Represents the number of extension options for debt instrument.

No definition available.

Name:	amh_DebtInstrumentNumberofExtensionOptions
Namespace Prefix:	amh_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the period of extension options for debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	amh_DebtInstrumentPeriodOfExtensionOptions
Namespace Prefix:	amh_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of floating rate components of loan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	amh_NumberOfFloatingRateLoanComponents
Namespace Prefix:	amh_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Difference between the fair value of payments made and the carrying amount of debt which is extinguished prior to maturity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 50
-Section 40
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170532&loc=d3e12317-112629

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585

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-SubTopic 50
-Section 40
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170532&loc=d3e12355-112629

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The increase (decrease) during the reporting period in the amount of cash that is pledged as security when borrowing securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=amh_SpecialPurposeEntityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=amh_ARP2014SFR1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_WeightedAverageMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Period Type:

Debt - Asset-Backed Securitization Narrative (Details)		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
Debt - Asset-Backed Securitization Narrative (Details)	Feb. 29, 2016 USD ($) extension_option floating_rate_component property	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) single_family_property	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) single_family_property	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) single_family_property	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 single_family_property
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of properties \| single_family_property		48,153	48,153		48,153		38,780
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			$ 13,408,000	$ 0	$ 13,408,000	$ 0
Asset-backed securities \| Borrower \| ARP 2014-SFR1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of properties \| property	2,875
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			$ 10,700,000
Principal amount	$ 342,200,000
Debt instrument initial term	2 years
Number of extension options \| extension_option	3
Period of extension options	12 months
Number of floating rate components \| floating_rate_component	6
Restricted cash released		$ 10,100,000
Asset-backed securities \| Weighted blended interest rate \| Borrower \| ARP 2014-SFR1 \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate	2.11%