Fair Value of Financial Instruments , By Balance Sheet Grouping (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Notes and other receivables, net	$ 81,179	$ 47,972
Financial liabilities
Secured borrowings on collateralized receivables	144,477	140,440
Secured debt	2,819,567	2,125,267
Reported Value Measurement [Member]
Financial liabilities
Long term debt excluding secured borrowings	2,865,470	2,171,170
Lines of credit	100,095	24,687
Other liabilities (contingent consideration)	10,011	0
Reported Value Measurement [Member] \| Installment notes receivable on manufactured homes, net [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Notes and other receivables, net	59,320	20,418
Reported Value Measurement [Member] \| Collateralized Receivables [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Notes and other receivables, net	143,870	139,768
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] \| Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Financial liabilities
Long term debt excluding secured borrowings	2,820,680	2,070,100
Secured debt	144,477	140,440
Lines of credit	98,640	23,520
Other liabilities (contingent consideration)	10,011	0
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] \| Installment notes receivable on manufactured homes, net [Member] \| Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Financial assets
Receivables	59,320	20,418
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] \| Collateralized Receivables [Member] \| Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Financial assets
Receivables	143,870	139,768
Secured Debt [Member]
Financial liabilities
Secured debt	3,110,042	2,336,297
Secured Debt [Member] \| Reported Value Measurement [Member]
Financial liabilities
Secured debt	$ 144,477	$ 140,440

Long term debt excluding secured borrowings, Fair Value Disclosure

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Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date, net of allowance for doubtful accounts, of account and note receivables due from other than related parties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3-4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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Fair value portion of contractual arrangement with a lender under which borrowings can be made up to a specific amount at any point in time.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Line-of-Credit Arrangement
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6517033

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Fair value portion of an agreement for an unconditional promise by the maker to pay the holder a definite sum of money at a future date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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The carrying amount as of the balance sheet date for the aggregate of other miscellaneous borrowings owed by the reporting entity.

+ References

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Fair value portion of other liabilities.

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Carrying value as of the balance sheet date, including the current and noncurrent portions, of collateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle, if longer). Such obligations include mortgage loans, chattel loans, and any other borrowings secured by assets of the borrower.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 19, 20, 22
-Article 5

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