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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) | 6 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2014
Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Basis of Consolidation The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the consolidation of our accounts. We do not have controlling interests in any of our joint ventures (“JV”), which are therefore treated under the equity method of accounting and not consolidated in our financial statements. The holders of limited partnership interests in the Operating Partnership (“Common OP Unitholders”) receive an allocation of net income that is based on their respective ownership percentage of the Operating Partnership which is shown in our Consolidated Financial Statements as Non-controlling interests-Common OP Units. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Real Estate Assets And Depreciation Of Investment In Real Estate Policy [Text Block] | Real Estate Our policy is to estimate useful lives associated with our real estate assets and to depreciate the assets based on our estimates. We review useful lives periodically to ensure that these estimates accurately reflect the economic use of the assets. In January 2014, we completed a review of the useful lives and salvage values of our manufactured homes. During the first quarter of 2014, we prospectively changed the depreciable life of our new manufactured homes to 25 years straight-lined with no residual value and our used manufactured homes to 10-25 years straight-lined. This change in estimate did not have a material impact in our financial statements.
Reclassifications Policy [Text Block] | Reclassifications Certain 2013 amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2014 presentation. Income statement amounts for disposed Properties were reclassified in 2013 to “Discontinued operations” on the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income for all transactions that occurred in 2013. In addition, certain prior period disclosures in the accompanying footnotes have been revised to exclude amounts which have been reclassified to discontinued operations. These reclassifications had no material effect on the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income.
Identified Intangibles and Goodwill | Identified Intangibles and Goodwill We record acquired intangible assets at their estimated fair value separate and apart from goodwill. We amortize identified intangible assets and liabilities that are determined to have finite lives over the period the assets and liabilities are expected to contribute directly or indirectly to the future cash flows of the property or business acquired. In accordance with the Codification Sub-Topic “Impairment or Disposal of Long Lived Assets” (“FASB ASC 360-10-35”), intangible assets subject to amortization are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognized if the carrying amount of an intangible asset is not recoverable and its carrying amount exceeds its estimated fair value. The excess of the cost of an acquired entity over the net of the amounts assigned to assets acquired (including identified intangible assets) and liabilities assumed is recorded as goodwill. In accordance with Codification Topic “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” (“FASB ASC 350”), goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment at a level of reporting referred to as a reporting unit on an annual basis, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. As of June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the gross carrying amounts of identified intangible assets and goodwill, a component of “Escrow deposits, goodwill and other assets, net” on our consolidated balance sheets, were approximately $12.1 million. As of June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, this amount was comprised of approximately $4.3 million of identified intangible assets and approximately $7.8 million of goodwill. Accumulated amortization of identified intangible assets was approximately $2.1 million and $1.9 million as of June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. For each of the quarters ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, amortization expense for the identified intangible assets was approximately $0.1 million . For the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, amortization expense for the identified intangible assets was approximately $0.2 million. Estimated amortization of identified intangible assets for each of the next five years are as follows (amounts in thousands):
Year ending December 31, | Amount
2014 | $ | 349 |
2015 | 349 |
2016 | 251 |
2017 | 87 |
2018 | 87 |
Cash and Cash Equivalents | Restricted Cash Cash as of June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013 included approximately $5.0 million and $5.2 million, respectively, of restricted cash for the payment of capital improvements, insurance or real estate taxes.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments | Fair Value of Financial Instruments Our financial instruments include notes receivable, accounts receivable, accounts payable, other accrued expenses, interest rate swaps and mortgage notes payable. We disclose the estimated fair value of our financial instruments according to a fair value hierarchy (Level 1, 2 and 3). Our mortgage notes payable and term loan had a fair value of approximately $2.3 billion and $2.2 billion as of June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively, measured using quoted prices and observable inputs from similar liabilities (Level 2). At June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, our cash flow hedge of interest rate risk included in accrued payroll and other operating expenses was measured using quoted prices and observable inputs from similar assets and liabilities (Level 2). We consider our own credit risk as well as the credit risk of our counterparties when evaluating the fair value of our derivative. The fair values of our notes receivable, accounts receivable, accounts payable, other accrued expenses and interest rate swaps approximate their carrying or contract values
Deferred Financing Costs, net | Deferred Financing Costs, net Deferred financing costs, net include fees and costs incurred to obtain long-term financing. The costs are being amortized over the terms of the respective loans on a basis that approximates level yield. Unamortized deferred financing fees are written-off when debt is retired before the maturity date. Upon amendment of the line of credit or refinancing of mortgage debt, unamortized deferred financing fees are accounted for in accordance with Codification Sub-Topic “Modifications and Extinguishments” (“FASB ASC 470-50-40”). Accumulated amortization for such costs was $27.7 million and $25.4 million at June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block] | Recent Accounting Pronouncements In April 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update 2014-08, “Property, Plant, and Equipment: Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity” (“ASU 2014-08”). The definition of discontinued operations has been revised to limit the criteria for the classification and presentation to disposals of components of a company that represent strategic shifts that have (or will have) a major effect on a company’s operations and financial results. Required expanded disclosures for disposals or disposal groups that qualify for discontinued operations are intended to provide users of financial statements with enhanced information about the assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of such discontinued operations. While the threshold for a disposal or disposal group to qualify for discontinued operations has been revised, this pronouncement retains the held for sale classification and presentation concepts of previous authoritative literature. Accordingly, under this pronouncement, a disposal or disposal group may qualify for held for sale classification but not meet the threshold for discontinued operations treatment. This pronouncement allows for early adoption permitted January 1, 2014. Pursuant to its terms we have elected to early adopt this pronouncement effective January 1, 2014. The adoption of this pronouncement did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2014. