Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

The consolidated financial statements of the Company include the accounts of AH4R, the Operating Partnership and their consolidated subsidiaries. The consolidated financial statements of the Operating Partnership include the accounts of the Operating Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The Company consolidates real estate partnerships and other entities that are not variable interest entities ("VIEs") when it owns, directly or indirectly, a majority interest in the entity or is otherwise able to control the entity. The Company consolidates VIEs in accordance with ASC 810, Consolidation, if it is the primary beneficiary of the VIE as determined by its power to direct the VIE's activities and the obligation to absorb its losses or the right to receive its benefits, which are potentially significant to the VIE. Entities for which the Company owns an interest, but does not consolidate, are accounted for under the equity method of accounting as an investment in unconsolidated subsidiary and are included in escrow deposits, prepaid expenses and other assets within the consolidated balance sheets. Ownership interests in certain consolidated subsidiaries of the Company held by outside parties are included in noncontrolling interest within the consolidated financial statements. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP and in conjunction with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Any references in this report to the number of properties is outside the scope of our independent registered public accounting firm’s audit of our financial statements, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB"). In the opinion of management, all adjustments of a normal and recurring nature necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements have been made.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Income Taxes

The Company has elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 to 860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), which commenced with our taxable year ended December 31, 2012. We believe that we have operated, and continue to operate, in such a manner as to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a REIT. Accordingly, we will not be subject to federal income tax, provided that we qualify as a REIT and our distributions to our shareholders equal or exceed our REIT taxable income.

However, qualification and taxation as a REIT depends upon our ability to meet the various qualification tests imposed under the Code, including tests related to the percentage of income that we earn from specified sources and the percentage of our earnings that we distribute to our shareholders. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that we will continue to be organized or be able to operate in a manner so as to remain qualified as a REIT. If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year and do not qualify for certain statutory relief provisions, our income would be subject to U.S. federal income tax and state income tax (including any applicable alternative minimum tax for the taxable years beginning before December 31, 2017) on our taxable income at regular corporate tax rates, and we would likely be precluded from qualifying for treatment as a REIT until the fifth calendar year following the year in which we fail to qualify. Even if we qualify as a REIT, we may be subject to certain state or local income and capital taxes and U.S. federal income and excise taxes on our undistributed taxable income, if any. Our taxable REIT subsidiaries ("TRS") will be subject to federal, state and local taxes on their income at regular corporate rates. The tax years from 2013 through 2017 remain open to examination by the taxing jurisdictions to which the Company is subject.

We believe that the Operating Partnership is properly treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a partnership, the Operating Partnership is not subject to federal income tax on our income. Instead, each of our partners, including AH4R, is allocated, and may be required to pay tax with respect to, its share of the Operating Partnership’s income. As such, no provision for federal income taxes has been included for the Operating Partnership.

ASC 740-10, Income Taxes, requires recognition of deferred tax assets for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. We recognize tax benefits of uncertain tax positions only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained, based solely on its technical merits, with the taxing authority having full authority of all relevant information. The measurement of a tax benefit for an uncertain tax position that meets the more likely than not threshold is based on a cumulative probability model under which the largest amount of tax benefit recognized is the amount with a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the taxing authority having full knowledge of all the relevant information.

Investments in Real Estate

Purchases of single-family properties are treated as asset acquisitions and, as such, are recorded at their purchase price, including acquisition costs, which is allocated to land and building based upon their relative fair values at the date of acquisition. Fair value is determined in accordance with ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, and is primarily based on unobservable data inputs. In making estimates of fair values for purposes of allocating the purchase price of individually acquired properties subject to an existing lease, the Company utilizes its own market knowledge and published market data. In this regard, the Company also utilizes information obtained from county tax assessment records to assist in the determination of the fair value of the land and building. The Company generally engages a third-party valuation specialist to assist management in the determination of fair value for purposes of allocating the purchase price of properties acquired as part of portfolio level transactions.

The value of acquired lease-related intangibles is estimated based upon the costs we would have incurred to lease the property under similar terms. Such costs are capitalized and amortized over the remaining life of the lease. Acquired leases are generally short-term in nature (less than one year).

The nature of our business requires that in certain circumstances we acquire single-family properties subject to existing liens. Liens that we expect to be extinguished in cash are estimated and accrued for on the date of acquisition and recorded as a cost of the property.

