Consolidated Statements of Equity and Accumulated Earnings (USD $) In Thousands	Total USD ($)	Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member] USD ($)	Preferred Stock [Member] USD ($)	Preferred Stock [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member] USD ($)	Common Stock [Member] USD ($)	Common Stock [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] USD ($)	Accumulated Earnings [Member] USD ($)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] USD ($)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member] USD ($)	Treasury Stock [Member] USD ($)	Total Company Equity [Member] USD ($)	Total Company Equity [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member] USD ($)	Noncontrolling Interests - Consolidated Real Estate Entities [Member] USD ($)	Noncontrolling Interests - Consolidated Real Estate Entities [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member] USD ($)	General Partner [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member] USD ($)	Limited Partners [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member] USD ($)
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2009	$ 1,016,053	$ 1,016,053	$ 29	$ 95,000	$ 484		$ 960,593	$ 57,253			$ (3,240)	$ 1,015,119	$ 1,015,119	$ 934	$ 934	$ 10,786	$ 909,333
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2009			2,900	2,900	48,445	48,621
Comprehensive income (loss)	(6,940)	(6,940)		7,503				(6,960)				(6,960)	(6,960)	20	20	(145)	(14,318)
Sales of common stock, net	1,121	1,121					1,121					1,121	1,121			11	1,110
Sales of common stock, net, shares					41	41
Employee stock purchase, stock option and other plan issuances	5,908	5,908			5		6,370				(467)	5,908	5,908			59	5,849
Employee stock purchase, stock option and other plan issuances, shares					424	422
Conversion of redeemable common units for shares	74	74					63				11	74	74				74
Conversion of redeemable common units for shares, shares					3
Adjustment for ownership interest of redeemable common units	(7)	(7)					(7)					(7)	(7)				(7)
Redemption of preferred stock	(2,021)	(2,021)		(2,037)			(2,021)					(2,021)	(2,021)				16
Redemption of preferred stock, shares			(49)	(49)
Stock-based compensation	2,999	2,999					2,999					2,999	2,999			30	2,969
Dividends to preferred shareholders	(7,503)	(7,503)		(7,503)				(7,503)				(7,503)	(7,503)
Dividends to common shareholders	(38,991)	(38,991)					(778)	(38,213)				(38,991)	(38,991)			(391)	(38,600)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interests							385					385	385	(385)	(385)	4	381
Distributions to noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities	(364)	(364)												(364)	(364)
Adjustment to redemption value of redeemable common units	(3,034)	(3,034)					(3,034)					(3,034)	(3,034)				(3,034)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	967,295	967,295	29	92,963	489		965,691	4,577			(3,696)	967,090	967,090	205	205	10,354	863,773
Ending Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2010			2,851	2,851	48,913	49,084
Dividends to preferred shareholders	(1,689)	(1,689)
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2011
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	967,295	967,295	29	92,963	489		965,691	4,577			(3,696)	967,090	967,090	205	205	10,354	863,773
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2010			2,851	2,851	48,913	49,084
Comprehensive income (loss)	22,900	22,900		4,455				25,466	(2,633)	(2,633)		22,833	22,833	67	67	184	20,827
Sales of common stock, net	135,651	135,651			34		135,530				87	135,651	135,651			1,357	134,294
Sales of common stock, net, shares					3,409	3,409
Employee stock purchase, stock option and other plan issuances	17,286	17,286			7		17,670				(391)	17,286	17,286			173	17,113
Employee stock purchase, stock option and other plan issuances, shares					652	651
Conversion of redeemable common units for shares	547	547					547					547	547				547
Conversion of redeemable common units for shares, shares					14
Adjustment for ownership interest of redeemable common units	(466)	(466)					(466)					(466)	(466)				(466)
Redemption of preferred stock	(49,633)	(49,633)	(20)	(49,571)			(49,613)					(49,633)	(49,633)				(62)
Redemption of preferred stock, shares			(1,983)	(1,983)
Stock-based compensation	2,574	2,574					2,574					2,574	2,574			26	2,548
Dividends to preferred shareholders	(4,455)	(4,455)		(4,455)				(4,455)				(4,455)	(4,455)
Dividends to common shareholders	(43,105)	(43,105)					(17,517)	(25,588)				(43,105)	(43,105)			(432)	(42,673)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities	(267)	(267)												(267)	(267)
Adjustment to redemption value of redeemable common units	(804)	(804)					(804)					(804)	(804)				(804)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	1,047,523	1,047,523	9	43,392	530		1,053,612		(2,633)	(2,633)	(4,000)	1,047,518	1,047,518	5	5	11,662	995,097
Ending Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2011	868		868	868	52,988	53,144
Beginning Balance at Sep. 30, 2011
Dividends to preferred shareholders	(922)	(922)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	1,047,523	1,047,523
Ending Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2011	868
Dividends to preferred shareholders	(922)	(922)
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2012
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	1,047,523	1,047,523		43,392	530		1,053,612		(2,633)	(2,633)	(4,000)	1,047,518	1,047,518	5	5	11,662	995,097
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2011	868			868	52,988	53,144
Comprehensive income (loss)	75,028	75,028		3,688				83,939	(9,046)	(9,046)		74,893	74,893	135	135	804	79,447
Sales of common stock, net	25,457	25,457			6		25,451					25,457	25,457			255	25,202
Sales of common stock, net, shares					550	550
Employee stock purchase, stock option and other plan issuances	25,414	25,414			9		25,339				66	25,414	25,414			254	25,160
Employee stock purchase, stock option and other plan issuances, shares					919	919
Conversion of redeemable common units for shares	591	591					438				153	591	591				591
Conversion of redeemable common units for shares, shares					13
Adjustment for ownership interest of redeemable common units	(416)	(416)					(416)					(416)	(416)				(416)
Stock-based compensation	2,930	2,930					2,930					2,930	2,930			29	2,901
Dividends to preferred shareholders	(3,688)	(3,688)		(3,688)				(3,688)				(3,688)	(3,688)
Dividends to common shareholders	(52,551)	(52,551)						(52,551)				(52,551)	(52,551)			(527)	(52,024)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities	(234)	(234)												(234)	(234)
Adjustment to redemption value of redeemable common units	(434)	(434)						(434)				(434)	(434)				(434)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	1,119,620	1,119,620	9	43,392	545		1,107,354	27,266	(11,679)	(11,679)	(3,781)	1,119,714	1,119,714	(94)	(94)	12,477	1,075,524
Ending Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2012	868		868	868	54,470	54,613
Beginning Balance at Sep. 30, 2012
Dividends to preferred shareholders	(922)	(922)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 1,119,620	$ 1,119,620	$ 9
Ending Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2012	868		868