Summer is peak season for vacation homes, making it an ideal time to think about how a second property can serve as both a personal retreat and an investment. Whether you already own a vacation home ...

Most people think of their home as the place where their money is spent on rent or mortgage payments, maintenance and repairs, insurance, property taxes, etc. Fewer think of it as an income generator.

For comparison, you'd need to invest over $266,000 in an S&P 500 index fund to generate the same annual income, given its lower yield (around 1.1%). Here's a closer look at these high-yielding REITs.