CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS OF ERP OPERATING LIMITED PARTNERSHIP (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 4,177,723	$ 694,298
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	528,242	584,862
Amortization of deferred financing costs	10,000	7,734
Amortization of above/below market leases	2,566	2,534
Amortization of discounts and premiums on debt	(18,328)	(7,718)
Amortization of deferred settlements on derivative instruments	37,187	13,483
Write-off of pursuit costs	3,379	2,322
(Income) from investments in unconsolidated entities	(5,846)	(14,388)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities – return on capital	2,165	3,564
Net (gain) on sales of investment securities and other investments	(58,416)	(387)
Net (gain) on sales of real estate properties	(3,870,871)	(295,692)
Net (gain) loss on sales of land parcels	(15,759)	1
Net (gain) on sales of discontinued operations	(43)	0
Realized/unrealized loss on derivative instruments	0	3,055
Compensation paid with Company Common Shares	25,540	29,269
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Decrease (increase) in deposits – restricted	9,992	(1,268)
Decrease in mortgage deposits	222	756
Decrease (increase) in other assets	4,248	(25,428)
Increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses	41,371	63,385
(Decrease) in accrued interest payable	(15,780)	(3,457)
(Decrease) increase in other liabilities	(24,749)	5,120
(Decrease) increase in security deposits	(13,522)	1,301
Net cash provided by operating activities	819,321	1,063,346
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Investment in real estate – acquisitions	(205,881)	(159,575)
Investment in real estate – development/other	(454,502)	(485,758)
Capital expenditures to real estate	(124,551)	(134,438)
Non-real estate capital additions	(4,467)	(2,384)
Interest capitalized for real estate under development	(41,658)	(45,850)
Proceeds from disposition of real estate, net	6,584,126	457,499
Investments in unconsolidated entities	(3,826)	(22,998)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities – return of capital	13,798	45,245
Proceeds from sale of investment securities and other investments	72,815	387
(Increase) in deposits on real estate acquisitions and investments, net	(83,668)	(62,433)
(Increase) in mortgage deposits	(21)	(407)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	5,752,165	(410,712)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Debt financing costs	(507)	(6,355)
Mortgage deposits	(6,249)	(6,335)
Mortgage notes payable, net:
Lump sum payoffs	(565,084)	(177,564)
Scheduled principal repayments	(6,644)	(7,161)
Notes, net:
Proceeds	0	746,391
Lump sum payoffs	(1,500,000)	(300,000)
Line of credit and commercial paper:
Line of credit proceeds	246,000	3,569,000
Line of credit repayments	(246,000)	(3,902,000)
Commercial paper proceeds	1,324,784	2,491,848
Commercial paper repayments	(1,712,472)	(2,462,500)
(Payments on) settlement of derivative instruments	0	(13,938)
Proceeds from EQR's Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP)	2,778	3,376
Proceeds from exercise of options	26,939	37,047
Redemption of Preference Units	0	(9,820)
Premium on redemption of Preference Units	0	(2,789)
Payment of offering costs	(304)	(69)
Other financing activities, net	(33)	(33)
Contributions – Limited Partners	1	3
Distributions:
Noncontrolling Interests – Partially Owned Properties	(28,588)	(5,356)
Net cash (used for) financing activities	(6,096,176)	(655,348)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	475,310	(2,714)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	42,276	40,080
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	517,586	37,366
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	383,374	328,400
Net cash paid for income and other taxes	1,333	1,052
Real estate acquisitions/dispositions/other:
Mortgage loans assumed	43,400	0
Amortization of deferred financing costs:
Other assets	2,291	2,291
Mortgage notes payable, net	3,320	2,368
Notes, net	4,389	3,075
Amortization of discounts and premiums on debt:
Mortgage notes payable, net	(21,318)	(10,261)
Notes, net	2,578	1,895
Line of credit and commercial paper	412	648
Amortization of deferred settlements on derivative instruments:
Other liabilities	(75)	(164)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	37,262	13,647
Write-off of pursuit costs:
Investment in real estate, net	2,876	1,929
Deposits – restricted	0	330
Other assets	399	63
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	104	0
(Income) from investments in unconsolidated entities:
Investments in unconsolidated entities	(6,999)	(16,309)
Other liabilities	1,153	1,921
Distributions from unconsolidated entities – return on capital:
Investments in unconsolidated entities	2,165	3,462
Other liabilities	0	102
Realized/unrealized loss on derivative instruments:
Other assets	(4,563)	(9,677)
Notes, net	4,563	8,162
Other liabilities	4,240	2,774
Unrealized holding (losses) gains arising during the period	(4,240)	1,796
Investments in unconsolidated entities:
Investments in unconsolidated entities	(1,726)	(1,383)
Other liabilities	(2,100)	(21,615)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities - return of capital:
Investments in unconsolidated entities	14,014	45,245
Other assets	(216)	0
Debt financing costs:
Mortgage notes payable, net	(507)	0
Notes, net	0	(6,355)
Other:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(264)	311
