Significant Transactions - Acquisitions of Apartment Communities (Details) (Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014 Property	Dec. 31, 2013 Property
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member]
Business Combination [Line Items]
Number of apartment homes	1,182	134
Acquisition price	$ 291,925	$ 53,575
Non-recourse property debt assumed (outstanding principal balance)	65,200	12,446
Non-recourse property debt assumed (fair value)	64,817	14,767
Total fair value allocated to land	70,842	18,720
Total fair value allocated to buildings and improvements	$ 217,431	$ 37,176

Debt assumed in acquisition at principal amount.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Amount of facility held for productive use including, but not limited to, office, production, storage and distribution facilities, acquired at the acquisition date.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=39739317&loc=d3e4845-128472

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of real estate acquired, at the acquisition date.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt due after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, assumed at the acquisition date.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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- Details

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

- Definition

The number of units in a real estate property owned as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfUnitsInRealEstateProperty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow from the acquisition of a piece of land, anything permanently fixed to it, including buildings, structures on it and so forth; includes real estate intended to generate income for the owner; excludes real estate acquired for use by the owner.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireRealEstate
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Period Type:	duration