Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Operating activities
Net income	$ 37,527	$ 33,091
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	82,821	81,161
Noncash amortization of deferred financing costs, debt discounts and cash flow hedging instrument	1,849	1,810
Noncash share-based compensation	1,808	952
Equity in net losses of unconsolidated joint ventures	1,231	26
Net gain on sale of single-family properties and other	(10,765)	(5,649)
Loss on impairment of single-family properties and other	4,446	504
Other changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Rent and other receivables	(3,746)	(3,801)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(5,980)	(1,096)
Deferred leasing costs	(910)	(999)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	18,397	42,010
Amounts payable to affiliates	(182)	(73)
Net cash provided by operating activities	126,496	147,936
Investing activities
Cash paid for single-family properties	(102,575)	(57,740)
Change in escrow deposits for purchase of single-family properties	2,259	(870)
Net proceeds received from sales of single-family properties and other	81,257	32,919
Proceeds received from hurricane-related insurance claims	3,408	0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(1,000)	0
Distributions from joint ventures	887	282
Renovations to single-family properties	(858)	(9,727)
Recurring and other capital expenditures for single-family properties	(21,224)	(15,703)
Cash paid for development activity	(138,957)	(79,990)
Other purchases of productive assets	(2,411)	(40)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(179,214)	(130,869)
Financing activities
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	1,449	60
Payments related to tax withholding for share-based compensation	(1,612)	(830)
Payments on asset-backed securitizations	(5,435)	(5,556)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(5,178)	(2,748)
Distributions to common shareholders/unitholders	(30,114)	(14,832)
Distributions to preferred shareholders/unitholders	(13,782)	0
Deferred financing costs paid	0	(3,572)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	50,328	120,466
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(2,390)	137,533
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period (see Note 3)	164,119	175,214
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period (see Note 3)	161,729	312,747
Supplemental cash flow information
Cash payments for interest, net of amounts capitalized	(37,987)	(32,042)
Supplemental schedule of noncash investing and financing activities
Accrued property renovations and development expenditures	9,618	6,769
Transfers of completed homebuilding deliveries to properties	75,498	23,055
Property and land contributions to an unconsolidated joint venture	9,835	0
Accrued distributions to affiliates	0	4,768
Accrued distributions to non-affiliates	41	26,633
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P.
Operating activities
Net income	37,527	33,091
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	82,821	81,161
Noncash amortization of deferred financing costs, debt discounts and cash flow hedging instrument	1,849	1,810
Noncash share-based compensation	1,808	952
Equity in net losses of unconsolidated joint ventures	1,231	26
Net gain on sale of single-family properties and other	(10,765)	(5,649)
Loss on impairment of single-family properties and other	4,446	504
Other changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Rent and other receivables	(3,746)	(3,801)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(5,980)	(1,096)
Deferred leasing costs	(910)	(999)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	18,397	42,010
Amounts payable to affiliates	(182)	(73)
Net cash provided by operating activities	126,496	147,936
Investing activities
Cash paid for single-family properties	(102,575)	(57,740)
Change in escrow deposits for purchase of single-family properties	2,259	(870)
Net proceeds received from sales of single-family properties and other	81,257	32,919
Proceeds received from hurricane-related insurance claims	3,408	0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(1,000)	0
Distributions from joint ventures	887	282
Renovations to single-family properties	(858)	(9,727)
Recurring and other capital expenditures for single-family properties	(21,224)	(15,703)
Cash paid for development activity	(138,957)	(79,990)
Other purchases of productive assets	(2,411)	(40)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(179,214)	(130,869)
Financing activities
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	1,449	60
Payments related to tax withholding for share-based compensation	(1,612)	(830)
Payments on asset-backed securitizations	(5,435)	(5,556)
Distributions to common shareholders/unitholders	(35,292)	(17,580)
Distributions to preferred shareholders/unitholders	(13,782)	0
Deferred financing costs paid	0	(3,572)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	50,328	120,466
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(2,390)	137,533
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period (see Note 3)	164,119	175,214
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period (see Note 3)	161,729	312,747
Supplemental cash flow information
Cash payments for interest, net of amounts capitalized	(37,987)	(32,042)
Supplemental schedule of noncash investing and financing activities
Accrued property renovations and development expenditures	9,618	6,769
Transfers of completed homebuilding deliveries to properties	75,498	23,055
Property and land contributions to an unconsolidated joint venture	9,835	0
Accrued distributions to affiliates	0	4,768
Accrued distributions to non-affiliates	41	26,633
Unsecured Senior Notes
Financing activities
Proceeds from unsecured senior notes, net of discount	0	397,944
Unsecured Senior Notes | American Homes 4 Rent, L.P.
Financing activities
Proceeds from unsecured senior notes, net of discount	0	397,944
Revolving Credit Facility
Financing activities
Proceeds from revolving credit facility	105,000	0
Payments on revolving credit facility	0	(250,000)
Revolving Credit Facility | American Homes 4 Rent, L.P.
Financing activities
Proceeds from revolving credit facility	105,000	0
Payments on revolving credit facility	$ 0	$ (250,000)