Variable Interest Entities (Details) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) Property Entity Unit	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) Property Entity Unit
Variable Interest Entity, Consolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net [Abstract]
Net real estate	$ 6,050,892	$ 5,723,475
Cash and cash equivalents	58,724	36,858
Restricted cash	34,501	35,737
Other Assets	395,061	351,541
Non-recourse property debt secured by Aimco communities, net	4,254,710	3,915,305
Accrued liabilities and other	$ 397,216	$ 226,230
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of consolidated variable interest entities | Entity	6	9
Number of apartment communities | Property	6	9
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Unit	2,056	3,592
Variable Interest Entity, Consolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net [Abstract]
Net real estate	$ 203,443	$ 488,127
Cash and cash equivalents	5,604	15,416
Restricted cash	1,884	4,461
Other Assets	26,433	3,973
Non-recourse property debt secured by Aimco communities, net	176,840	322,685
Accrued liabilities and other	$ 32,378	$ 13,576