Here Are My Top 3 High-Yield Dividend Stocks to Buy Now

Core Viewpoint - Dividend-paying stocks are favored for their ability to generate passive income and historically outperform non-dividend stocks in total returns over the last 50 years [1] Group 1: Realty Income - Realty Income's shares have declined over 15% from their peak this year, resulting in a dividend yield exceeding 6%, significantly higher than the S&P 500's yield of around 1.2% [3] - The REIT maintains a diversified portfolio across various sectors, providing stable rental income as tenants cover real estate taxes, maintenance, and insurance [4] - Realty Income conservatively pays out about 75% of its adjusted funds from operations in dividends, allowing for cash retention to fund new investments, and has increased its dividend 128 times since going public in 1994 [5] Group 2: Rexford Industrial - Rexford Industrial's stock has dropped over 30% from its peak, leading to a dividend yield of 4.4%, primarily due to a slowdown in the Southern California industrial real estate market [6] - Despite a cooling demand, the market remains strong, with Rexford executing 657,000 square feet of new and renewal leases at a 60% increase compared to prior rents, maintaining an occupancy rate of 95.9% [7] - The REIT anticipates adding $72 million to its net operating income over the next three years as legacy leases expire, projecting a 34$1 billion in upcoming apartment development projects and the financial capacity for new developments, the company is well-positioned to enhance its growth and continue increasing dividends, having raised its payment by 3.1% recently [12] Group 4: Investment Opportunity - Realty Income, Rexford Industrial, and Mid-America Apartment Communities currently present higher dividend yields due to stock price sell-offs, combined with solid growth prospects, making them attractive dividend stocks for potential strong total returns [13]