30,000, roofing costs $7,000-$10,000, and HVAC replacement is $15,000-$20,000. Always build these into your investment analysis and keep maintenance reserves for unexpected repairs.

Should I use average or low rental rates for calculations?

Use the lowest rental rate in your calculations, not the average or high end. If market rent ranges from $1,800 to $2,200, use $1,800. This builds in a safety buffer and gives you realistic expectations instead of best-case scenarios that might not happen.

Is now a good time to buy investment property?

Prices have dropped about 20% recently while interest rates remain reasonable by historical standards. This creates an opportunity to buy at reduced prices, then refinance when rates drop further. You get the benefit of both lower purchase prices and eventual rate decreases.

When should I sell my investment property?

Hold onto investment properties long-term unless you absolutely need to sell. Many people regret selling too early when they see how much their former property is worth years later. Real estate is a long game, and time almost always increases value.

How do I know if I'm making an emotional property decision?

Warning signs include wanting to write an offer after seeing only one or two homes, stretching your budget beyond comfort, or promising to make major lifestyle changes to afford the mortgage. Step back, sleep on it, and write down pros and cons before deciding.

Can I build wealth with investment properties on a modest income?

Yes. You don't need to be a millionaire or earn six figures. Start with a duplex strategy where a tenant pays most of your mortgage. Build equity over time, then repeat the process. One buyer plans to create $4,000-$5,000 in monthly passive income by age 50 using this approach.

Disclaimer: LendCity Mortgages is a licensed mortgage brokerage, and our team includes experienced real estate investors. While we are qualified to provide mortgage-related guidance, the broader financial, tax, and legal information in this article is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial planning, tax, or legal advice. For matters outside mortgage financing, we recommend consulting a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), licensed financial planner, or qualified legal advisor.

Written by

LendCity

Published

December 22, 2025

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