Percentage ownership in consolidated joint venture.

No definition available.

Name:	pps_PercentageOwnershipInConsolidatedJointVenture
Namespace Prefix:	pps_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the amount of gain (loss) on sale of properties during the reporting period net of the applicable income taxes realized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 974
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-15.(a)(1)(ii))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6875705&loc=d3e641549-123027

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfPropertiesNetOfApplicableIncomeTaxes
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net gain (loss) resulting from sales and other disposals of real estate owned for investment purposes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.14(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainsLossesOnSalesOfInvestmentRealEstate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of units in a real estate property owned as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfUnitsInRealEstateProperty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash inflow from the sale of formerly productive land held for sale, anything permanently fixed to it, including buildings, structures on it, and so forth.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyHeldForSale
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=pps_ApartmentCommunitiesSoldMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=pps_HoustonTexasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=stpr_NY
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_ParentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupClassificationAxis=us-gaap_DisposalGroupHeldforsaleNotDiscontinuedOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Real Estate Activities (Dispositions) - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Apartment Property	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) Apartment	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) Apartment
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of real estate properties \| Property	61
Number of units in real estate property \| Apartment	24,162
Net gains on condominium sales activities		$ 2,545	$ 27,944
Gains on sales of real estate assets, net	$ 1,475	$ 187,825
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of units in real estate property \| Apartment			342
Apartment community sold approximately for gross proceeds			$ 47,500
Gains on sales of real estate assets, net			$ 28,380
Apartment Communities Sold [Member] \| Houston, Texas [Member]
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of real estate properties \| Apartment		1
Number of units in real estate property \| Apartment		308
Apartment community sold approximately for gross proceeds		$ 71,750
Net gains on condominium sales activities		$ 36,092
Apartment Communities Sold [Member] \| New York [Member]
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of real estate properties \| Apartment		2
Number of units in real estate property \| Apartment		337
Apartment community sold approximately for gross proceeds		$ 270,000
Gains on sales of real estate assets, net		$ 151,733
One of these communities was held in a consolidated joint venture with Company ownership		68.00%
Apartment Communities Sold [Member] \| New York [Member] \| Total Company Equity [Member]
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Net gains on condominium sales activities		$ 127,659
Assets Held-for-Sale [Member]
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of units in real estate property \| Apartment		645
Assets Held-for-Sale [Member] \| Apartment Communities Sold [Member]
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Number of real estate properties \| Apartment		3