XML 31 R42.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Equity, Capital and Other Interests Preferred (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Class of Stock [Line Items]      
Preferred Shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 803,600 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2015 and 1,000,000 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2014 $ 40,180,000us-gaap_PreferredStockValueOutstanding   $ 50,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockValueOutstanding
Partial redemption of 8.29% Series K Cumulative Redeemable 9,820,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredParValueMethod 0us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredParValueMethod  
Redemption Premium 2,789,000us-gaap_RedemptionPremium 0us-gaap_RedemptionPremium  
OPERATING PARTNERSHIP      
Class of Stock [Line Items]      
Partial redemption of 8.29% Series K Cumulative Redeemable 9,820,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredParValueMethod
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
0us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredParValueMethod
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
 
Redemption Premium (2,789,000)us-gaap_RedemptionPremium
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
0us-gaap_RedemptionPremium
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
 
Preferred Units 40,180,000us-gaap_PreferredUnitsPreferredPartnersCapitalAccounts
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
  50,000,000us-gaap_PreferredUnitsPreferredPartnersCapitalAccounts
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
Series K Preferred Stock [Member]      
Class of Stock [Line Items]      
Preferred Stock Preference Units Dividend Rate Percentage 8.29%eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsDividendRatePercentage
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
  8.29%eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsDividendRatePercentage
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
Preferred Stock Preference Units Redemption Price Per Share Unit $ 50.00eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsRedemptionPricePerShareUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
  $ 50.00eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsRedemptionPricePerShareUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
Preferred Stock Preference Units Issued 803,600eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsIssued
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
  1,000,000eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsIssued
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
Preferred Stock Preference Units Outstanding 803,600eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
  1,000,000eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
Preferred Stocks Preference Units Redemption Date Dec. 10, 2026    
Annual Dividend Per Preferred Share Preference Unit $ 4.145eqr_AnnualDividendPerPreferredSharePreferenceUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
   
Preferred Shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 803,600 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2015 and 1,000,000 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2014 40,180,000us-gaap_PreferredStockValueOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
  50,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockValueOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
Preferred Stock Preference Units Repurchased and Retired 196,400us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesRetired
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
   
Partial redemption of 8.29% Series K Cumulative Redeemable 9,820,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredParValueMethod
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
   
Payments For Repurchase Of Preference Units 12,700,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockRetiredParValueMethodAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
   
Redemption Premium 2,789,000us-gaap_RedemptionPremium
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
   
Series K Preferred Stock [Member] | OPERATING PARTNERSHIP      
Class of Stock [Line Items]      
Preferred Stock Preference Units Dividend Rate Percentage 8.29%eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsDividendRatePercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
  8.29%eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsDividendRatePercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
Preferred Stock Preference Units Redemption Price Per Share Unit $ 50.00eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsRedemptionPricePerShareUnit
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
  $ 50.00eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsRedemptionPricePerShareUnit
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
Preferred Stock Preference Units Issued 803,600eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsIssued
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
  1,000,000eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsIssued
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
Preferred Stock Preference Units Outstanding 803,600eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsOutstanding
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
  1,000,000eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsOutstanding
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
Preferred Stocks Preference Units Redemption Date Dec. 10, 2026    
Annual Dividend Per Preferred Share Preference Unit $ 4.145eqr_AnnualDividendPerPreferredSharePreferenceUnit
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
   
Preferred Units $ 40,180,000us-gaap_PreferredUnitsPreferredPartnersCapitalAccounts
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
  $ 50,000,000us-gaap_PreferredUnitsPreferredPartnersCapitalAccounts
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember