Is an apartment syndication investment strategy scalable?

[Scott Blackwill]

My investment is just beginning and I'm evaluating against two strategies: SFR vs syndication investing. While cashflow early on from SFR seems minimal the goal is ultimately to build long term wealth. One of the key components I like from SFR is debt/mortgage paydown which allows for leverage later on down the road, or if i chose, to just fully cashflow a paid off home. Whereas I don't see that component in syndication. Syndication seems to be more an input = output/cashflow. While returns can be reinvested there is no asset paydown with syndication so it seems to miss on that key component that would create a scalable strategy. Can someone correct me or convince me that apartment syndication investing can be scalable and ultimately lead to wealth and/or eventually replace my W-2? Thank you in advance for any responses!

Scott