Subsequent Events (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 home	Dec. 31, 2012 home	Dec. 31, 2011 home	Feb. 28, 2014 Subsequent event Avalon Valley home
Subsequent events
Number of apartment homes sold	3,299	1,578	1,038	268
Proceeds from sale of real estate	$ 919,442,000	$ 274,018,000	$ 287,358,000	$ 53,325,000