Make money while you sleep? It sounds like a sweet deal. The catch, of course, is that you have to spend some money buying dividend-paying stocks in order to benefit from the passive income those stocks consistently generate. The side benefit is that companies paying out dividends can be an excellent source of returns, while also providing stability to your portfolio.

Three dividend stocks to consider are Blackstone (NYSE: BX), Artisan Partners Asset Management (NYSE: APAM), and Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE: FRT). With an average yield of 4.94% between the three at the moment, a $10,121 investment split evenly between these three could net you $500 a year (before taxes). Let's take a closer look at these three dividend stocks.

Blackstone provides investments for its clients, including pension funds, institutional investors, and high-net-worth individuals.

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Source Fool.com