@David ZeekYour best decision depends on many factors including your preferences, temperament, taxes, knowledge, age, skills, goals, and time horizon.

From this post it's clear that real estate investing should not be on your horizon.

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If not done correctly, it could result in further complications or IRS scrutiny.Investment Horizon: If your real estate investment horizon is relatively short-term and you plan to sell properties within a few years, the benefits of accelerated depreciation might be diminished, and you might not have sufficient time to fully realize the advantages of the strategy.

The Wall Street people now keep arguing inverted yields hinting there is something in the horizon developing then it will happen.

Is there greater benefit over an 18 month time horizon than now than there is in a longer hold time horizon? 

We want our two properties (purchased in a package deal) to be "cash cows" in the short term horizon rather than in 30 years when the traditional mortgage would be paid off.

I actually have some money invested in a REIT, and have been looking at some of the syndications by RealtyCrowd and others, but most of these involve shorter time horizons than I am looking at.

We understand the longer investment horizon and more difficult process of lien to deed investing. 

So, to get $4K/mo off $250K is a bit of a stretch but many of these sponsors offer refinancing or supplemental loan opportunities to return equity back to investors in a shorter time horizon like 2-3 years which could increase CoC and IRR numbers that can get you in the ballpark you desire.Once you identify a niche or two you like, vet the sponsors.