Condensed Consolidated Statement of Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Cumulative Effect, Period Of Adoption, Adjustment	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Cumulative Effect, Period Of Adoption, Adjustment	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Noncontrolling Interest
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative effect upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13	$ 6,403,504	$ (190)	$ 7	$ 7,121,927	$ (887,619)	$ (190)	$ (13,888)	$ 183,077
Balance at period beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			66,092
Balance at period beginning at Dec. 31, 2019	6,403,504	(190)	$ 7	7,121,927	(887,619)	(190)	(13,888)	183,077
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	328,765				315,006			13,759
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	(8,782)						(8,486)	(296)
Change in fair value of marketable debt securities, net	(305)						(294)	(11)
Issuance of common stock under:
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net (in shares)			89
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net	8,665			8,665
Sale of common stock, net	(70)			(70)
Equity based compensation costs	1,698			1,619				79
Retirement of common stock, net (in shares)			(776)
Retirement of common stock, net	$ (176,311)			(176,311)
Accounting standards update	us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201613Member
Cumulative effect upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13	$ 6,417,949	$ (190)	$ 7	6,959,523	(708,697)	$ (190)	(22,668)	189,784
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	4,767			4,741				26
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(7,879)							(7,879)
Changes in noncontrolling interest from acquisition	1,349							1,349
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest (in shares)			7
Redemptions	(1,368)			(1,048)				(320)
Common stock dividends	(135,894)				(135,894)
Balance at period end (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020			65,412
Balance at period end at Mar. 31, 2020	6,417,949		$ 7	6,959,523	(708,697)		(22,668)	189,784
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative effect upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13	6,417,949		7	6,959,523	(708,697)		(22,668)	189,784
Cumulative effect upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13	6,183,192		$ 6	6,876,326	(861,193)		(14,729)	182,782
Balance at period beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020			64,999
Balance at period beginning at Dec. 31, 2020	6,183,192		$ 6	6,876,326	(861,193)		(14,729)	182,782
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	176,949				168,444			8,505
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	4,407						4,257	150
Change in fair value of marketable debt securities, net	85						82	3
Issuance of common stock under:
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net (in shares)			39
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net	(3,744)			(3,744)
Equity based compensation costs	5,082			5,028				54
Retirement of common stock, net (in shares)			(40)
Retirement of common stock, net	(9,172)			(9,172)
Cumulative effect upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13	6,210,931		$ 6	6,864,185	(828,625)		(10,390)	185,755
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	(4,083)			(4,178)				95
Contributions from noncontrolling interest	1,900							1,900
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(7,554)							(7,554)
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest (in shares)			1
Redemptions	(255)			(75)				(180)
Common stock dividends	(135,876)				(135,876)
Balance at period end (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021			64,999
Balance at period end at Mar. 31, 2021	6,210,931		$ 6	6,864,185	(828,625)		(10,390)	185,755
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative effect upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13	$ 6,210,931		$ 6	$ 6,864,185	$ (828,625)		$ (10,390)	$ 185,755