ERPOP [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	4,177,723	694,298
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	528,242	584,862
Amortization of deferred financing costs	10,000	7,734
Amortization of above/below market leases	2,566	2,534
Amortization of discounts and premiums on debt	(18,328)	(7,718)
Amortization of deferred settlements on derivative instruments	37,187	13,483
Write-off of pursuit costs	3,379	2,322
(Income) from investments in unconsolidated entities	(5,846)	(14,388)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities – return on capital	2,165	3,564
Net (gain) on sales of investment securities and other investments	(58,416)	(387)
Net (gain) on sales of real estate properties	(3,870,871)	(295,692)
Net (gain) loss on sales of land parcels	(15,759)	1
Net (gain) on sales of discontinued operations	(43)	0
Realized/unrealized loss on derivative instruments	0	3,055
Compensation paid with Company Common Shares	25,540	29,269
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Decrease (increase) in deposits – restricted	9,992	(1,268)
Decrease in mortgage deposits	222	756
Decrease (increase) in other assets	4,248	(25,428)
Increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses	41,371	63,385
(Decrease) in accrued interest payable	(15,780)	(3,457)
(Decrease) increase in other liabilities	(24,749)	5,120
(Decrease) increase in security deposits	(13,522)	1,301
Net cash provided by operating activities	819,321	1,063,346
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Investment in real estate – acquisitions	(205,881)	(159,575)
Investment in real estate – development/other	(454,502)	(485,758)
Capital expenditures to real estate	(124,551)	(134,438)
Non-real estate capital additions	(4,467)	(2,384)
Interest capitalized for real estate under development	(41,658)	(45,850)
Proceeds from disposition of real estate, net	6,584,126	457,499
Investments in unconsolidated entities	(3,826)	(22,998)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities – return of capital	13,798	45,245
Proceeds from sale of investment securities and other investments	72,815	387
(Increase) in deposits on real estate acquisitions and investments, net	(83,668)	(62,433)
(Increase) in mortgage deposits	(21)	(407)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	5,752,165	(410,712)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Debt financing costs	(507)	(6,355)
Mortgage deposits	(6,249)	(6,335)
Mortgage notes payable, net:
Lump sum payoffs	(565,084)	(177,564)
Scheduled principal repayments	(6,644)	(7,161)
Notes, net:
Proceeds	0	746,391
Lump sum payoffs	(1,500,000)	(300,000)
Line of credit and commercial paper:
Line of credit proceeds	246,000	3,569,000
Line of credit repayments	(246,000)	(3,902,000)
Commercial paper proceeds	1,324,784	2,491,848
Commercial paper repayments	(1,712,472)	(2,462,500)
(Payments on) settlement of derivative instruments	0	(13,938)
Proceeds from EQR's Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP)	2,778	3,376
Proceeds from exercise of options	26,939	37,047
Redemption of Preference Units	0	(9,820)
Premium on redemption of Preference Units	0	(2,789)
Payment of offering costs	(304)	(69)
Other financing activities, net	(33)	(33)
Contributions – Limited Partners	1	3
Distributions:
OP Units – General Partner	(3,490,838)	(583,568)
Preference Units	(2,318)	(2,557)
OP Units – Limited Partners	(137,641)	(22,968)
Noncontrolling Interests – Partially Owned Properties	(28,588)	(5,356)
Net cash (used for) financing activities	(6,096,176)	(655,348)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	475,310	(2,714)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	42,276	40,080
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	517,586	37,366
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	383,374	328,400
Net cash paid for income and other taxes	1,333	1,052
Real estate acquisitions/dispositions/other:
Mortgage loans assumed	43,400	0
Amortization of deferred financing costs:
Other assets	2,291	2,291
Mortgage notes payable, net	3,320	2,368
Notes, net	4,389	3,075
Amortization of discounts and premiums on debt:
Mortgage notes payable, net	(21,318)	(10,261)
Notes, net	2,578	1,895
Line of credit and commercial paper	412	648
Amortization of deferred settlements on derivative instruments:
Other liabilities	(75)	(164)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	37,262	13,647
Write-off of pursuit costs:
Investment in real estate, net	2,876	1,929
Deposits – restricted	0	330
Other assets	399	63
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	104	0
(Income) from investments in unconsolidated entities:
Investments in unconsolidated entities	(6,999)	(16,309)
Other liabilities	1,153	1,921
Distributions from unconsolidated entities – return on capital:
Investments in unconsolidated entities	2,165	3,462
Other liabilities	0	102
Realized/unrealized loss on derivative instruments:
Other assets	(4,563)	(9,677)
Notes, net	4,563	8,162
Other liabilities	4,240	2,774
Unrealized holding (losses) gains arising during the period	(4,240)	1,796
Investments in unconsolidated entities:
Investments in unconsolidated entities	(1,726)	(1,383)
Other liabilities	(2,100)	(21,615)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities - return of capital:
Investments in unconsolidated entities	14,014	45,245
Other assets	(216)	0
Debt financing costs:
Mortgage notes payable, net	(507)	0
Notes, net	0	(6,355)
Other:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	$ (264)	$ 311