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“ASU 2014-09”) which will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP. The core principle of the ASU is that an entity should recognize revenue for the transfer of goods or services equal to the amount that it expects to be entitled to receive for those goods or services. The ASU requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments. ASU No. 2014-09 does not apply to lease contracts accounted for under ASC 840, Leases. ASU 2014-09 is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and early adoption is not permitted. Entities can transition to the standard either retrospectively or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. We are in the process of assessing the impact of this ASU on our consolidated financial statements.

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- Definition Describes an entity's accounting policy for real estate which may include the basis of such assets, depreciation methods used and estimated useful lives, the entity's capitalization policy, including its accounting treatment for costs incurred for repairs and maintenance activities, how disposals of such assets are accounted for and how impairment of such assets is assessed and recognized. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Reclassifications, policy. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Entity's cash and cash equivalents accounting policy with respect to restricted balances. Restrictions may include legally restricted deposits held as compensating balances against short-term borrowing arrangements, contracts entered into with others, or company statements of intention with regard to particular deposits; however, time deposits and short-term certificates of deposit are not generally included in legally restricted deposits. + 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 SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 1 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 305 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2122427 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.1(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4273-108586 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph a -Article 9 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Financial Reporting Release (FRR) -Number 203 -Paragraph 02-03 + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy regarding (1) the principles it follows in consolidating or combining the separate financial statements, including the principles followed in determining the inclusion or exclusion of subsidiaries or other entities in the consolidated or combined financial statements and (2) its treatment of interests (for example, common stock, a partnership interest or other means of exerting influence) in other entities, for example consolidation or use of the equity or cost methods of accounting. The accounting policy may also address the accounting treatment for intercompany accounts and transactions, noncontrolling interest, and the income statement treatment in consolidation for issuances of stock by a subsidiary. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02, 03 -Article 3A Reference 2: 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 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2197480 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 860 -SubTopic 40 -Section 45 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/section&trid=2197723 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2196966 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 325 -SubTopic 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2197087 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3A-02) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27015204&loc=d3e355033-122828 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=16385135&loc=d3e33801-111570 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=d3e5614-111684 Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph k -Article 1 + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for deferral and amortization of significant deferred charges. + 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 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 17 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for goodwill and intangible assets. This accounting policy also may address how an entity assesses and measures impairment of goodwill and intangible assets. + 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 350 -SubTopic 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2144439 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2144471 + Details
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- Definition The entire disclosure of changes in accounting principles, including adoption of new accounting pronouncements, that describes the new methods, amount and effects on financial statement line items. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6372559&loc=d3e765-108305 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 01 -Paragraph b -Subparagraph 6 -Article 10 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28359718&loc=d3e22499-107794 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28359718&loc=d3e22580-107794 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Direct Effects of a Change in Accounting Principle -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6510796 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Indirect Effects of a Change in Accounting Principle -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6515603 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Accounting Change -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6503790 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Change in Accounting Principle -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6507316 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.10-01.(b)(6)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27015980&loc=d3e46468-122699 Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Retrospective Application -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6523989 Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28359718&loc=d3e22583-107794 Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6372559&loc=d3e725-108305 + Details
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