Reportable Segments- Income from Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Revenues:
Community base rental income	$ 110,908	$ 106,967	$ 330,251	$ 319,514
Resort base rental income	49,765	44,351	142,837	126,188
Right-to-use annual payments	11,334	11,404	33,260	33,859
Right-to-use contracts current period, gross	3,889	4,168	10,264	10,512
Right-to-use contract upfront payments, deferred, net	(1,701)	(1,989)	(3,929)	(4,303)
Utility and other income	20,027	18,581	58,010	53,070
Gross revenue from home sales	7,878	8,717	24,341	20,455
Brokered resale revenues and ancillary services revenues, net	1,051	1,124	4,045	3,491
Rental home income	3,413	3,684	10,526	11,187
Total revenues	210,144	200,778	620,038	586,548
Expenses:
Property operating and maintenance	69,227	66,105	194,522	186,018
Real estate taxes	12,923	12,263	38,169	36,905
Sales and marketing, gross	3,105	3,242	9,139	8,674
Right-to-use contract commissions, deferred, net	(464)	(757)	(1,471)	(2,022)
Property management	11,361	11,086	33,750	32,169
Cost of home sales	7,868	8,156	23,685	19,679
Home selling expenses	861	513	2,386	1,710
Rental home operating and maintenance	1,874	1,829	5,232	5,376
Total expenses	169,920	172,668	512,899	487,039
Income from property operations segment	40,224	28,110	107,139	99,509
Property Operations
Revenues:
Community base rental income	110,908	106,967	330,251	319,514
Resort base rental income	49,765	44,351	142,837	126,188
Right-to-use annual payments	11,334	11,404	33,260	33,859
Right-to-use contracts current period, gross	3,889	4,168	10,264	10,512
Right-to-use contract upfront payments, deferred, net	(1,701)	(1,989)	(3,929)	(4,303)
Utility and other income	20,027	18,581	58,010	53,070
Ancillary services revenues, net	761	788	3,104	2,575
Total revenues	194,983	184,270	573,797	541,415
Expenses:
Property operating and maintenance	69,227	66,105	194,522	186,018
Real estate taxes	12,923	12,263	38,169	36,905
Sales and marketing, gross	3,105	3,242	9,139	8,674
Right-to-use contract commissions, deferred, net	(464)	(757)	(1,471)	(2,022)
Property management	11,361	11,086	33,750	32,169
Total expenses	96,152	91,939	274,109	261,744
Income from property operations segment	98,831	92,331	299,688	279,671
Home Sales and Rentals Operations
Revenues:
Gross revenue from home sales	7,878	8,717	24,341	20,455
Brokered resale revenues and ancillary services revenues, net	290	336	941	916
Rental home income	3,413	3,684	10,526	11,187
Total revenues	11,581	12,737	35,808	32,558
Expenses:
Cost of home sales	7,868	8,156	23,685	19,679
Home selling expenses	861	513	2,386	1,710
Rental home operating and maintenance	1,874	1,829	5,232	5,376
Total expenses	10,603	10,498	31,303	26,765
Income from property operations segment	$ 978	$ 2,239	$ 4,505	$ 5,793