Equity, Capital and Other Interests (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2013

Common shares and units rollforward

The following tables present the changes in the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Shares and “Units” (which includes OP Units and Long-Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”) Units) for the six months ended June 30, 2013:

	2013
Common Shares
Common Shares outstanding at January 1,	325,054,654
Common Shares Issued:
Conversion of OP Units	36,262
Issuance of Common Shares	34,468,085
Exercise of share options	468,203
Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP)	50,148
Restricted share grants, net	234,697
Common Shares outstanding at June 30,	360,312,049
Units
Units outstanding at January 1,	13,968,758
LTIP Units, net	281,931
Conversion of OP Units to Common Shares	(36,262	)
Units outstanding at June 30,	14,214,427
Total Common Shares and Units outstanding at June 30,	374,526,476
Units Ownership Interest in Operating Partnership	3.8	%

Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the change in the redemption value of the Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership for the six months ended June 30, 2013 (amounts in thousands):

	2013
Balance at January 1,	$	398,372
Change in market value	(33,039		)
Change in carrying value	42,557
Balance at June 30,	$	407,890

Schedule Of Preferred Stock [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the Company’s issued and outstanding Preferred Shares as of June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012:

				Amounts in thousands
	Redemption Date (1)	Annual Dividend per Share (2)		June 30, 2013		December 31, 2012
Preferred Shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized:
8.29% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred; liquidation value $50 per share; 1,000,000 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012	12/10/26		$4.145	$	50,000	$	50,000
				$	50,000	$	50,000

(1) On or after the redemption date, redeemable preferred shares may be redeemed for cash at the option of the Company, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to the liquidation price per share, plus accrued and unpaid distributions, if any.

(2) Dividends on Preferred Shares are payable quarterly.

Limited Partner [Member]

Common shares and units rollforward

The following tables present the changes in the Operating Partnership’s issued and outstanding Units and in the limited partners’ Units for the six months ended June 30, 2013:

	2013
General and Limited Partner Units
General and Limited Partner Units outstanding at January 1,	339,023,412
Issued to General Partner:
Issuance of OP Units	34,468,085
Exercise of EQR share options	468,203
EQR’s Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP)	50,148
EQR's restricted share grants, net	234,697
Issued to Limited Partners:
LTIP Units, net	281,931
General and Limited Partner Units outstanding at June 30,	374,526,476
Limited Partner Units
Limited Partner Units outstanding at January 1,	13,968,758
Limited Partner LTIP Units, net	281,931
Conversion of Limited Partner OP Units to EQR Common Shares	(36,262	)
Limited Partner Units outstanding at June 30,	14,214,427
Limited Partner Units Ownership Interest in Operating Partnership	3.8	%

Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the change in the redemption value of the Redeemable Limited Partners for the six months ended June 30, 2013 (amounts in thousands):

	2013
Balance at January 1,	$	398,372
Change in market value	(33,039		)
Change in carrying value	42,557
Balance at June 30,	$	407,890

Schedule Of Preferred Stock [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the Operating Partnership’s issued and outstanding “Preference Units” as of June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012:

				Amounts in thousands
	Redemption Date (1)	Annual Dividend per Unit (2)		June 30, 2013		December 31, 2012
Preference Units:
8.29% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preference Units;   liquidation value $50 per unit; 1,000,000 units issued and   outstanding at June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012	12/10/26		$4.145	$	50,000	$	50,000
				$	50,000	$	50,000

(1) On or after the redemption date, redeemable preference units may be redeemed for cash at the option of the Operating Partnership, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to the liquidation price per unit, plus accrued and unpaid distributions, if any, in conjunction with the concurrent redemption of the corresponding Company Preferred Shares.

(2) Dividends on Preference Units are payable quarterly.