Represents the assumed period of borrowing rate.

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Represents the amount of extension fee payable on each extension option.

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Represents the potential extension period of the Credit Facility.

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Percent of Credit Facility Available to Competitive Bid Option

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Amount of long-term debt due after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, assumed at the acquisition date.

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Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

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No definition available.

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The reference rate for the variable rate of the debt instrument, such as LIBOR or the US Treasury rate and the maturity of the reference rate used, such as three months or six months LIBOR.

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Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

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Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

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Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

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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.

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No definition available.

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Weighted average interest rate of debt outstanding.

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No definition available.

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Difference between the fair value of payments made and the carrying amount of debt which is extinguished prior to maturity.

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This item represents a non-contingent liability for the fair value of an obligation to stand ready to perform over the term of a guaranty issued in the event that specified triggering events or conditions occur.

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The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

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No definition available.

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The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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Amount of the fee for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility.

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The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility regardless of whether the facility has been used.

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No definition available.

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Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

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The interest rate applicable to the portion of the carrying amount of long-term borrowings outstanding as of the balance sheet date, including current maturities, which accrues interest at a set, unchanging rate.

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The carrying amount, as of the date of the latest financial statement presented, of real estate owned but transferred to serve as collateral for the payment of the related debt obligation, primarily a secured borrowing or repurchase agreement, and for which the transferee is not permitted to sell or re-pledge them to an unrelated party.

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The cash inflow during the period from additional borrowings in aggregate debt. Includes proceeds from short-term and long-term debt.

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No definition available.

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The cash outflow to repay long-term debt that is wholly or partially secured by collateral. Excludes repayments of tax exempt secured debt.

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The cash outflow to repay long-term debt that is not secured by collateral. Excludes repayments of tax exempt unsecured debt.

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Mortgage Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility (Details 2) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	May 31, 2016	Apr. 30, 2016	Feb. 29, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2016
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Current interest rate (as a percent)		3.35%
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt, net					$ 0	$ (18,987,000)	$ 2,461,000	$ (26,736,000)
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		2.95%
Repayments of Unsecured Debt							250,000,000	$ 0
Variable rate unsecured credit facility	$ 170,000,000				170,000,000		170,000,000		$ 0
Net carrying value of apartment communities and improved land parcels securing debt	3,482,680,000				$ 3,482,680,000		$ 3,482,680,000
Unsecured notes
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Repayments of Unsecured Debt	$ 250,000,000
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Fixed Interest, Percentage Rate	5.75%				5.75%		5.75%
Mortgage notes payable
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Mortgage notes payable held by wholly owned subsidiaries guaranteed by the Company	$ 100,000,000				$ 100,000,000		$ 100,000,000
Unsecured Notes 2.95 Percent [Member]
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		$ 475,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt		$ 471,751,000
Notes Payable Maturities 2020 [Member] \| Avalon Hoboken [Member] \| Mortgage notes payable
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Long-term Debt										$ 67,904,000
Current interest rate (as a percent)										4.18%
Notes Payable Maturities 2016 [Member] \| Mortgage notes payable
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Current interest rate (as a percent)				3.32%
Repayments of secured mortgages				$ 16,212,000
Notes Payable Maturities 2046 [Member]
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt, net			$ (2,461,000)
Notes Payable Maturities 2046 [Member] \| Mortgage notes payable
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Repayments of secured mortgages			$ 134,500,000
Notes Payable Maturities 2019 [Member] \| Avalon Columbia Pike [Member] \| Mortgage notes payable
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Long-term Debt	$ 70,507,000				$ 70,507,000		$ 70,507,000
Current interest rate (as a percent)	3.38%				3.38%		3.38%
Variable rate unsecured credit facility
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Available borrowing capacity	$ 1,500,000,000				$ 1,500,000,000		$ 1,500,000,000		$ 1,300,000,000
Line of credit facility, extension period							9 months
Extension fee							$ 1,500,000
Period of borrowing rate assumed							1 month
Percent of Credit Facility Available to Competitive Bid Option	65.00%				65.00%		65.00%
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage							0.125%		0.15%
Annual facility fee							$ 1,875,000
Variable rate unsecured credit facility									$ 0
Outstanding balance of letters of credit	$ 53,137,000				$ 53,137,000		$ 53,137,000		$ 43,049,000
Variable rate unsecured credit facility \| LIBOR
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Current interest rate (as a percent)	1.36%				1.36%		1.36%
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)							0.825%
Variable rate unsecured credit facility \| Minimum [Member]
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)							0.80%
Variable rate unsecured credit facility \| Maximum [Member]
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)							1.55%
Secured Mortgage \| LIBOR
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Debt instrument variable rate							LIBOR
Fixed rate mortgage notes payable
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Weighted average interest rate, debt (as a percent)	4.40%				4.40%		4.40%		4.60%
Variable rate mortgage notes payable, unsecured term loan and Credit Facility
Notes Payable, Unsecured Notes and Credit Facility
Weighted average interest rate, debt (as a percent)	2.30%				2.30%		2.30%		1.80%