Mortgage Notes Payable (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	$ 22,638us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstate	$ 23,048us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstate
Monthly Payment Including Interest	162us-gaap_DebtInstrumentPeriodicPayment
Stated Interest Rate	5.25%
Principal Balance Due At Maturity	19,866aiv_PrincipalBalanceDueAtMaturity
First Mortgage [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	10,970	11,144
Monthly Payment Including Interest	84
Stated Interest Rate	7.58%
Maturity Date	Jul. 01, 2021
Principal Balance Due At Maturity	9,451
Second Mortgage [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	11,668	11,904
Monthly Payment Including Interest	78
Stated Interest Rate	5.93%
Maturity Date	Jul. 01, 2019
Principal Balance Due At Maturity	$ 10,415

Principal Balance Due At Maturity

No definition available.

Name:	aiv_PrincipalBalanceDueAtMaturity
Namespace Prefix:	aiv_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the required periodic payments including both interest and principal payments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

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 210.5-02.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 470

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

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

- Definition

Total carrying amount of mortgage loans as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-04.(c) Schedule IV)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27047687&loc=d3e5864-122674

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 29

-Article 12

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph c

-Subparagraph Schedule IV

-Article 5

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 948

-SubTopic 310

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-29.6)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6589523&loc=d3e617274-123014

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionLoanCategoryAxis=us-gaap_FirstMortgageMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionLoanCategoryAxis=us-gaap_SecondMortgageMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: