Debt - Credit Facilities (Details)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) extension_option	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt, gross	$ 2,480,787,000	$ 2,981,062,000
Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding borrowings against the revolving credit facility	92,000,000	0
Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility amount, maximum	$ 800,000,000
Number of extension options \| extension_option	2
Debt instrument extension period (up to)	6 months
Outstanding borrowings against the revolving credit facility	$ 92,000,000	0
Debt, gross	$ 92,000,000	0
Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	1.20%
Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility \| LIBOR \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	0.825%
Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility \| LIBOR \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	1.55%
Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility \| Base Rate \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	0.00%
Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility \| Base Rate \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	0.55%
Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total credit agreement amount		1,000,000,000
Credit agreement accordion feature	$ 1,750,000,000
Term Loan facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding borrowings against the revolving credit facility	197,648,000	321,735,000
Term Loan facility \| Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility amount, maximum	200,000,000
Debt, gross	$ 200,000,000	$ 325,000,000
Term Loan facility \| Line of Credit \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	1.35%
Term Loan facility \| Line of Credit \| LIBOR \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	0.90%
Term Loan facility \| Line of Credit \| LIBOR \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	1.75%
Term Loan facility \| Line of Credit \| Base Rate \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	0.00%
Term Loan facility \| Line of Credit \| Base Rate \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	0.75%

Debt Instrument, Accordion Feature, Higher Borrowing Capacity Option

No definition available.

Name:	amh_DebtInstrumentAccordionFeatureHigherBorrowingCapacityOption
Namespace Prefix:	amh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Extension Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	amh_DebtInstrumentExtensionPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	amh_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of extension options for debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	amh_DebtInstrumentNumberofExtensionOptions
Namespace Prefix:	amh_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_BaseRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=amh_CreditAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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