This is true whether you buy and rent residential apartments or work in commercial sectors. 

What would be left after costs if he got his price from someone from the retail market sector?

Those still get snatched up.A coming recession may be on the way, but there are still some positive indicators in the economy such as high employment levels and increases in wages in certain sectors. 

A majority mutual fund manager cannot beat the benchmarks in their sectors.

We have touched many many projects at many different levels as we are not only in REI business but we have many interests at many different levels within the construction service sectors.

I do think in general multifamily is at a peak but there are still deals out there to be had.A hot sector now is an off shoot of multifamily which is seniors housing.

Need a lot more information to be at all helpful: sector?

With the drastic increase in multi-family investment at UIUC over the past couple years I would stay away from the high-end college rental market (greater than $500/room) and focus on one of the many other sectors.  

I've come to BP in hopes of expanding my knowledge in the house flipping sector,  network, find a mentor in that space, and eventually build a self sustaining business.

By analyzing metrics you can predict to a degree market movements within sectors.