Equity (Details) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands			3 Months Ended
	Apr. 27, 2016 $ / shares	Jan. 28, 2016 $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) item $ / shares shares	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Equity
Dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.575	$ 0.575	$ 0.575	$ 0.565
Company's common stock issuances
Repurchase of common stock			$ 3,628	$ 6,096
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment			(20,222)		$ (19,485)
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges, net			(8,103)		(7,582)
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan minimum liability			(3,341)		(3,411)
Unrealized (losses) gains on available for sale securities			(7)		8
Total accumulated other comprehensive loss			(31,673)		(30,470)
Noncontrolling interests
DownREIT unit, carrying value			$ 181,468		$ 185,608
Common Stock
Company's common stock issuances
Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (in shares) | shares			1,081	829
Conversion of DownREIT units (in shares) | shares			99	38
Exercise of stock options (in shares) | shares			111	811
Vesting of restricted stock units (in shares) | shares			248	288
Repurchase of common stock			$ 102	$ 128
Noncontrolling Interests
Noncontrolling interests
Non-managing members DownREIT units outstanding | item			4,000,000
Number of DownREIT LLCs | item			5
DownREIT unit, carrying value			$ 181,000
DownREIT unit, fair value			$ 191,000