CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Operating Activities:
Net income	$ 521,028	$ 384,799	$ 262,776
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	674,287	638,114	592,135
Share-based compensation expense	29,503	28,962	27,170
Amortization of deferred financing costs	16,203	15,014	13,126
Amortization of debt discounts	1,998	1,653	6,244
Provisions for impairment	427	310	650
(Gains) losses on investments in equity securities, net	(350)	3,939	9,420
Gains on sale of property, net of tax	(183,540)	(90,699)	(60,008)
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	9,375	9,486	14,660
Losses from investments in unconsolidated joint ventures, net of operating distributions	20,620	11,433	1,982
Other non-cash amounts included in net income	5,572	30,963	14,744
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Other assets, net	(24,524)	(10,887)	(15,095)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	24,375	(5,989)	32,892
Resident security deposits	4,903	10,385	7,231
Other liabilities	7,211	(3,896)	(267)
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,107,088	1,023,587	907,660
Investing Activities:
Deposits for acquisition of single-family residential properties	6,365	(35,460)	(60,135)
Acquisition of single-family residential properties	(969,670)	(564,706)	(1,126,826)
Initial renovations to single-family residential properties	(30,207)	(122,371)	(77,408)
Other capital expenditures for single-family residential properties	(221,102)	(208,070)	(162,832)
Proceeds from sale of single-family residential properties	488,055	240,034	231,676
Repayment proceeds from retained debt securities	861	70,546	88,416
Investments in equity securities	(33,577)	(15,832)	(8,477)
Proceeds from sale of investments in equity securities	0	5,762	31,504
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	(442)	(167,728)	(65,000)
Non-operating distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures	13,227	6,119	1,890
Other investing activities	(27,062)	(22,707)	(12,366)
Net cash used in investing activities	(773,552)	(814,413)	(1,159,558)
Financing Activities:
Payment of dividends and dividend equivalents	(638,129)	(539,033)	(393,812)
Distributions to non-controlling interests	(2,374)	(2,397)	(2,107)
Payment of taxes related to net share settlement of RSUs	(8,149)	(12,869)	(9,411)
Payments on mortgage loans	(20,491)	(1,412,249)	(1,766,865)
Payments on secured term loan	(234)	0	0
Proceeds from unsecured notes	790,144	598,434	1,938,036
Proceeds from term loan facility	0	725,000	0
Proceeds from revolving facility	150,000	130,000	400,000
Payments on revolving facility	(150,000)	(130,000)	(400,000)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net	0	98,367	933,790
Deferred financing costs paid	(7,767)	(13,043)	(16,990)
Other financing activities	(2,979)	(16,315)	(23,653)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	110,021	(574,105)	658,988
Change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	443,557	(364,931)	407,090
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, beginning of period (Note 4)	453,927	818,858	411,768
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, end of period (Note 4)	897,484	453,927	818,858
Supplemental cash flow disclosures:
Interest paid, net of amounts capitalized	290,649	275,730	285,501
Interest capitalized as investments in single-family residential properties, net	2,804	6,899	2,477
Cash paid for income taxes	245	1,534	809
Operating cash flows from operating leases	6,026	6,025	5,911
Financing cash flows from finance leases	2,942	2,642	2,720
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Accrued renovation improvements at period end	1,858	2,272	13,400
Accrued residential property capital improvements at period end	5,346	9,656	11,209
Deferred payment for acquisition of single-family residential properties	25,587	0	0
Transfer of residential property, net to other assets, net for held for sale assets	167,013	90,695	81,593
Change in other comprehensive income (loss) from cash flow hedges	(43,670)	377,022	247,605
ROU assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities	301	5,798	1,452
ROU assets obtained in exchange for finance lease liabilities	3,255	340	115
Net settlement of 2022 Convertible Notes in shares of common stock	$ 0	$ 141,219	$ 203,509