We incur costs to prepare our acquired properties for rental. These costs, along with related holding costs, are capitalized to the cost of the property during the period the property is undergoing activities to prepare it for its intended use. We capitalize interest costs as a cost of the property only during the period for which activities necessary to prepare an asset for its intended use are ongoing, provided that expenditures for the asset have been made and interest costs have been incurred. Upon completion of the renovation of our properties, all costs of operations, including repairs and maintenance, are expensed as incurred.

Single-family Properties Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations

Single-family properties are classified as held for sale when they meet the applicable GAAP criteria, including, but not limited to, the availability of the home for immediate sale in its present condition, the existence of an active program to locate a buyer and the probable sale of the home within one year. Single-family properties classified as held for sale are reported at the lower of their carrying value or estimated fair value less costs to sell, and are presented separately in single-family properties held for sale, net within the consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had 310 and 1,119 single-family properties, respectively, classified as held for sale, and recorded $4.7 million and $5.0 million of impairment on single-family properties held for sale for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, which was included in other expenses within the consolidated statements of operations. The results of operations of properties that have either been sold or classified as held for sale, if due to a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on our operations or financial results, are reported in the consolidated statements of operations as discontinued operations for both current and prior periods presented through the date of the applicable disposition in accordance with ASU No. 2014-08 ("ASU 2014-08"), "Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360): Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity," which the Company adopted January 1, 2015, on a prospective basis.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets

We evaluate our long-lived assets for impairment periodically or whenever events or circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. Significant indicators of impairment may include, but are not limited to, declines in home values, rental rates and occupancy percentages, as well as significant changes in the economy. If an impairment indicator exists, we compare the expected future undiscounted cash flows against the net carrying amount. If the sum of the estimated undiscounted cash flows is less than the net carrying amount, we record an impairment loss for the difference between the estimated fair value of the individual property and the carrying amount of the property at that date.

Leasing Costs

Direct and incremental costs incurred to lease properties are capitalized and amortized over the term of the leases, which generally have a term of one year.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation is computed on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of buildings, improvements and other assets. Buildings are depreciated over 30 years and improvements and other assets are depreciated over their estimated economic useful lives, generally 3 to 30 years. We consider the value of in-place leases in the allocation of the purchase price, and amortize such amounts on a straight-line basis over the remaining terms of the leases. The unamortized portion of the value of in-place leases is included in deferred costs and other intangibles, net within the consolidated balance sheets.

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over the asset's estimated economic life and are tested for impairment based on undiscounted cash flows and, if impaired, are written down to fair value based on discounted cash flows. The identified intangible assets are amortized over amortizable lives of 4.7 years for trademark and 7.0 years for database.

The Company reviews finite-lived intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If the sum of the estimated future cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of an asset is less than its net book value, an impairment loss is recognized. Measurement of an impairment loss is based on the fair value of an asset.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the fair value in excess of the tangible and separately identifiable intangible assets that were acquired in connection with the internalization of the Company's management function in June 2013, including all administrative, financial, property management, marketing and leasing personnel, including executive management. Goodwill has an indefinite life and is therefore not amortized. The Company analyzes goodwill for impairment on an annual basis pursuant to ASC 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other, which permits us to assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than the carrying amount as a basis to determine whether an impairment test is necessary. This qualitative assessment requires judgment to be applied in evaluating the effects of multiple factors, including actual and projected financial performance of the reporting unit, industry and market conditions, macroeconomic conditions, and other relevant entity specific events. We also have the option to bypass the qualitative assessment for any reporting unit in any period and proceed directly to performing the goodwill impairment test. The impairment test compares the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount. If the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, the impairment loss is determined as the excess of the carrying amount of the goodwill reporting unit over the fair value of that goodwill, not to exceed the carrying amount. Impairment charges, if any, are recognized in operating results.

Deferred Financing Costs

Financing costs related to the origination of the Company's revolving credit facility are deferred and amortized as interest expense on an effective interest method over the contractual term of the applicable financing. They are presented net of accumulated amortization and have been included in deferred costs and other intangibles, net within the consolidated balance sheets. Financing costs related to the origination of the Company's term loan credit facility and asset-backed securitizations are also deferred and amortized as interest expense on an effective interest method over the contractual term of the applicable financing. They are presented net of accumulated amortization and are netted against the related debt instrument under liabilities within the consolidated balance sheets.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

We consider all demand deposits, cashier's checks, money market accounts and certificates of deposit with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. We maintain our cash and cash equivalents and escrow deposits at financial institutions. The combined account balances typically exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") insurance coverage, and, as a result, there is a concentration of credit risk related to amounts on deposit. We believe that the risk is not significant.

