Basis of Financial Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Financial Statement Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Basis of Financial Statement Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of AV Homes, Inc. and all subsidiaries, partnerships and other entities in which AV Homes, Inc. (“AV Homes”, “we”, “us”, “our”, or “the Company”) has a controlling interest. Our investments in unconsolidated entities in which we have less than a controlling interest are accounted for using the equity method. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss) for the nine and three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 and the consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information, the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of such financial statements have been included. Such adjustments consisted only of normal recurring items. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year. The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2012 was derived from consolidated financial statements included in our 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our December 31, 2012 consolidated financial statements included in our 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the notes to the consolidated financial statements included therein. Use of Estimates The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. TPG Investment in Company On June 19, 2013, we entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") by and among AV Homes and TPG Aviator, L.P. ("TPG") pursuant to which TPG agreed to acquire 2,557,474 shares of AV Homes’ common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the “Common Stock"), at a purchase price of $14.65 per share, and 665,754 shares of a newly authorized series of AV Homes’ preferred stock, designated as Series A Contingent Convertible Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $0.10 per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock"), at a purchase price and liquidation preference of $146.50 per share, for an aggregate investment in AV Homes by TPG of $135,000. On June 20, 2013, AV Homes and TPG closed the transactions (the “TPG Investment") contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, and AV Homes issued to TPG the Common Stock and the Series A Preferred Stock in the amounts and in exchange for the purchase price described above. On September 18, 2013, we held a special meeting of stockholders at which our stockholders: (1) approved the right to convert, at the option of the Company or the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, the Series A Preferred Stock into shares of our Common Stock and (2) approved TPG's pre-emptive rights following the approval of such conversion to participate in future issuances of our Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for our Common Stock. Following the meeting of stockholders we provided notice to TPG of our intention to convert the Series A Preferred Stock as of September 18, 2013. The Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock was issued on September 19, 2013 and the Series A Preferred Stock was cancelled. In accordance with GAAP, before its conversion, the Series A Preferred Stock was classified outside of permanent equity because the redemption provisions were not solely within our control. We incurred approximately $7,200 of transaction fees in connection with the TPG Investment, which have been allocated between the common and preferred stock and offset against the proceeds received. The contingent beneficial conversion feature of the Series A Preferred Stock was recognized upon stockholder approval of the conversion and amortized at the time of conversion by treating it as a deemed dividend and crediting additional paid-in capital, consequently resulting in no diminution in total shareholders' equity or book value per share. We have assessed the provisions of the Series A Preferred Stock and concluded that the impact of any embedded derivative features was not material.

Basis of Financial Statement Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of AV Homes, Inc. and all subsidiaries, partnerships and other entities in which AV Homes, Inc. (“AV Homes”, “we”, “us”, “our”, or “the Company”) has a controlling interest. Our investments in unconsolidated entities in which we have less than a controlling interest are accounted for using the equity method. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss) for the nine and three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 and the consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information, the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of such financial statements have been included. Such adjustments consisted only of normal recurring items. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year.

The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2012 was derived from consolidated financial statements included in our 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our December 31, 2012 consolidated financial statements included in our 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the notes to the consolidated financial statements included therein.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

TPG Investment in Company

On June 19, 2013, we entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") by and among AV Homes and TPG Aviator, L.P. ("TPG") pursuant to which TPG agreed to acquire 2,557,474 shares of AV Homes’ common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the “Common Stock"), at a purchase price of $14.65 per share, and 665,754 shares of a newly authorized series of AV Homes’ preferred stock, designated as Series A Contingent Convertible Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $0.10 per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock"), at a purchase price and liquidation preference of $146.50 per share, for an aggregate investment in AV Homes by TPG of $135,000.

On June 20, 2013, AV Homes and TPG closed the transactions (the “TPG Investment") contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, and AV Homes issued to TPG the Common Stock and the Series A Preferred Stock in the amounts and in exchange for the purchase price described above.

On September 18, 2013, we held a special meeting of stockholders at which our stockholders: (1) approved the right to convert, at the option of the Company or the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, the Series A Preferred Stock into shares of our Common Stock and (2) approved TPG's pre-emptive rights following the approval of such conversion to participate in future issuances of our Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for our Common Stock. Following the meeting of stockholders we provided notice to TPG of our intention to convert the Series A Preferred Stock as of September 18, 2013. The Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock was issued on September 19, 2013 and the Series A Preferred Stock was cancelled.

In accordance with GAAP, before its conversion, the Series A Preferred Stock was classified outside of permanent equity because the redemption provisions were not solely within our control. We incurred approximately $7,200 of transaction fees in connection with the TPG Investment, which have been allocated between the common and preferred stock and offset against the proceeds received. The contingent beneficial conversion feature of the Series A Preferred Stock was recognized upon stockholder approval of the conversion and amortized at the time of conversion by treating it as a deemed dividend and crediting additional paid-in capital, consequently resulting in no diminution in total shareholders' equity or book value per share. We have assessed the provisions of the Series A Preferred Stock and concluded that the impact of any embedded derivative features was not material.