Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Assets
Land	$ 1,414,279	$ 1,201,945
Land improvements and buildings	6,595,272	5,586,250
Rental homes and improvements	627,175	571,661
Furniture, fixtures and equipment	282,874	201,090
Investment property	8,919,600	7,560,946
Accumulated depreciation	(1,686,980)	(1,442,630)
Investment property, net (including $344,300 and $308,171 for consolidated VIEs at December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018; see Note 8)	7,232,620	6,118,316
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	34,830	62,262
Marketable securities	94,727	49,037
Inventory of manufactured homes	62,061	49,199
Notes and other receivables, net	157,926	160,077
Collateralized receivables, net	0	106,924
Other assets, net (including $23,894 and $19,809 for consolidated VIEs at December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018; see Note 8)	219,896	164,211
Total Assets	7,802,060	6,710,026
LIABILITIES
Mortgage loans payable (including $46,993 and $44,172 for consolidated VIEs at December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018; see Note 8)	3,180,592	2,815,957
Secured borrowings on collateralized receivables	0	107,731
Lines of credit	183,898	128,000
Distributions payable	71,704	63,249
Advanced reservation deposits and rent	133,420	133,698
Accrued expenses and accounts payable	127,289	106,281
Other liabilities (including $13,631 and $6,914 for consolidated VIEs at December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018; see Note 8)	81,289	51,581
Total Liabilities	3,848,104	3,479,112
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest, Equity, Common, Carrying Amount	27,091	21,976
Stockholders' Equity
Common stock, $0.01 par value. Authorized: 180,000 shares; Issued and outstanding: 93,180 December 31, 2019 and 86,357 December 31, 2018	932	864
Additional paid-in capital	5,213,264	4,398,949
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(1,331)	(4,504)
Distributions in excess of accumulated earnings	(1,393,141)	(1,288,486)
Total Sun Communities, Inc. stockholders' equity	3,819,724	3,106,823
Noncontrolling interests
Common and preferred OP units	47,686	53,354
Consolidated variable interest entities	8,542	7,145
Total noncontrolling interests	56,228	60,499
Total Stockholders' Equity	3,875,952	3,167,322
Total Liabilities, Temporary Equity and Stockholders' Equity	7,802,060	6,710,026
Series A-4 Preferred Stock [Member]
LIABILITIES
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest, Equity, Preferred, Carrying Amount	0	31,739
Series A-4 Preferred Op Units [Member]
LIABILITIES
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest, Equity, Preferred, Carrying Amount	0	9,877
Series D Preferred OP Units [Member]
LIABILITIES
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest, Equity, Preferred, Carrying Amount	50,913	0
Preferred Equity, Mandatorily Redeemable [Member]
LIABILITIES
Preferred OP units - mandatorily redeemable	35,249	35,277
Aspen and Series B-3 Preferred OP Units [Member]
LIABILITIES
Mortgage loans payable (including $46,993 and $44,172 for consolidated VIEs at December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018; see Note 8)	34,663
Preferred OP units - mandatorily redeemable	$ 34,663	$ 37,338