Debt - Narrative (Details 1)			1 Months Ended										3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 29, 2016 USD ($) property extension_option floating_rate_component day	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) single_family_property	Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($) extension_option	Jul. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) nonperforming_loan single_family_property	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($) nonperforming_loan property	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) property	Nov. 30, 2014 USD ($) property	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) property	May 31, 2014 USD ($) property extension_option floating_rate_component pass_through_certificate	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) single_family_property property	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) single_family_property property	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	May 01, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from asset-backed securitizations after issuance costs															$ 0	$ 1,030,559,000	$ 1,497,039,000
Number of properties sold | property															712
Asset-backed securitizations, net															$ 2,491,234,000	2,530,210,000
Single-family properties															7,547,856,000	6,289,938,000
Payments for purchase of certificates															381,117,000	19,739,000	3,315,000
Secured note payable															49,828,000	50,752,000
Convertible Debt															108,148,000	0
Convertible notes payable, noncurrent															108,100,000
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt															(13,408,000)	0	0
Revolving credit facilities															0	0
Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, accordion feature, higher borrowing capacity option			$ 1,750,000,000.00
Term Loan Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term loan facility															321,735,000	0
2014-SFR 1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument term											2 years
Interest rate cap agreement strike rate											3.85%
Number of debt instrument extension options | extension_option											3
Period of extension options											12 months
Asset-backed securitizations, net															$ 456,074,000	473,755,000
Effective percentage of interest rate cap agreements hedged as cash flow derivative															100.00%
Interest rate															2.31%
2014-SFR 1 | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate											0.25%
2014-SFR 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Asset-backed securitizations, net															$ 501,810,000	507,305,000
Interest rate															4.42%
2014-SFR 3
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Asset-backed securitizations, net															$ 517,827,000	523,109,000
Interest rate															4.40%
2015-SFR 1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Asset-backed securitizations, net															$ 543,480,000	549,121,000
Interest rate															4.14%
2015-SFR 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Asset-backed securitizations, net															$ 472,043,000	$ 476,920,000
Interest rate															4.36%
Special Purpose Entity | 2014-SFR 1 | Notes Payable
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchangeable senior notes											$ 481,000,000.0
Derivative term of contract											2 years
Number of floating rate loan components | floating_rate_component											6
Debt instrument monthly principal payment ratio											0.00083
Debt instrument percentage portion of principal amount for which monthly payment is required											1.00%
Number of properties | property											3,852
Debt covenant, minimum debt yield percentage											6.68%
Special Purpose Entity | 2015-SFR 1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchangeable senior notes							$ 552,800,000.0
Debt instrument term							30 years
Number of classes of certificates | nonperforming_loan							8
Weighted-average interest rate							4.14%
Special Purpose Entity | 2015-SFR 1 | Notes Payable
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of properties | property							4,661								4,660	4,661
Single-family properties															$ 710,800,000	$ 735,000,000
Special Purpose Entity | 2015-SFR 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchangeable senior notes						$ 477,700,000.0
Debt instrument term						30 years
Number of classes of certificates | nonperforming_loan						7
Proceeds from asset-backed securitizations after issuance costs						$ 477,700,000
Debt issuance cost						$ 11,300,000
Single-family properties															$ 658,800,000	$ 681,400,000
Weighted-average interest rate						4.36%
Single family homes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of properties | single_family_property															48,422	38,780
Single-family properties															$ 7,547,856,000	$ 6,289,938,000
Single family homes | 2014-SFR 1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
LIBOR floor rate											0.25%
Number of debt instrument extension options | extension_option											3
Number of classes of certificates | pass_through_certificate											7
Proceeds from asset-backed securitizations after issuance costs											$ 481,000,000
Debt issuance cost																		$ 14,900,000
Number of properties | property															3,803
Number of properties sold | property															47
Single-family properties															$ 575,400,000	$ 606,900,000
Total release price															$ 14,500,000
Single family homes | 2014-SFR 1 | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest margin on reference rate											1.54%
Single family homes | 2014-SFR 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchangeable senior notes										$ 513,300,000.0
Debt instrument term										10 years
Proceeds from asset-backed securitizations after issuance costs										$ 487,700,000
Debt issuance cost										$ 12,900,000
Number of properties										4,487					4,484	4,487
Weighted-average interest rate										4.42%
Minimum coverage ratio										1.20
Period of debt service considered for debt coverage ratio										12 months
Payments for purchase of certificates										$ 25,700,000
Single family homes | 2014-SFR 3
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchangeable senior notes									$ 528,400,000.0
Debt instrument term									10 years
Debt issuance cost									$ 12,900,000
Number of properties | property									4,503
Single-family properties															$ 706,300,000	$ 729,800,000
Weighted-average interest rate									4.40%
Single family homes | 2015-SFR 1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from asset-backed securitizations after issuance costs							$ 552,800,000
Debt issuance cost							$ 13,300,000
Single family homes | Special Purpose Entity | 2015-SFR 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of properties | single_family_property						4,125									4,124	4,125
