REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY (Details Narrative) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) a Number	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) a Number	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) a
Number of income-producing properties \| Number	59	59
Area of land \| a	3,652	3,652
Gain on sale of income producing properties	$ 12,760	$ 12,760	$ 4,925
Payment for construction or predevelopment of various apartment complexes		41,400
Capitalized interest costs	$ 1,600	$ 1,600
Related Party [Member]
Area of land sold \| a	91	91
Transcontinential Realty Investors [Member] \| Land Parcel Acquired [Member]
Number of income-producing properties \| Number	3	3
Payment to acquire properties		$ 11,400
Area of land \| a	29.7	29.7
Transcontinential Realty Investors [Member] \| Land [Member] \| TEXAS
Area of land sold \| a			14.16
Gain on sale of real estate		$ 500	$ 500
Gain on sale of income producing properties		$ 12,700

Area of land sold.

No definition available.

Name:	arl_AreaOfLandSold
Namespace Prefix:	arl_
Data Type:	num:areaItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arl_GainLossOnSaleOfPropertiesBeforeApplicableIncomeTaxes1
Namespace Prefix:	arl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Payments for predevelopment and construction of real estate assets is the process of adding improvements on or to a parcel of land.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	arl_PaymentsToConstructionAndDevelopRealEstateAssets
Namespace Prefix:	arl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Area of land held.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AreaOfLand
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:areaItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The net gain (loss) resulting from sales and other disposals of real estate owned for investment purposes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.14(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

+ Details

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

- Definition

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow from the acquisition of a piece of land, anything permanently fixed to it, including buildings, structures on it and so forth; includes real estate intended to generate income for the owner; excludes real estate acquired for use by the owner.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

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

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of interest costs that were capitalized to properties under development during the land development and construction period of a project, and which are included in inventory.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateInventoryCapitalizedInterestCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=arl_RelatedPartyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=arl_TranscontinentialRealtyInvestorsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=arl_Land1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_LandMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=stpr_TX
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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