The Best High-Yield Stocks to Buy With $2,000 Right Now

By Reuben Gregg Brewer – Apr 13, 2026 at 8:15PM ESTKey PointsThe geopolitical conflict in the Middle East has increased the market's volatility, but the S&P 500 is still near all-time highs.If you are looking for reliable high-yield stocks in these uncertain times, consider Federal Realty and Realty Income.The geopolitical conflict in the Middle East has the world on edge and energy markets in disarray. And still, the S&P 500 index (^GSPC +1.02%) remains near all-time highs, offering a historically tiny yield of roughly 1.1%. If you are a conservative dividend investor, you can do far better than that with Federal Realty (FRT 0.06%) and Realty Income (O 0.71%), which offer yields of 4.1% and 5%, respectively. These stocks let you sleep well at night, counting dividend checks instead of focusing on the market's news and emotion-driven swings. Federal Realty is the King of REITs Federal Realty isn't your typical real estate investment trust (REIT); it stands out from the pack as the only REIT to also be a Dividend King. With 58 annual dividend increases, it has proven to be among the most reliable dividend stocks on Wall Street. Add in the well above market 4.1% dividend yield, and the story gets even better. Image source: Getty Images. However, the real draw here is the REIT's focus on quality over quantity, with a heavy emphasis on redevelopment and portfolio management. Federal Realty is always working to ensure that its portfolio of roughly 100 strip malls and mixed-use assets is filled with properties that are leaders in the regions they serve. And when a property reaches full value, it will be sold to fund the purchase of a new asset that Federal Realty can upgrade. It's a winning strategy, as the dividend record makes clear. ExpandNYSE: FRTFederal Realty Investment TrustToday's Change(-0.06%) $-0.06Current Price$108.99Key Data PointsMarket Cap$9.4BDay's Range$107.89 - $109.2552wk Range$89.99 - $110.89Volume897KAvg Vol876KGross Margin38.49%Dividend Yield4.12% Realty Income is a mix of yield and reliability Realty Income has increased its dividend annually for 31 years. It is the largest net-lease REIT, with over 15,500 properties. This landlord focuses on single-tenant retail assets but also has exposure to industrial assets and other, more unique property types, such as casinos and data centers. Its portfolio spans North America and Europe. The REIT is built from the ground up to be a reliable dividend payer. ExpandNYSE: ORealty IncomeToday's Change(-0.71%) $-0.45Current Price$63.30Key Data PointsMarket Cap$59BDay's Range$62.81 - $63.5652wk Range$54.38 - $67.94Volume128KAvg Vol6.5MGross Margin48.73%Dividend Yield5.07% Net lease properties generally have long leases with built-in rent increases. That helps the company sail through recessions in stride, noting that its occupancy didn't fall below 96% even during the Great Recession. Add in an investment-grade-rated balance sheet, and Realty Income is a diversified sleep-well-at-night REIT that even the most conservative dividend investors should find attractive. That's doubly true given the huge 5% dividend yield on offer. You can't avoid market volatility, but you can focus on something different The truth is that there is a lot of uncertainty in the market right now. You can't completely avoid its impact. However, if you buy reliable dividend stocks like Federal Realty and Realty Income, you can focus your attention on reliable dividend checks instead of the ups and downs of the market. With $2,000 you'll be able to buy around 18 shares of Federal Realty or 31 shares of Realty Income. Read NextApr 13, 2026 •By Jason Hall7 Best Monthly Dividend Stocks for April 2026Apr 13, 2026 •By Matt Frankel, CFPHow to Invest Your Tax Return in 2026Apr 10, 2026 •By Matt DiLalloThe 3 Safest REITs to Buy Right NowApr 9, 2026 •By Bram BerkowitzGot $1,000? This High-Yield Dividend Stock Is Worth ConsideringApr 9, 2026 •By Reuben Gregg BrewerRealty Income and W.P. Carey: Perfect TogetherApr 6, 2026 •By Lyle DalyThe Largest Real Estate Companies by Market Cap in April 2026About the AuthorReuben Gregg Brewer is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering energy, utilities, REITs, and consumer staples. He is the former director of research at Value Line Publishing, where he rose from mutual fund analyst to equity analyst before leading all research operations. Reuben holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from SUNY Purchase, a master’s in social work from Columbia University, and an MBA from Regis University. He has been featured as a financial expert on CNBC and in the Financial Times, Barron’s, and InvestmentNews.TMFReubenGBrewerStocks MentionedRealty IncomeNYSE: O$63.30(-0.71%)-$0.45S&P 500 IndexSNPINDEX: ^GSPC$6,886.24(+1.02%)+$69.35Federal Realty Investment TrustNYSE: FRT$108.99(-0.06%)-$0.06*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.