The dividend yield is a blind spot that hampers many dividend investors. That may sound like an oxymoron, but it really isn't. A big yield often lures investors into high-risk companies that they wouldn't otherwise consider owning. A good example today is AGNC Investment (NASDAQ: AGNC) and its huge 14.5% yield. Most investors looking for a reliable stream of income would be much better off with investments like Realty Income (NYSE: O), NNN Realty (NYSE: NNN), or Federal Realty (NYSE: FRT). Here's why.

Without getting too deep into the weeds, AGNC Investment is a mortgage real estate investment trust (REIT). This is a highly complex niche of the REIT sector. Before investing in a mortgage REIT, you need to do your homework so you understand what you are actually buying, which is something akin to a mutual fund that buys mortgage bonds. But the real story here is far easier to tell, and a simple graph will do most of the talking.

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Source Fool.com