Equity, Capital and Other Interests (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Common shares and units rollforward

The following tables present the changes in the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Shares and “Units” (which includes OP Units and Long-Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”) Units) for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011:

	2013		2012			2011
Common Shares
Common Shares outstanding at January 1,	325,054,654		297,508,185			290,197,242
Common Shares Issued:
Conversion of OP Units	67,939		675,817			341,594
Issuance of Common Shares	34,468,085		25,023,919			3,866,666
Exercise of share options	586,017		1,608,427			2,945,948
Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP)	73,468		110,054			113,107
Restricted share grants, net	229,097		128,252			145,616
Common Shares Other:
Conversion of restricted shares to LTIP Units	—		—			(101,988	)
Common Shares outstanding at December 31,	360,479,260		325,054,654			297,508,185
Units
Units outstanding at January 1,	13,968,758		13,492,543			13,612,037
LTIP Units, net	279,557		70,235			120,112
OP Units issued through acquisitions	—		1,081,797			—
Conversion of restricted shares to LTIP Units	—		—			101,988
Conversion of OP Units to Common Shares	(67,939	)	(675,817		)	(341,594	)
Units outstanding at December 31,	14,180,376		13,968,758			13,492,543
Total Common Shares and Units outstanding at December 31,	374,659,636		339,023,412			311,000,728
Units Ownership Interest in Operating Partnership	3.8	%	4.1		%	4.3	%
OP Units Issued:
Acquisitions – per unit	—			$61.57		—
Acquisitions – valuation	—		$66.6 million			—

Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the changes in the redemption value of the Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively (amounts in thousands):

	2013			2012			2011
Balance at January 1,	$	398,372		$	416,404		$	383,540
Change in market value	(79,667		)	(38,734		)	22,714
Change in carrying value	44,439			20,702			10,150
Balance at December 31,	$	363,144		$	398,372		$	416,404

Schedule Of Preferred Stock [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the Company’s issued and outstanding Preferred Shares as of December 31, 2013 and 2012:

				Amounts in thousands
	Redemption Date (1)	Annual Dividend per Share (2)		December 31, 2013		December 31, 2012
Preferred Shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized:
8.29% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred; liquidation value $50 per share; 1,000,000 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012	12/10/26		$4.145	$	50,000	$	50,000
				$	50,000	$	50,000

Limited Partner [Member]

Common shares and units rollforward

The following tables present the changes in the Operating Partnership's issued and outstanding Units and in the limited partners' Units for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011:

	2013		2012			2011
General and Limited Partner Units
General and Limited Partner Units outstanding at January 1,	339,023,412		311,000,728			303,809,279
Issued to General Partner:
Issuance of OP Units	34,468,085		25,023,919			3,866,666
Exercise of EQR share options	586,017		1,608,427			2,945,948
EQR's Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP)	73,468		110,054			113,107
EQR's restricted share grants, net	229,097		128,252			145,616
Issued to Limited Partners:
LTIP Units, net	279,557		70,235			120,112
OP Units issued through acquisitions	—		1,081,797			—
General and Limited Partner Units outstanding at December 31,	374,659,636		339,023,412			311,000,728
Limited Partner Units
Limited Partner Units outstanding at January 1,	13,968,758		13,492,543			13,612,037
Limited Partner LTIP Units, net	279,557		70,235			120,112
Limited Partner OP Units issued through acquisitions	—		1,081,797			—
Conversion of EQR restricted shares to LTIP Units	—		—			101,988
Conversion of Limited Partner OP Units to EQR Common Shares	(67,939	)	(675,817		)	(341,594	)
Limited Partner Units outstanding at December 31,	14,180,376		13,968,758			13,492,543
Limited Partner Units Ownership Interest in Operating Partnership	3.8	%	4.1		%	4.3	%
Limited Partner OP Units Issued:
Acquisitions – per unit	—			$61.57		—
Acquisitions – valuation	—		$66.6 million			—

Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the changes in the redemption value of the Redeemable Limited Partners for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively (amounts in thousands):

	2013			2012			2011
Balance at January 1,	$	398,372		$	416,404		$	383,540
Change in market value	(79,667		)	(38,734		)	22,714
Change in carrying value	44,439			20,702			10,150
Balance at December 31,	$	363,144		$	398,372		$	416,404

Schedule Of Preferred Stock [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the Operating Partnership's issued and outstanding “Preference Units” as of December 31, 2013 and 2012:

				Amounts in thousands
	Redemption Date (1)	Annual Dividend per Unit (2)		December 31, 2013		December 31, 2012
Preference Units:
8.29% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preference Units; liquidation value $50 per unit; 1,000,000 units issued and outstanding at December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012	12/10/26		$4.145	$	50,000	$	50,000
				$	50,000	$	50,000