Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Real estate, accumulated depreciation	[1]	$ 209,096	$ 198,326
Investments in real estate, net of accumulated depreciation		2,200,043	2,319,319
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization		34,876	26,307
Indebtedness, unamortized discount and deferred financing costs		50,193	61,941
Indebtedness, net of unamortized discount and deferred financing costs		$ 3,005,259	$ 3,328,082
Preferred shares, authorized		25,000,000	25,000,000
Common shares, par value		$ 0.03	$ 0.03
Common shares, shares authorized		200,000,000	200,000,000
Common shares, shares issued		92,185,242	91,586,767
Common shares, shares outstanding		92,185,242	91,586,767
Unvested restricted common share awards		973,687	742,764
VIE
Investment in mortgages and loans, net		$ 1,272,536	$ 1,428,961
Real estate, accumulated depreciation		76,253	66,036
Investments in real estate, net of accumulated depreciation		1,514,258	1,584,753
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization		18,638	12,997
Indebtedness, net of unamortized discount and deferred financing costs		$ 2,691,070	$ 3,173,073
Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Series D cumulative redeemable preferred shares, par value		$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Series D cumulative redeemable preferred shares, shares authorized		4,000,000	4,000,000
Series D cumulative redeemable preferred shares, shares issued		4,000,000	4,000,000
Series D cumulative redeemable preferred shares, shares outstanding		4,000,000	4,000,000
7.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Preferred shares, authorized		8,069,288	8,069,288
Preferred shares, dividend rate		7.75%	7.75%
Cumulative redeemable preferred shares, liquidation preference		$ 25.00	$ 25.00
Cumulative redeemable preferred shares, shares issued		5,306,084	5,306,084
Cumulative redeemable preferred shares, shares outstanding		5,306,084	5,306,084
Preferred shares, par value		$ 0.01	$ 0.01
8.375% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Preferred shares, authorized		4,300,000	4,300,000
Preferred shares, dividend rate		8.375%	8.375%
Cumulative redeemable preferred shares, liquidation preference		$ 25.00	$ 25.00
Cumulative redeemable preferred shares, shares issued		2,340,969	2,340,969
Cumulative redeemable preferred shares, shares outstanding		2,340,969	2,340,969
Preferred shares, par value		$ 0.01	$ 0.01
8.875% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Preferred shares, authorized		3,600,000	3,600,000
Preferred shares, dividend rate		8.875%	8.875%
Cumulative redeemable preferred shares, liquidation preference		$ 25.00	$ 25.00
Cumulative redeemable preferred shares, shares issued		1,640,425	1,640,425
Cumulative redeemable preferred shares, shares outstanding		1,640,425	1,640,425
Preferred shares, par value		$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Preferred shares, authorized		4,000,000	4,000,000
Preferred shares, par value		$ 0.01	$ 0.01

[1] As of June 30, 2016, includes properties owned by Independence Realty Trust, Inc., or IRT, with a book value of $1,314,115 and accumulated depreciation of $45,059. As of December 31, 2015, includes properties owned by IRT, with a book value of $1,372,015 and accumulated depreciation of $39,638.