Summary of significant accounting (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Property, Plant and Equipment

Depreciation is computed on a straight-line basis based on the estimated useful lives of the associated real estate assets.

	Useful Lives (in years)
Land and Building Improvements	10-30
Manufactured Homes	10-25
Furniture, Fixture and Equipment	5
In-place leases	Expected term
Above and below-market leases	Applicable lease term

Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable

The allowance reflects our best estimate of collectibility risks on outstanding receivables. Our allowance for doubtful accounts was as follows:

	December 31,
(amounts in thousands):	2018			2017			2016
Balance, beginning of year	$	5,545		$	5,378		$	6,470
Provision for losses	4,154			4,181			3,926
Write-offs	(4,469		)	(4,014		)	(5,018		)
Balance, end of year	$	5,230		$	5,545		$	5,378

Tax Treatment Of Dividends And Distributions Table

During the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, our tax treatment of common stock distributions were as follows (unaudited):

	2018		2017		2016
Tax status of Common Shares distributions deemed paid during the year:
Ordinary income	$	2.137	$	1.657	$	1.471
Long-term capital gains	—		0.718		—
Non-dividend distributions	—		—		0.179
Distributions declared per common stock outstanding	$	2.137	$	2.375	$	1.650

Schedule of New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles

The cumulative effect adjustments resulting from the adoption of ASU 2014-09 as of January 1, 2018 were as follows:

(amounts in thousands)	Balance at December 31, 2017			Adjustment due to ASU 2014-09 Adoption			Balance at January 1, 2018
Assets
Deferred commission expense	$	31,443		$	8,200		$	39,643
Liabilities
Deferred revenue-upfront payment from right-to-use contracts	$	85,596		$	23,386		$	108,982
Equity
Distribution in excess of accumulated earnings	$	(211,980	)	$	(15,186	)	$	(227,166	)

The impact of ASU 2014-09 on the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income for the year ended December 31, 2018 was as follows:

(amounts in thousands, except per share data)	As Reported			Balances Without Adoption of ASU 2014-09 (a)			Effect of Change Higher/(Lower)
Revenues
Right-to-use contract upfront payments, deferred, net	$	(7,380	)	$	(4,400	)	$	2,980
Total revenues	$	986,653		$	989,633		$	(2,980	)
Expenses
Right-to-use contract commissions, deferred, net	$	(813	)	$	55		$	868
Total expenses	$	765,206		$	766,074		$	(868	)
Consolidated net income	$	226,386		$	228,488		$	(2,102	)
Net income available for Common Stockholders	$	212,596		$	214,585		$	(1,989	)
Earnings per Common Share - Basic	$	2.39		$	2.41		$	(0.02	)
Earnings per Common Share - Fully Diluted	$	2.38		$	2.40		$	(0.02	)

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(a)     Represents the amounts that would have been reported under GAAP that existed prior to the January 1, 2018 adoption of ASU 2014-09.

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