Non-Recourse Property Debt and Credit Agreement - (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Scheduled principal amortization and maturity payments
Amortization, 2015	$ 84,732
Amortization, 2016	82,608
Amortization, 2017	81,213
Amortization, 2018	75,735
Amortization, 2019	69,124
Maturities, 2015	131,210
Maturities, 2016	449,896
Maturities, 2017	325,930
Maturities, 2018	210,313
Maturities, 2019	553,884
Total Amortization and Maturities, 2015	215,942
Total Amortization and Maturities, 2016	532,504
Total Amortization and Maturities, 2017	407,143
Total Amortization and Maturities, 2018	286,048
Total Amortization and Maturities, 2019	623,008
Total Amortization and Maturities, Thereafter	1,958,164
Principal outstanding	$ 4,022,809us-gaap_SecuredDebt	$ 4,337,785us-gaap_SecuredDebt

Long term debt amortization and maturities repayments of principal after five year.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Long term debt amortization and maturities repayments of principal in next twelve months.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Long term debt amortization and maturities repayments of principal in year five.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Long term debt amortization and maturities repayments of principal in year four.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Long term debt amortization and maturities repayments of principal in year three.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Long term debt amortization and maturities repayments of principal in year two.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Long term debt amortization of principal in next twelve months.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Long term debt amortization of principal in next year three.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Long term debt amortization of principal in year five.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Long term debt amortization of principal in year four.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Long term debt amortization of principal in year two.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	aiv_ScheduledPrincipalAmortizationAndMaturityPaymentsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	aiv_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 470

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6802200&loc=d3e1835-112601

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-04.(a))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e24072-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInNextTwelveMonths
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearFive
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearFour
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearThree
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearTwo
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date, including the current and noncurrent portions, of collateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle, if longer). Such obligations include mortgage loans, chattel loans, and any other borrowings secured by assets of the borrower.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 16

-Article 9

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 20, 22

-Article 5

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SecuredDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant