Andrew Bary has written an article for Barrons focused on indentifying ETFs with above average yields. Most of the funds mentioned have fairly mundane yields between 2-4%, but there are several reporting surprisingly generous payouts. The iShares FTSE Nareit Mortgage-Plus Capped Index (REM), which buys mortgage REITs, yields more than 9%.
Bary has posted a table containing 15 ETFs yielding greater than 2%. However, investors need to realize that chasing yield can lead to disastrous results, such as that experienced in 2008-2009.
There are several reader comments to Bary’s article adding several more ideas for the dividend-focused investor.