Organization (Details Textual)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018 Units Property shares	Apr. 26, 2018 Property
Organization [Line Items]
Common partnership units and equivalents outstanding | shares	157,326,117
Percentage of the Aimco Operating Partnership's common partnership units and equivalents owned by Aimco	95.40%
AIMCO PROPERTIES, L.P [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Common partnership units and equivalents outstanding | shares	164,881,653
Asset Management [Member] | Partially Owned Properties [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Number of apartment communities	46
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units	6,898
Asset Management [Member] | Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Number of apartment communities	39
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units	6,211
Aimco Real Estate [Member] | Partially Owned Properties [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Number of apartment communities	134
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units	37,228
Aimco Real Estate [Member] | Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Number of apartment communities	130
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units	37,086
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Aimco Real Estate [Member] | Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Number of apartment communities	3
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units	513
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | Hunters Point Affordable Apartment Communities [Member] | Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Number of apartment communities		4