Condensed Consolidated Statement of Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of Series C participating preferred units into Class A units		$ 28,258
Liquidation of consolidated joint venture		(241)
Distributions to equity holders:
Noncontrolling interests		(8,303)
Net income	$ 30,281	77,704
Total other comprehensive income	(241)	8,951
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance		5,875,824
Share-based compensation		2,750
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes		10,889
Issuance of perpetual preferred units, net of offering costs of $4,022		110,978
Redemption of Series C participating preferred units into Class A units		28,258
Repurchase of Class A units		(34,969)
Liquidation of consolidated joint venture		(241)
Distributions to equity holders:
Preferred units		(38,804)
Noncontrolling interests		0
Common units		(52,336)
Net income	30,281	77,704
Total other comprehensive income	(241)	8,951
Total capital, ending balance	5,989,004	5,989,004
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Total partners' capital
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance		5,877,173
Share-based compensation		2,750
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes		10,889
Issuance of perpetual preferred units, net of offering costs of $4,022		110,978
Redemption of Series C participating preferred units into Class A units		28,258
Repurchase of Class A units		(34,969)
Liquidation of consolidated joint venture		(1,849)
Distributions to equity holders:
Preferred units		(38,804)
Noncontrolling interests		0
Common units		(52,336)
Net income		77,963
Total other comprehensive income		8,951
Total capital, ending balance	5,989,004	5,989,004
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Accumulated other comprehensive income
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance		75
Distributions to equity holders:
Total other comprehensive income		8,951
Total capital, ending balance	9,026	9,026
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Noncontrolling interest
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance		(1,349)
Liquidation of consolidated joint venture		1,608
Distributions to equity holders:
Net income		(259)
Total capital, ending balance	0	0
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Common Units
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance		$ 4,248,236
Beginning balance (in shares)		286,749,712
Share-based compensation		$ 2,750
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes		$ 10,889
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes (in shares)		736,918
Redemption of Series C participating preferred units into Class A units		$ 186,119
Redemption of Series C participating preferred units into Class A units (in shares)		10,848,827
Repurchase of Class A units		$ (34,969)
Repurchase of Class A units (in shares)		(1,804,163)
Liquidation of consolidated joint venture		$ (1,849)
Distributions to equity holders:
Common units		(44,033)
Net income		38,055
Total capital, ending balance	$ 4,405,198	$ 4,405,198
Ending balance (in shares)	296,531,294	296,531,294
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Preferred Shares/Units
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance		$ 901,318
Issuance of perpetual preferred units, net of offering costs of $4,022		110,978
Redemption of Series C participating preferred units into Class A units		(157,861)
Distributions to equity holders:
Preferred units		(38,804)
Net income		38,804
Total capital, ending balance	$ 854,435	854,435
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Limited Partners | Common Units
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance		$ 727,544
Beginning balance (in shares)		55,350,153
Distributions to equity holders:
Common units		$ (8,303)
Net income		1,104
Total capital, ending balance	$ 720,345	$ 720,345
Ending balance (in shares)	55,350,153	55,350,153