Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Operating activities
Net income (loss)	$ 10,446	$ (47,948)	$ (33,092)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	298,677	242,848	165,516
Noncash amortization of deferred financing costs	10,475	8,305	1,767
Noncash amortization of discount on exchangeable senior notes	2,820	0	0
Noncash amortization of discount on ARP 2014-SFR1 securitization	1,744	0	0
Noncash share-based compensation	3,636	3,125	2,586
Provision for bad debt	6,969	5,977	5,691
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	13,408	0	0
Gain on conversion of Series E units to Series D units	(11,463)	0	0
Remeasurement of Series E units	0	(2,100)	5,119
Remeasurement of preferred shares	7,020	4,830	6,158
Equity in net (earnings) loss of unconsolidated ventures	(860)	591	138
Net gain on sale of single-family properties	(14,569)	0	0
Loss on impairment of single-family properties	4,970	0	0
Net gain on resolutions of mortgage loans	(8,126)	0	0
Other changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Rent and other receivables	(9,704)	(10,542)	(10,115)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(5,996)	(8,212)	4,185
Deferred leasing costs	(8,005)	(9,577)	(6,247)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(13,291)	16,569	33,495
Amounts payable to affiliates	(9,284)	8,441	303
Net cash provided by operating activities	278,867	212,307	175,504
Investing activities
Cash paid for single-family properties	(252,841)	(608,952)	(1,349,912)
Change in escrow deposits for purchase of single-family properties	(312)	(1,115)	(52,671)
Beazer Rental Homes portfolio acquisition	0	0	(108,246)
Ellington portfolio acquisition	0	0	(74,356)
Cash acquired in noncash business combinations	25,020	0	2,202
Payoff of credit facility in connection with ARPI merger	(350,000)	0	0
Net proceeds received from sales of single-family properties	88,590	0	0
Net proceeds received from sales of non-performing loans	47,186	0	0
Purchase of commercial office buildings	(27,105)	0	0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	(20,000)	(24,862)
Purchase of outside interests in RJ joint ventures	0	(44,408)	0
Investments in mortgage financing receivables	0	(12,373)	(57,346)
Collections from mortgage financing receivables	19,425	0	0
Distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures	8,347	0	0
Renovations to single-family properties	(39,912)	(147,583)	(185,449)
Other capital expenditures for single-family properties	(27,807)	(27,369)	(14,311)
Other purchases of productive assets	(12,989)	0	0
Net cash used for investing activities	(522,398)	(861,800)	(1,864,951)
Financing activities
Proceeds from issuance of Class A common shares	102,830	0	308,435
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	3,171	251	431
Repurchase of Class A common shares	(96,098)	(57,383)	0
Redemptions of Class A units	(399)	0	0
Proceeds from asset-backed securitizations	0	1,030,559	1,497,039
Payments on asset-backed securitizations	(381,117)	(19,739)	(3,315)
Proceeds from revolving credit facilities	951,000	827,000	1,828,000
Payments on revolving credit facilities	(951,000)	(1,034,000)	(1,996,000)
Proceeds from term loan facility	325,000	0	0
Payments on term loan facility	0	0	0
Payments on secured note payable	(924)	(892)	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(11,360)	(23,583)	(23,881)
Distributions to common shareholders	(48,171)	(42,126)	(39,698)
Distributions to preferred shareholders	(40,237)	(22,276)	(18,928)
Deferred financing costs paid	(10,476)	(25,335)	(41,503)
Net cash provided by financing activities	324,804	632,476	1,700,013
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	81,273	(17,017)	10,566
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period	168,968	185,985	175,419
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period (see Note 2)	250,241	168,968	185,985
Supplemental cash flow information
Cash payments for interest, net of amounts capitalized	(115,814)	(77,445)	(14,303)
Supplemental schedule of noncash investing and financing activities
Accounts payable and accrued expenses related to property acquisitions and renovations	(2,876)	821	7,173
Amounts payable to affiliates related to property acquisitions	0	0	5,720
Conversion of nonperforming loans to properties	3,554	20,317	5,561
Accrued distribution to Series C convertible units	0	4,698	4,698
Contribution of properties (see Note 10)
Issuance of Class A units			11,179
Acquisitions for equity (see Note 11)
Single-family properties	0	0	144,834
Other net assets and liabilities	0	0	(4,886)
Deferred costs and other intangibles, net	0	0	2,655
Beazer Rental Homes portfolio
Investing activities
Cash acquired in noncash business combinations	0	0	2,202
American Residential Properties Inc.
Acquisitions for equity (see Note 11)
Single-family properties	1,277,253	0	0
Restricted cash	9,521	0	0
Rent and other receivables, net	843	0	0
Escrow deposits, prepaid expenses and other assets	35,134	0	0
Deferred costs and other intangibles, net	22,696	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(38,485)	0	0
Class A common shares
Financing activities
Payments of share offering/issuance costs	(227)	0	0
Acquisitions for equity (see Note 11)
Class A common shares issued	0	0	(144,805)
Class A common shares | American Residential Properties Inc.
Acquisitions for equity (see Note 11)
Class A common shares issued	(530,460)	0	0
Participating preferred
Financing activities
Proceeds from issuance of participating/perpetual preferred shares	0	0	189,433
Perpetual preferred
Financing activities
Payments of share offering/issuance costs	(15,938)	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of participating/perpetual preferred shares	498,750	0	0
Class A Units
Contribution of properties (see Note 10)
Issuance of Class A units	0	0	11,179
Asset-backed securitization | American Residential Properties Inc.
Acquisitions for equity (see Note 11)
Debt assumed or extinguished	(329,703)	0	0
Exchangeable senior notes | American Residential Properties Inc.
Acquisitions for equity (see Note 11)
Debt assumed or extinguished	$ (112,298)	$ 0	$ 0