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement | 2014-SFR 1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate cap agreement															$ 0
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement | 2014-SFR 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Single-family properties															650,200,000	$ 672,300,000
American Residential Properties Inc.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Purchase price	$ 1,322,461,000
Ellington portfolio acquisition
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument term		5 years
Secured note payable		$ 51,644,000						$ 51,644,000									$ 51,644,000
Purchase price		$ 126,000,000
Number of properties treated as collateral		583						583
Interest rate		4.06%						4.06%									4.06%
Minimum debt service coverage ratio								1.47
Ellington portfolio acquisition | Notes Payable
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument term								5 years
Purchase price								$ 51,600,000
Revolving Credit Facility | Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchangeable senior notes			$ 1,000,000,000.0
Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility maximum borrowing capacity												$ 500,000,000							$ 800,000,000
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt													$ (2,700,000)
Exchangeable senior notes | Notes Payable
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured note payable															$ 49,828,000	50,752,000
Interest rate															4.06%
Until March 2017 | Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Description of variable rate basis												1-month LIBOR
Basis spread on variable rate												2.75%
March 2017 and Thereafter | Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Description of variable rate basis												1-month LIBOR
Basis spread on variable rate												3.125%
Secured Debt | Term Loan Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of debt instrument extension options | extension_option			2
Interest rate															2.57%
Credit facility maximum borrowing capacity			$ 350,000,000.0
Line of credit extension period			1 year
Term loan facility															$ 325,000,000	0
Secured Debt | Term Loan Facility | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate														1.80%
Secured Debt | Special Purpose Entity | ARP 2014-SFR1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchangeable senior notes	$ 342,200,000.0
Debt instrument term	2 years
Number of floating rate loan components | floating_rate_component	6
Number of debt instrument extension options | extension_option	3
Period of extension options	12 months
Number of properties | property	2,875
Release of restricted cash collateral for borrowed securities	$ (10,100,000)
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt													$ (10,700,000)
Convertible Debt | 3.25% Exchangeable Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchangeable senior notes	115,000,000.0														$ 115,000,000	0
Convertible debt, fair value	$ 112,300,000
Interest rate	3.25%														3.25%
Debt instrument, convertible, carrying amount of equity component	$ 7,000,000														$ 4,969,000	0
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Ratio														0.0546381
Debt Instrument, convertible, threshold percentage of stock price trigger	98.00%
Debt instrument, convertible, threshold trading days | day	20
Debt instrument, convertible, threshold consecutive trading days	5 days
Debt instrument, unamortized discount	$ 2,700,000														$ 1,883,000	0
Convertible Debt	$ 105,300,000
Fair value inputs, discount rate	6.70%
Convertible Debt | American Residential Properties Inc. | 3.25% Exchangeable Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Business acquisition, equity interest issued or issuable, number of shares, multiplier	1.135
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Ratio	0.0469423
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Ratio, Adjusted	0.0532795
Line of Credit | Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate															2.62%
Repayments of long-term lines of credit				$ 142,000,000
Credit facility maximum borrowing capacity			$ 650,000,000.0
Line of credit extension period			1 year
Revolving credit facilities															$ 0	$ 0
Line of Credit | Revolving Credit Facility | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate														1.85%
Minimum | Secured Debt | Term Loan Facility | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			1.70%
Minimum | Secured Debt | Term Loan Facility | Base Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			0.70%
Minimum | Convertible Debt | 3.25% Exchangeable Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, convertible, threshold percentage of stock price trigger	130.00%
Debt instrument, convertible, threshold consecutive trading days	30 days
Minimum | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit Facility | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			1.75%
Minimum | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit Facility | Base Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			0.75%
Maximum | Secured Debt | Term Loan Facility | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			2.30%
Maximum | Secured Debt | Term Loan Facility | Base Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			1.30%
Maximum | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit Facility | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			2.30%
Maximum | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit Facility | Base Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			1.30%
Weighted Average | 2014-SFR 1 | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate											1.54%
Weighted Average | Secured Debt | Special Purpose Entity | ARP 2014-SFR1 | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	2.11%
Series E Perpetual Preferred Stock
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Cumulative annual cash dividend rate				6.35%	6.35%										6.35%
Property disqualified from collateral pool | Single family homes | 2014-SFR 1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of properties | property															2
Property disqualified from collateral pool | Single family homes | 2014-SFR 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of properties | property															3
Total release price															$ 400,000
Property disqualified from collateral pool | Single family homes | 2015-SFR 1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of properties | property															1
Total release price															$ 100,000
Property disqualified from collateral pool | Single family homes | 2015-SFR 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of properties | property															1
Total release price															$ 100,000