Note 2. Significant accounting policies

Basis of presentation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and include the accounts of the Company, the Operating Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and in conjunction with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures required for annual financial statements have been condensed or excluded pursuant to SEC rules and regulations. Accordingly, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2012. In the opinion of management, all adjustments of a normal and recurring nature necessary for a fair presentation of the condensed consolidated financial statements for the interim periods have been made. The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

There have been no changes to our significant accounting policies that have had a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes and therefore notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements which would substantially duplicate the disclosure contained in the audited consolidated financial statements have been omitted.

Single-family properties

Transactions in which single-family properties are purchased that are not subject to an existing lease are treated as asset acquisitions, and as such are recorded at their purchase price, including acquisition fees, which is allocated to land and building based upon their relative fair values at the date of acquisition. Single-family properties that are acquired either subject to an existing lease or as part of a portfolio level transaction (see Note 10) are treated as a business combination under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations, and as such are recorded at fair value, allocated to land, building and the existing lease, if applicable, based upon their relative fair values at the date of acquisition, with acquisition fees and other costs expensed as incurred. Fair value is determined based on ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, primarily based on unobservable data inputs. In making estimates of fair values for purposes of allocating the purchase price of individually acquired properties subject to an existing lease, the Company utilizes its own market knowledge and published market data. In this regard, the Company also utilizes information obtained from county tax assessment records to assist in the determination of the fair value of the land and building. The Company engages a third party valuation specialist to assist in the determination of fair value for purposes of allocating the purchase price of properties acquired as part of portfolio level transactions.

The value of acquired leases is estimated based upon the costs we would have incurred to lease the property under similar terms. Such costs are capitalized and amortized over the remaining life of the lease. Acquired leases are typically short-term in nature (less than one year).

Intangible assets

Intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over the asset’s estimated economic life and are tested for impairment based on undiscounted cash flows and, if impaired, written down to fair value based on discounted cash flows. The identified intangible assets acquired as part of the Management Internalization (see Note 10) are being amortized over the following estimated economic lives:


	Amortizable Life
Trademark		4.7 years
Database		7 years

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the fair value in excess of the tangible and separately identifiable intangible assets that were acquired as part of the Management Internalization (see Note 10). Goodwill has an indefinite life and is therefore not amortized. The Company analyzes goodwill for impairment on an annual basis, or if certain events or circumstances occur, pursuant to ASC 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other. No impairments have been recorded as of September 30, 2013.

Deferred financing costs

Financing costs related to the origination of the Company’s credit facility are deferred and amortized on an effective interest method over the contractual term of the applicable financing.

Recently issued and adopted accounting standards

In July 2012, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2012-02, “Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment”. The revised standard is intended to reduce the cost and complexity of testing indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill for impairment by providing entities with an option to perform a “qualitative” assessment to determine whether further impairment testing is necessary. The revised standard allows an entity first to assess qualitative factors to determine whether events and circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not (that is, a likelihood of more than 50%) that an indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired. If it is more likely than not that the asset is impaired, the entity must calculate the fair value of the asset, compare the fair value to its carrying amount, and record an impairment charge, if the carrying amount exceeds fair value. However, if an entity concludes that it is not more likely than not that the asset is impaired, no further action is required. The qualitative assessment is not an accounting policy election. An entity can choose to perform the qualitative assessment on none, some, or all of its indefinite-lived intangible assets. Moreover, an entity can bypass the qualitative assessment for any indefinite-lived intangible asset in any period and proceed directly to the quantitative impairment test, and then choose to perform the qualitative assessment in any subsequent period. The revised standard is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-10, which permits the Fed Funds Effective Swap Rate, also referred to as the “Overnight Index Swap Rate,” to be used as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes under Topic 815, in addition to the U.S. government and London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) swap rate. The update also removes the restriction on the use of different benchmark rates for similar hedges. This ASU will be applicable to us for qualifying new or redesignated hedging relationships entered into on or after July 17, 2013.