Restricted cash primarily consists of funds held related to resident security deposits, cash reserves in accordance with certain loan agreements and funds held in the custody of our transfer agent for the payment of distributions. Funds held related to resident security deposits are restricted during the term of the related lease agreement, which is generally one year. Cash reserved in connection with lender requirements is restricted during the term of the related debt instrument.

Escrow Deposits

Escrow deposits include refundable and non-refundable cash earnest money deposits for the purchase of properties. In addition, escrow deposits include amounts paid for single-family properties in certain states which require a judicial order when the risk and rewards of ownership of the property are transferred and the purchase is finalized.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses that may result from the inability of tenants to make required rent or other payments. This allowance is estimated based on, among other considerations, payment histories, overall delinquencies and available security deposits.

Revenue and Expense Recognition

We lease single-family properties that we own directly to tenants who occupy the properties under operating leases, generally, with a term of one year. Rental revenue, net of any concessions, is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease, which is not materially different than if it were recorded when due from tenants and recognized monthly as it is earned.

We accrue for property taxes and HOA assessments based on amounts billed, and, in some circumstances, estimates and historical trends when bills or assessments are not available. The actual assessment may differ from the estimates, resulting in a change in estimate in a subsequent period.

Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses

Accounts payable and accrued expenses consists primarily of trade payables, resident security deposits, construction liabilities, HOA fees and property tax accruals as of the end of the respective period presented. It also consists of contingent loss accruals, if any. Such losses are accrued when they are both probable and estimable. When it is reasonably possible that a significant contingent loss has occurred, we disclose the nature of the potential loss and, if estimable, a range of exposure.

Share-based Compensation

Our 2012 Equity Incentive Plan is accounted for under the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation. Noncash share-based compensation expense related to options to purchase our Class A common shares and restricted stock units issued to members of the Company's board of trustees and employees is based on the fair value of the options and restricted stock units on the grant date and amortized over the service period.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The fair value of a financial instrument is the amount at which the instrument could be exchanged in an orderly transaction between two willing parties. Fair value is a market-based measurement, and should be determined based on the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. The GAAP valuation hierarchy is based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date. A financial instrument's categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The three levels are defined as follows:


•	Level 1—Inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets;


•	Level 2—Inputs to the valuation methodology include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument; and


•	Level 3—Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement.

The carrying amount of rent and other receivables, restricted cash, escrow deposits, prepaid expenses and other assets, and accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate fair value because of the short maturity of these amounts. The Company's participating preferred shares derivative liability and treasury lock are the only financial instruments recorded at fair value on a recurring basis within our consolidated financial statements (see Note 14).

Derivatives

From time to time, we may use interest rate cap agreements or other derivative instruments for interest rate risk management purposes. We assess these derivatives at inception and on an ongoing basis for the effectiveness of qualifying cash flow hedges. For derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as a cash flow hedge, the gain or loss on the derivative instrument is reported as a component of other comprehensive income and reclassified into earnings as interest expense during the period in which the hedged transaction affects earnings.

