Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 921,156	$ 877,758	$ 517,582
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	288,316	241,879	224,444
Amortization of deferred financing costs	8,773	10,587	9,386
Non-cash interest expense related to amortization of discount on equity component of exchangeable senior notes	0	0	3,675
Non-cash lease expense	1,903	1,869	1,173
Compensation expense related to stock-based awards	21,386	17,303	16,281
Accrual of interest income added to principal of debt securities and notes receivable	(38,412)	(34,550)	(8,059)
Gain on real estate transactions	(14,249)	(140,760)	(18,075)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated real estate ventures - gain on sale of real estate assets	0	(6,251)
Distributions from unconsolidated real estate ventures	13,162	7,035	6,893
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Other assets	(1,208)	(23,891)	(19,674)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	29,027	10,951	17,974
Other liabilities	8,285	(9,494)	19,632
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,238,139	952,436	771,232
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisition of real estate assets	(1,291,491)	(1,233,298)	(320,148)
Cash paid for business combination	(157,302)	0	0
Development and redevelopment of real estate assets	(62,019)	(56,226)	(67,300)
Proceeds from sale of real estate assets and investments in real estate ventures	39,367	572,728	44,024
Investment in unconsolidated real estate entities	(118,963)	(54,602)	(64,792)
Return of investment in unconsolidated real estate ventures	342	31,534	371
Issuance and purchase of notes receivable	(529,245)	(317,482)	(313,355)
Investment in debt securities	0	0	(300,000)
Proceeds from sale of notes receivable	210,048	172,002	62,764
Principal payments received from notes receivable	283,636	51,463	10,102
Purchase of equipment and fixtures	(22,832)	(3,659)	(7,093)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,648,459)	(837,540)	(955,427)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from the sale of common stock, net of offering costs	0	273,189	103,468
Proceeds from notes payable and revolving lines of credit	5,188,011	4,666,632	3,281,000
Principal payments on notes payable and revolving lines of credit	(4,207,700)	(5,500,290)	(2,014,730)
Proceeds from issuance of public bonds, net	396,100	1,040,349	0
Deferred financing costs	(9,321)	(10,698)	(4,052)
Repurchase of exchangeable senior notes	0	0	(575,000)
Proceeds from principal payments on note receivable collateralized by OP Units	0	411	16,213
Net proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	4,572	4,759
Repurchase of common stock	(63,008)	0	(67,873)
Redemption of Preferred B Units for cash	(4,500)	0	0
Redemption of Operating Partnership units held by noncontrolling interests	(4,617)	(788)	(1,000)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	0	0	66
Dividends paid on common stock	(805,311)	(600,994)	(467,765)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(57,793)	(39,094)	(33,615)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	431,861	(166,711)	241,471
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	21,541	(51,815)	57,276
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, beginning of the period	76,194	128,009	70,733
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, end of the period	97,735	76,194	128,009
Cash and equivalents	92,868	71,126	109,124
Restricted cash included in other assets	4,867	5,068	18,885
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	97,735	76,194	128,009
Supplemental schedule of cash flow information
Interest paid	197,069	152,170	159,597
Income taxes paid	18,957	26,252	5,181
Redemption of Operating Partnership units held by noncontrolling interests for common stock
Noncontrolling interests in Operating Partnership	0	(6,373)	(4,005)
Common stock and paid-in capital	0	6,373	4,005
Redemption of Preferred Operating Partnership units for common stock
Preferred Operating Partnership units	0	(2,834)	(2,724)
Additional paid-in capital	0	2,834	2,724
Acquisition and establishment of operating lease right of use assets and lease liabilities
Real estate assets - operating lease right-of-use assets	16,298	6,655	8,014
Operating lease liabilities	(16,298)	(6,655)	(8,014)
Acquisitions of real estate assets
Real estate assets, net	171,703	318,036	41,491
Value of equity issued	(165,965)	(276,393)	0
Notes payable assumed	0	(20,028)	0
Investment in unconsolidated real estate ventures	1,085	5,383	0
Finance lease liability	(6,823)	(26,998)	(41,491)
Accrued construction costs and capital expenditures
Acquisition of real estate assets	368	1,323	656
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(368)	(1,323)	(656)
Preferred OP Units
Issuance of OP and Preferred OP units in conjunction with business combination
Equity interests issued	(6,000)	0	0
Common OP Units
Issuance of OP and Preferred OP units in conjunction with business combination
Equity interests issued	$ (16,000)	$ 0	$ 0