Organization and Basis of Presentation (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Organization and Basis of Presentation [Abstract]

The Company reports its available for sale securities at fair value, based on quoted market prices (Level 2 for the unsecured bonds and Level 1 for the common stock and investment funds, as defined by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) standard for fair value measurements as discussed later in Note 1), and any unrealized gain or loss is recorded as other comprehensive income (loss). Realized gains and losses, interest and dividend income, and amortization of purchase discounts are included in interest and other income on the condensed consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income.

As of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, marketable securities consisted primarily of investment-grade unsecured bonds, common stock, investments in mortgage backed securities and investment funds that invest in U.S. treasury or agency securities. As of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the Company classified its investments in mortgage backed securities, which mature in November 2019 and September 2020, as held to maturity, and accordingly, these securities are stated at their amortized cost.

As of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 marketable securities consist of the following ($ in thousands):

	September 30, 2013
	Cost/ Amortized Cost		Gross Unrealized Gain (Loss)			Carrying Value
Available for sale:
Investment-grade unsecured bonds	$	15,378	$	647		$	16,025
Investment funds - US treasuries		5,020		3			5,023
Common stock		13,104		(975	)		12,129
Held to maturity:
Mortgage backed securities		56,722		-			56,722
Total	$	90,224	$	(325	)	$	89,899

	December 31, 2012
	Cost/ Amortized Cost		Gross Unrealized Gain		Carrying Value
Available for sale:
Investment-grade unsecured bonds	$	15,475	$	826	$	16,301
Investment funds - US treasuries		3,788		1		3,789
Common stock		18,917		1,704		20,621
Held to maturity:
Mortgage backed securities		52,002		-		52,002
Total	$	90,182	$	2,531	$	92,713

The Company uses the specific identification method to determine the cost basis of a security sold and to reclassify amounts from accumulated other comprehensive income for securities sold. For the three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, there were no sales of available for sale securities. For the nine months ended September 30, 2013, and 2012, the proceeds from sales of available for sale securities totaled $20.3 million and $6.3 million, respectively, which resulted in gains of $1.8 million and $0.5 million, respectively.

Variable Interest Entities

The Company consolidates 19 DownREIT limited partnerships (comprising twelve communities) since the Company is the primary beneficiary of these variable interest entities (“VIEs”). Total DownREIT units outstanding were 1,011,071 and 1,039,431 as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively, and the redemption value of the units, based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock totaled $149.3 million and $152.4 million, as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. The consolidated total assets and liabilities related to these VIEs, net of intercompany eliminations, were approximately $201.6 million and $185.5 million, respectively, as of September 30, 2013 and $201.1 million and $178.6 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2012. Interest holders in VIEs consolidated by the Company are allocated income equal to the cash payments made to those interest holders. The remaining results of operations are allocated to the Company. As of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the Company did not have any other VIEs of which it was deemed to be the primary beneficiary.

Equity Based Compensation

The Company accounts for equity based compensation using the fair value method of accounting. The estimated fair value of stock options granted by the Company is being amortized over the vesting period of the stock options. The estimated grant date fair values of the long term incentive plan units (discussed in Note 13, “Equity Based Compensation Plans,” in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012) are being amortized over the expected service periods.

Stock-based compensation expense for options and restricted stock totaled $0.5 million and $0.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and $1.6 million and $1.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The intrinsic value of the stock options exercised during the three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 totaled $0.1 million and $0.5 million, respectively, and $2.9 million and $2.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively. As of September 30, 2013, the intrinsic value of the stock options outstanding totaled $11.2 million. As of September 30, 2013, total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested share-based compensation granted under the stock option and restricted stock plans totaled $4.7 million. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1 to 5 years for the stock option plans and is expected to be recognized straight-line over a period of 1 to 7 years for the restricted stock awards.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Management believes that the carrying amounts of outstanding lines of credit, notes receivable and notes and other receivables approximate fair value as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, because interest rates, yields and other terms for these instruments are consistent with yields and other terms currently available for similar instruments. Management has estimated that the fair value of the Company’s $2.37 billion of fixed rate debt, including unsecured bonds, at September 30, 2013 is approximately $2.43 billion and the fair value of the Company’s $537.2 million of variable rate debt, excluding borrowings under the lines of credit, at September 30, 2013 is $517.5 million based on the terms of existing mortgage notes payable, unsecured bonds and variable rate demand notes compared to those available in the marketplace. Management believes that the carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, construction payables, other liabilities and dividends payable approximate fair value as of September 30, 2013 due to the short-term maturity of these instruments. Marketable securities, except mortgage backed securities, and derivatives are carried at fair value as of September 30, 2013.

At September 30, 2013, the Company’s investments in mortgage backed securities had a carrying value of $56.7 million and the Company estimated the fair value to be approximately $83.8 million. At December 31, 2012, the estimated fair values of the mortgage backed securities were approximately equal to the carrying values. The Company determines the fair value of the mortgage backed securities based on unobservable inputs (level 3 of the fair value hierarchy) considering the assumptions that market participants would make in valuing these securities. Assumptions such as estimated default rates and discount rates are used to determine expected, discounted cash flows to estimate the fair value.

Capitalization of Costs

The Company’s capitalized internal costs related to development and redevelopment projects totaled $1.8 million and $1.5 million during the three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and $5.1 million and $4.5 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, most of which relates to development projects. These totals include capitalized salaries of $0.8 million and $0.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and $2.0 million and $1.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The Company capitalizes leasing commissions associated with the lease-up of a development community and amortizes the costs over the life of the leases. The amounts capitalized are immaterial for all periods presented.

Co-investments

The Company owns investments in joint ventures (“co-investments”) in which it has significant influence, but its ownership interest does not meet the criteria for consolidation in accordance with the accounting standards. Therefore, the Company accounts for these investments using the equity method of accounting. Under the equity method of accounting, the investment is carried at the cost of assets contributed, plus the Company’s equity in earnings less distributions received and the Company’s share of losses. The significant accounting policies of the Company’s co-investment entities are consistent with those of the Company in all material respects. For preferred equity investments the Company recognizes its preferred interest as equity in earnings.

Accounting Estimates

The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements, in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, requires the Company to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. On an on-going basis, the Company evaluates its estimates, including those related to acquiring, developing and assessing the carrying values of its real estate portfolio, its investments in and advances to joint ventures and affiliates, its notes receivables and its qualification as a Real Estate Investment Trust (“REIT”). The Company bases its estimates on historical experience, current market conditions, and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may vary from those estimates and those estimates could be different under different assumptions or conditions.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for investments in debt and equity securities that have readily determinable fair values (marketable securities). At a minimum, the disclosure might address accounting policies for investments classified as trading, available for sale, or held to maturity and may include how the entity determines whether impairments of available for sale or held to maturity investments are other than temporary, how the fair values of the entity's securities are determined, and the entity's accounting treatment for transfers between investment categories.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2196929

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 5

-Section M

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 2, 12

-Article 5

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 7-16

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

-Paragraph 10, 11

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)

-Number FAS115-1/124-1

-Paragraph 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 320

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957658&loc=d3e62652-112803

+ Details

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for stock option and stock incentive plans. This disclosure may include (1) the types of stock option or incentive plans sponsored by the entity (2) the groups that participate in (or are covered by) each plan (3) significant plan provisions and (4) how stock compensation is measured, and the methodologies and significant assumptions used to determine that measurement.

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