Segment Reporting

Under the provision of ASC 280, Segment Reporting, the Company has determined that it has one reportable segment with activities related to acquiring, renovating, leasing and operating single-family homes as rental properties. The Company's properties are geographically dispersed and management evaluates operating performance at the market level.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, to amend ASC No. 815, Derivatives and Hedging, to more closely align hedge accounting with a company’s risk management strategies, provide additional transparency and understandability of hedge results, as well as to simplify the application of hedge accounting. The guidance eliminates the requirement to separately measure and report hedge ineffectiveness. Instead, the entire change in the fair value of the hedging instrument included in the assessment of hedge effectiveness will be recorded in other comprehensive income, and amounts deferred in other comprehensive income will be reclassified into earnings and presented in the same income statement line item that is used to present the earnings effect of the hedged item when the hedged item affects earnings. This guidance will be effective for public companies for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and for interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this guidance effective September 30, 2017, which will impact our hedge accounting policy as disclosed above. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, to simplify the accounting for goodwill impairment by removing step two of the goodwill impairment test, which had involved determining the fair value of individual assets and liabilities of a reporting unit to measure goodwill. Instead, goodwill impairment will be determined as the excess of a reporting unit’s carrying value over its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. The guidance will be effective for the Company for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and for interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted for any goodwill impairment tests performed after January 1, 2017. The Company adopted this guidance effective December 31, 2017, which impacted our goodwill impairment testing process as disclosed above. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which changed the definition of a business and will now require management to determine whether substantially all of the fair value of gross assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets. When this is the case, the transferred assets and activities is not a business. This determination is important as the accounting treatment for business combinations and asset acquisitions differs since transactions costs are expensed in a business combination and capitalized in an asset acquisition. The guidance will be effective for public companies for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and for interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. The guidance will be applied prospectively to any transactions occurring within the period of adoption. The Company adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2017, on a prospective basis, which resulted in our leased properties no longer meeting the definition of a business. Therefore, dispositions of leased properties no longer result in a reduction to goodwill. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which is intended to reduce the existing diversity in practice by addressing eight specific cash flow issues related to how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. The guidance will be effective for the Company for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and for interim periods within those annual periods with early adoption permitted. If early adopted, an entity must adopt all of the amendments in the same period. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the adoption of this guidance and does not anticipate that the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on our financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326), to amend the accounting for credit losses for certain financial instruments by requiring companies to recognize an estimate of expected credit losses as an allowance in order to recognize such losses more timely than under previous guidance that had allowed companies to wait until it was probable such losses had been incurred. The guidance will be effective for the Company for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and for interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the guidance on our financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. The guidance became effective for the Company for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and for interim periods within those annual periods. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2017, which resulted in our election to recognize forfeitures of share-based compensation as they occur. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which will require lessees to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for the rights and obligations created by all leases with terms of more than one year. Lessor accounting will remain similar to lessor accounting under previous GAAP, while aligning with the FASB's new revenue recognition guidance for non-lease components. The new guidance will also require lessees and lessors to capitalize, as initial direct costs, only those costs that are incurred due to the execution of a lease. Any other costs incurred, including allocated indirect costs, will no longer be capitalized and instead will be expensed as incurred. The guidance will be effective for the Company for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and for interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted, and requires the use of the modified retrospective transition method. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our financial statements.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, which amends certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments, including the requirement to measure certain equity investments at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income. The guidance will be effective for the Company for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and for interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the guidance on our financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which provides guidance on revenue recognition and supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, most industry-specific guidance and some cost guidance included in Subtopic 605-35, “Revenue Recognition-Construction-Type and Production-Type Contracts.” The standard’s core principle is that a company will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In doing so, companies will need to use more judgment and make more estimates than under current guidance. These judgments include identifying “distinct” performance obligations in multi-element contracts, estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price at contract inception, allocating the transaction price to each separate performance obligation, and determining at contract inception whether the performance obligation is satisfied over time or at a point in time. Since lease contracts under ASC 840, "Leases", are specifically excluded from ASU No. 2014-09’s scope, most of the Company’s rental contract revenue will continue to follow current leasing guidance. We have reviewed our other sources of revenue and identified that the non-lease components (tenant chargebacks and recovery revenue) in our single-family home and office leases will continue being accounted for under ASC 840 until the adoption of ASU 2016-02 beginning January 1, 2019. Based on our assessment, the Company’s current accounting policies for these non-lease components and real estate property sales are aligned with the revenue recognition principles prescribed by the new guidance and we do not expect the new standards to ultimately change the amount or timing of our revenue recognition. As part of ASU No. 2014-09, the FASB issued consequential amendments to other sections, eliminating ASC 360-20, Real Estate Sales and adding ASU No. 2017-05 Other Income-Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets, Subtopic 610-20, "Other Income". Real estate sales to noncustomers will follow new guidance from ASC 610-20, while sales to customers will follow the general revenue guidance in ASC 606. While the Company’s property sales are not part of our ordinary customer activity and will fall under ASC 610-20, there is little economic difference in the accounting for real estate sales to customer versus noncustomer, with exception to presentation of comprehensive income (revenue and expense when sale to customer or gain and loss when sale to noncustomer).

The Company has elected to adopt the new revenue recognition guidance using the modified retrospective approach, effective January 1, 2018. We evaluated the revenue recognition for all contracts under existing accounting standards and under the new revenue recognition ASU and confirmed that there were no differences in the amounts or timing of recognition. Therefore, the adoption of this ASU did not result in an adjustment to our retained earnings on January 1, 2018.