Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Revenues
Rental	$ 360,615	$ 355,583	$ 341,902
Other property revenues	22,182	21,237	19,963
Other	1,209	992	872
Total revenues	384,006	377,812	362,737
Expenses
Property operating and maintenance (exclusive of items shown separately below)	165,356	162,959	155,261
Depreciation	87,458	84,759	85,608
General and administrative	18,558	17,898	17,245
Investment and development	616	2,366	1,755
Other investment costs	519	768	1,324
Severance, impairment and other		2,266	2,417
Total expenses	272,507	271,016	263,610
Operating income	111,499	106,796	99,127
Interest income	168	135	77
Interest expense	(31,587)	(40,286)	(44,704)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	(1,747)	(2,282)	(2,573)
Net gains on condominium sales activities		2,545	27,944
Equity in income of unconsolidated real estate entities, net	2,208	1,788	2,090
Other income (expense), net	(1,026)	19	(839)
Net loss on extinguishment of indebtedness	(197)	(18,357)
Income from continuing operations, before gains on sales of real estate assets	79,318	50,358	81,122
Gains on sales of real estate assets, net	1,475	187,825
Income from continuing operations	80,793	238,183	81,122
Discontinued operations
Income from discontinued property operations			1,418
Gains on sales of real estate assets			28,380
Income from discontinued operations			29,798
Net income	80,793	238,183	110,920
Noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities		(22,554)	(107)
Noncontrolling interests - Operating Partnership	(170)	(509)	(279)
Net income available to the Company	80,623	215,120	110,534
Dividends to preferred shareholders	(3,688)	(3,688)	(3,688)
Net income available to common shareholders	$ 76,935	$ 211,432	$ 106,846
Per common share data - Basic
Income from continuing operations (net of preferred dividends)	$ 1.41	$ 3.89	$ 1.42
Income from discontinued operations			0.55
Net income available to common shareholders	$ 1.41	$ 3.89	$ 1.96
Weighted average common shares outstanding - basic	54,290	54,262	54,336
Per common share data - Diluted
Income from continuing operations (net of preferred dividends)	$ 1.41	$ 3.88	$ 1.41
Income from discontinued operations			0.54
Net income available to common shareholders	$ 1.41	$ 3.88	$ 1.96
Weighted average common shares outstanding - diluted	54,306	54,353	54,508
Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member]
Revenues
Rental	$ 360,615	$ 355,583	$ 341,902
Other property revenues	22,182	21,237	19,963
Other	1,209	992	872
Total revenues	384,006	377,812	362,737
Expenses
Property operating and maintenance (exclusive of items shown separately below)	165,356	162,959	155,261
Depreciation	87,458	84,759	85,608
General and administrative	18,558	17,898	17,245
Investment and development	616	2,366	1,755
Other investment costs	519	768	1,324
Severance, impairment and other		2,266	2,417
Total expenses	272,507	271,016	263,610
Operating income	111,499	106,796	99,127
Interest income	168	135	77
Interest expense	(31,587)	(40,286)	(44,704)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	(1,747)	(2,282)	(2,573)
Net gains on condominium sales activities		2,545	27,944
Equity in income of unconsolidated real estate entities, net	2,208	1,788	2,090
Other income (expense), net	(1,026)	19	(839)
Net loss on extinguishment of indebtedness	(197)	(18,357)
Income from continuing operations, before gains on sales of real estate assets	79,318	50,358	81,122
Gains on sales of real estate assets, net	1,475	187,825
Income from continuing operations	80,793	238,183	81,122
Discontinued operations
Income from discontinued property operations			1,418
Gains on sales of real estate assets			28,380
Income from discontinued operations			29,798
Net income	80,793	238,183	110,920
Noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities		(22,554)	(107)
Net income available to the Company	80,793	215,629	110,813
Dividends to preferred shareholders	(3,688)	(3,688)	(3,688)
Net income available to common shareholders	$ 77,105	$ 211,941	$ 107,125
Per common share data - Basic
Income from continuing operations (net of preferred dividends)	$ 1.41	$ 3.89	$ 1.42
Income from discontinued operations			0.55
Net income available to common shareholders	$ 1.41	$ 3.89	$ 1.96
Weighted average common shares outstanding - basic	54,411	54,392	54,478
Per common share data - Diluted
Income from continuing operations (net of preferred dividends)	$ 1.41	$ 3.88	$ 1.41
Income from discontinued operations			0.54
Net income available to common shareholders	$ 1.41	$ 3.88	$ 1.96
Weighted average common shares outstanding - diluted	54,427	54,483	54,650