Consolidated Statements of Equity (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data	Total USD ($)	Class A common stock [Member] USD ($)	Common Stock [Member]	Additional paid-in capital [Member] USD ($)	Accumulated earnings [Member] USD ($)	Accumulated other comprehensive loss [Member] USD ($)	Non-controlling interests [Member] USD ($)
Beginning balance (Minimum Pension Liability [Member])						$ (49,634)
Beginning balance (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						(44,968)
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2010	1,065,795	3,236		814,244	185,337		157,580
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2010			323,594,919
Net income (loss)	290,325				239,162		51,163
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	(19,088)
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax (Minimum Pension Liability [Member])						(19,088)
Stock options exercised (including tax benefit)	22,073	18		22,055
Stock options exercised (including tax benefit) (in shares)			1,822,373
Non-cash issuance of common stock	179			179
Non-cash issuance of common stock (in shares)			7,670
Non-vested stock grants	28	28
Non-vested stock grants (in shares)			2,803,221
Compensation expense for stock options and non-vested stock awards	44,327			44,327
Unrealized gains (losses) on interest rate swaps and interest rate caps, net of tax	(23,623)
Unrealized gains (losses) on interest rate swaps and interest rate caps, net of tax (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						(23,623)
Unrealized holding gains on available for sale securities, net of tax	77
Unrealized holding gains on available for sale securities, net of tax (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						77
Foreign currency translation (loss) gain	(24,165)						(940)
Foreign currency translation (loss) gain (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						(23,225)
Cancellation of non-vested stock awards	(2)	(2)
Cancellation of non-vested stock awards (in shares)			(256,027)
Contributions from non-controlling interests	10,231						10,231
Distributions to non-controlling interests	(129,686)						(129,686)
Acquisition of non-controlling interests	182,898						182,898
Other	(2,206)			1,336			(5,564)
Other (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						2,022
Ending balance (Minimum Pension Liability [Member])						(68,722)
Ending balance (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						(89,717)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2011	1,417,163	3,280		882,141	424,499		265,682
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011			327,972,156
Net income (loss)	304,787				315,555		(10,768)
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	(947)
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax (Minimum Pension Liability [Member])						(947)
Stock options exercised (including tax benefit)	23,254	19		23,235
Stock options exercised (including tax benefit) (in shares)			1,930,092
Non-cash issuance of common stock	177	4		173
Non-cash issuance of common stock (in shares)			441,097
Compensation expense for stock options and non-vested stock awards	51,712			51,712
Unrealized gains (losses) on interest rate swaps and interest rate caps, net of tax	(4,924)
Unrealized gains (losses) on interest rate swaps and interest rate caps, net of tax (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						(4,924)
Unrealized holding gains on available for sale securities, net of tax	475
Unrealized holding gains on available for sale securities, net of tax (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						475
Foreign currency translation (loss) gain	(997)						(386)
Foreign currency translation (loss) gain (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						(611)
Cancellation of non-vested stock awards	(2)	(2)
Cancellation of non-vested stock awards (in shares)			(261,158)
Contributions from non-controlling interests	16,075						16,075
Distributions to non-controlling interests	(48,162)						(48,162)
Deconsolidation of CBRE Clarion U.S., L.P. (see Note 3)	(91,580)						(91,580)
Other	14,781			3,639			11,740
Other (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						(598)
Ending balance (Minimum Pension Liability [Member])						(69,669)
Ending balance (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						(95,375)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2012	1,681,812	3,301		960,900	740,054		142,601
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012			330,082,187
Net income (loss)	348,795				316,538		32,257
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax	(5,638)
Pension liability adjustments, net of tax (Minimum Pension Liability [Member])						(5,638)
Stock options exercised (including tax benefit)	15,671	16		15,655
Stock options exercised (including tax benefit) (in shares)			1,620,515
Non-cash issuance of common stock	153	4		149
Non-cash issuance of common stock (in shares)			478,884
Non-cash issuance of non-vested common stock related to acquisition	9,205	4		9,201
Non-cash issuance of non-vested stock related to acquisition (in shares)			362,916
Non-vested stock grants	1	1
Non-vested stock grants (in shares)			72,580
Compensation expense for stock options and non-vested stock awards	48,429			48,429
Stock and stock units repurchased for payment of taxes on stock awards	(16,628)	(6)		(16,622)
Stock and stock units repurchased for payment of taxes on stock awards (in shares)			(601,917)
Unrealized gains (losses) on interest rate swaps and interest rate caps, net of tax	11,512
Unrealized gains (losses) on interest rate swaps and interest rate caps, net of tax (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						11,512
Unrealized holding gains on available for sale securities, net of tax	1,151
Unrealized holding gains on available for sale securities, net of tax (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						1,151
Foreign currency translation (loss) gain	7,390						(786)
Foreign currency translation (loss) gain (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						8,176
Cancellation of non-vested stock awards	(1)	(1)
Cancellation of non-vested stock awards (in shares)			(87,999)
Contributions from non-controlling interests	1,092						1,092
Distributions to non-controlling interests	(128,168)						(128,168)
Acquisition of non-controlling interests	(39,830)			(30,300)			(9,530)
Other	1,060			(5,415)			2,755
Other (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						3,720
Ending balance (Minimum Pension Liability [Member])						(75,307)
Ending balance (Foreign currency translation and other [Member])						(70,816)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 1,936,006	$ 3,319		$ 981,997	$ 1,056,592		$ 40,221
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013			331,927,166