Operating Partnership Earnings Per Unit - Schedule of Computation of Basic and Diluted Net Income Per Share (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Income from continuing operations	$ 47,991	$ 27,171	$ 62,244	$ 47,128
Noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities	(154)	(58)	(138)	(55)
Preferred unit distributions	(922)	(922)	(1,844)	(1,844)
Unvested restricted stock (allocation of earnings)	(110)	(60)	(132)	(97)
Income from continuing operations available to common unitholders	46,687	26,064	59,979	45,014
Weighted average units outstanding - basic	54,223	54,464	54,199	54,450
Dilutive units from stock options	112	194	115	198
Weighted average units outstanding - diluted	54,335	54,658	54,314	54,648
Basic	$ 0.86	$ 0.48	$ 1.11	$ 0.83
Diluted	$ 0.86	$ 0.48	$ 1.10	$ 0.82
Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Income from continuing operations	47,991	27,171	62,244	47,128
Noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities	(154)	(58)	(138)	(55)
Preferred unit distributions	(922)	(922)	(1,844)	(1,844)
Unvested restricted stock (allocation of earnings)	(110)	(60)	(132)	(97)
Income from continuing operations available to common unitholders	$ 46,805	$ 26,131	$ 60,130	$ 45,132
Weighted average units outstanding - basic	54,358	54,607	54,334	54,593
Dilutive units from stock options	112	194	115	198
Weighted average units outstanding - diluted	54,470	54,801	54,449	54,791
Basic	$ 0.86	$ 0.48	$ 1.11	$ 0.83
Diluted	$ 0.86	$ 0.48	$ 1.10	$ 0.82