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Investments in Real Estate Entities (Details 2) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
Investments in Real Estate Entities (Details 2) (USD $)	Jun. 30, 2014 community	Dec. 31, 2014 community home property	Dec. 31, 2013 home	Dec. 31, 2012 home	Feb. 29, 2004 home	Dec. 31, 2004 home	Feb. 27, 2013
Investment in Real Estate Entities
Number of Apartment Homes Sold		1,337avb_NumberOfApartmentHomesSold	3,299avb_NumberOfApartmentHomesSold	1,578avb_NumberOfApartmentHomesSold
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate		$ 281,125,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfRealEstate	$ 919,442,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfRealEstate	$ 274,018,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfRealEstate
Gain on sale of communities		333,221,000	96,152,000	106,195,000
Repayments of secured mortgages		16,341,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfSecuredDebt	0us-gaap_RepaymentsOfSecuredDebt	0us-gaap_RepaymentsOfSecuredDebt
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt	(412,000)	(412,000)	(14,921,000)	(1,179,000)
Number of land parcels		1avb_NumberOfLandParcelsAcquired
Number of apartment communities sold	8avb_NumberofApartmentCommunitiesSold	4avb_NumberofApartmentCommunitiesSold
Income tax expense		9,368,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	0us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	0us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
CVP I, LLC
Investment in Real Estate Entities
Number of Apartment Homes Sold					361
Combined general partner and limited partner equity interest (as a percent)		20.00%
Distribution percentage after achievement of a threshold return		50.00%
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate		365,000,000
Gain on sale of communities		50,478,000
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments Due to Recognition of Promoted Interest from Disposition		58,128,000
Repayments of secured mortgages		117,000,000
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt		647,000
Equity in income of unconsolidated entities relating to the Company's recognition of promoted interest		61,218,000	5,527,000	5,260,000
Residual JV
Investment in Real Estate Entities
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate		53,052,000
Gain on sale of communities		8,510,000
MVPI LLC
Investment in Real Estate Entities
Combined general partner and limited partner equity interest (as a percent)		25.00%
Distribution percentage after achievement of a threshold return		45.00%
Number of apartment homes						313
Equity in income of unconsolidated entities relating to the Company's recognition of promoted interest		930,000	516,000
SWIB Dispositions
Investment in Real Estate Entities
Number of Apartment Homes Sold		492
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate		76,250,000
US Fund
Investment in Real Estate Entities
Number of extension options		2
Period of extension (in years)		1 year
Number of Institutional Investors		6
Equity investment		88,220,000
Equity interest held (as a percent)		28.60%
Number of loans secured by individual assets		9
Debt outstanding		327,880,000
ACJV
Investment in Real Estate Entities
Number of Institutional Investors		4
Equity investment		69,633,000
Equity interest held (as a percent)		20.00%
Number of loans secured by individual assets		8
Debt outstanding		162,300,000
Maximum geographic radius for existing assets within considered for right of first offer		1
Number of Apartment Homes Sold		103
Number of Apartment Homes in Communities for Development		301
Brandywine
Investment in Real Estate Entities
Equity interest held (as a percent)		28.70%					26.10%
Debt outstanding		24,346,000
Number of Apartment Homes in Communities Owned		305
Number of members who hold various interests in the joint venture		5
Additional interest purchased		2.60%
SWIB
Investment in Real Estate Entities
Equity interest held (as a percent)		20.00%
Debt outstanding		148,866,000
Gain on sale of communities		779,000
Repayments of secured mortgages		38,155,000
Number of Communities Owned		4
Number of Apartment Homes in Communities Owned		1,410
Number of land parcels		2
Ownership interest held by subsidiaries of the entity (as a percent)		40.00%
Number of apartment communities sold		2
Arna Valley View LP
Investment in Real Estate Entities
Number of Apartment Homes Sold		101
Repayments of secured mortgages		8,934,000
Equity in income of unconsolidated entities relating to the Company's recognition of promoted interest		2,406,000
Secured notes
Investment in Real Estate Entities
Repayments of secured mortgages	5,914,000
Variable rate notes		1,047,461,000	1,011,609,000
Secured notes \| MVPI LLC
Investment in Real Estate Entities
Variable rate notes		$ 105,000,000
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)		2.50%
Debt instrument variable rate (as a percent)		LIBOR