Value of additional shares authorized for issuance under an established share-based compensation plan.

No definition available.

Name:	avb_CommonStockAuthorizedRemainingToBeIssued
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- Definition

The maximum value of common stock which the entity is authorized to issue under the program.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the period during which common stock can be sold under the program.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	avb_PeriodInWhichCommonStockCanBeSold
Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the compensation received by sales agent.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	avb_SalesAgentCompensationPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfStockLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum number of common shares permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29)

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

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 30

-Article 5

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The per share price of the Company's stock at which the contract holder of the freestanding contract has the right to purchase or sell the Company's stock at a future date.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 40

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6445032&loc=d3e90205-114008

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 480

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (f)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6940734&loc=d3e22047-110879

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum number of shares that could be issued to net share settle a contract, if applicable. If a contract does not have a fixed or determinable maximum number of shares that may be required to be issued, disclose the fact that a potentially infinite number of shares could be issued to settle the contract.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ForwardContractIndexedToIssuersEquityShares
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum number of nonredeemable preferred shares (or preferred stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer) permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.28)

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

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 29

-Article 5

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash inflow from the additional capital contribution to the entity.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Financing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 14

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3255-108585

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Price of a single share of a number of saleable stocks of a company.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

For net-share settlement of share-based awards when the employer settles employees' income tax withholding obligations, this element represents the number of shares the employees use to repay the employer.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares issued during the period from a dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP). A dividend reinvestment plan allows the shareholders to reinvest dividends paid to them by the entity on new issues of stock by the entity.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

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Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of new stock issued during the period.

+ References

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Gross number of shares (or other type of equity) issued during the period as a result of any equity-based compensation plan other than an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Shares issued could result from the issuance of restricted stock, the exercise of stock options, stock issued under employee stock purchase plans, and/or other employee benefit plans.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Number of share options (or share units) exercised during the current period.

+ References

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Article 3

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.28,29)

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

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(1)(iv)(2)

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 29, 30

-Article 5

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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Period Type:

Equity (Details 2) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
Equity (Details 2) (USD $)	Sep. 09, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Aug. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock, shares authorized		280,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized			280,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
Preferred stock, shares authorized		50,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized			50,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized
Common stock shares issued in connection with stock options exercised		17,002
Common stock issued through the dividend reinvestment plan (in shares)		484	638
Stock issued in connection with stock grants (in shares)		154,645	104,060
Number of shares of stock grants withheld		32,887	33,365
Issuance of common stock		$ 1,973,000	$ 7,234,000
Share Price	$ 155.83us-gaap_SharePrice
Option Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Shares	4,500,000
Forward Contract Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Forward Rate Per Share	$ 151.74
CEP III
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock shares issued		0
Maximum value of shares of common stock that can be sold (in dollars)				750,000,000
Period during which common stock can be sold				36 months
Percentage of compensation received by sales agent		1.50%
Value of additional shares authorized for issuance		$ 346,304,000