Real Estate Activities (Condominium activities) - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Gains on sales of real estate assets, net	$ 1,475	$ 187,825
Gains on sales of real estate assets, tax expense	298
Gross proceeds of Condominium		2,442	$ 68,168
Net gains on condominium sales activities		$ 2,545	$ 27,944
Retail Condominium Sold
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Gains on sales of real estate assets, net	$ 1,773

Net gains on condominium activities.

No definition available.

Name:	pps_NetGainsOnCondominiumActivities
Namespace Prefix:	pps_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the applicable amount of income taxes or benefit realized on the gain (loss) on sale of properties during the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 974
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-15.(a)(1)(ii))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6875705&loc=d3e641549-123027

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfPropertiesApplicableIncomeTaxes
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the amount of gain (loss) on sale of properties during the reporting period net of the applicable income taxes realized.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfPropertiesNetOfApplicableIncomeTaxes
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Cash received for the sale of real estate that is not part of an investing activity during the current period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfRealEstate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=pps_RetailCondominiumSoldMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: