Dividend stocks come in many shapes and sizes. Some established areas for income investors are real estate and finance. However, there are some more unusual stocks that could offer me a very engaging buying opportunity right now. Here are two high-yield options I’m considering.

A moment of revelation

The first one is SDCL Energy Efficiency Revenue Fund (LSE:SEIT). The trust does what it says it will, namely invest in energy efficiency infrastructure projects. It makes money from these projects because they typically involve contracts with governments or private sector users. In addition, some contracts allow the trust to actually make money from selling the electricity or other energy it generates.

The company’s shares have fallen 17% over the past year. This has helped its dividend yield rise to 10.23%, making it an attractive stock for those looking for income.

One reason for the share price decline over the period is a pre-tax loss of £56m for 2024. Although this included £118m of unrealised losses due to “increase in the discount rate”it’s still a hit. The chairman commented on the continuation “market uncertainty” what constitutes a risk for the future.

However, I am not particularly concerned about a significant dividend cut. The dividend announced in March is entirely covered by cash. The 6.24p per share is an escalate of 6p from the previous year. It is clear that a growing dividend is the company’s goal.

Let’s not forget that the transition to cleaner energy is a key topic in the long term.

Asset-backed dividends

Another idea is GCP Asset Backed Income Fund (LSE:GABI). The stock is up 33% over the past year, but still has an impressive dividend yield of 8.11%.

This fund is different from many others because it invests exclusively in income-generating products that are either asset-backed or have contracted cash flows. In this way, it aims to reduce the risk of your income suddenly falling or being left with something that has no value.

The portfolio currently has 32 holdings, including care homes, football asset finance and student accommodation. This diversified portfolio is quite unique and should enable cash flow in the future.

One risk is that even if the investments are secured by assets, they may not be liquid. For example, selling a nursing home and getting the cash in the event of insolvency could take some time.

I like both ideas and it shows that sometimes I can find gems when I go off the beaten track and beyond. FTSE100. When I have a little more spare cash, I’ll be looking to buy both for my income portfolio.