Organization	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Organization [Abstract]
Organization	(1) Organization The accompanying consolidated financial statements present the accounts of Essex Property Trust, Inc. (“Essex”, "ESS" or the “Company”), which include the accounts of the Company and Essex Portfolio, L.P. and subsidiaries (the “Operating Partnership,” which holds the operating assets of the Company). Unless otherwise indicated, the notes to consolidated financial statements apply to both the Company and the Operating Partnership. ESS is the sole general partner in the Operating Partnership with a 94.6% general partner interest and the limited partners owned a 5.4% interest as of December 31, 2013. The limited partners may convert their Operating Partnership units into an equivalent number of shares of common stock. Total Operating Partnership units outstanding were 2,149,802 and 2,122,381 as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and the redemption value of the units, based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock totaled $308.5 million and $311.2 million, as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The Company has reserved shares of common stock for such conversions. As of December 31, 2013, the Company owned or had ownership interests in 164 apartment communities, (aggregating 34,079 units), four commercial buildings, and eleven active development projects (collectively, the “Portfolio”). The communities are located in Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Ventura counties), Northern California (the San Francisco Bay Area) and the Seattle metropolitan area In December 2013, the Company and BRE Properties, Inc. (“BRE”) entered into a definitive agreement under which BRE will merge with Essex. Under the terms of the agreement, each BRE common share will be converted into 0.2971 newly issued shares of Essex common stock plus $12.33 in cash. The Company has obtained committed financing up to $1.0 billion (the “bridge loan”) which is available if needed to fund the cash portion of the purchase price. The bridge loan facility is structured as a 364-day unsecured loan facility available in a single draw on the closing date of the merger. The company is exploring several alternatives to fund the cash needs of the transaction including asset sales, joint ventures or new financing. The merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of approval of Essex and BRE shareholders. Additional information about the merger and the bridge loan can be found in the Form S-4 filed with the SEC on January 29, 2014.

Organization

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

(1) Organization

The accompanying consolidated financial statements present the accounts of Essex Property Trust, Inc. (“Essex”, "ESS" or the “Company”), which include the accounts of the Company and Essex Portfolio, L.P. and subsidiaries (the “Operating Partnership,” which holds the operating assets of the Company). Unless otherwise indicated, the notes to consolidated financial statements apply to both the Company and the Operating Partnership.

ESS is the sole general partner in the Operating Partnership with a 94.6% general partner interest and the limited partners owned a 5.4% interest as of December 31, 2013. The limited partners may convert their Operating Partnership units into an equivalent number of shares of common stock. Total Operating Partnership units outstanding were 2,149,802 and 2,122,381 as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and the redemption value of the units, based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock totaled $308.5 million and $311.2 million, as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The Company has reserved shares of common stock for such conversions.

As of December 31, 2013, the Company owned or had ownership interests in 164 apartment communities, (aggregating 34,079 units), four commercial buildings, and eleven active development projects (collectively, the “Portfolio”). The communities are located in Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Ventura counties), Northern California (the San Francisco Bay Area) and the Seattle metropolitan area

In December 2013, the Company and BRE Properties, Inc. (“BRE”) entered into a definitive agreement under which BRE will merge with Essex. Under the terms of the agreement, each BRE common share will be converted into 0.2971 newly issued shares of Essex common stock plus $12.33 in cash. The Company has obtained committed financing up to $1.0 billion (the “bridge loan”) which is available if needed to fund the cash portion of the purchase price. The bridge loan facility is structured as a 364-day unsecured loan facility available in a single draw on the closing date of the merger. The company is exploring several alternatives to fund the cash needs of the transaction including asset sales, joint ventures or new financing. The merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of approval of Essex and BRE shareholders. Additional information about the merger and the bridge loan can be found in the Form S-4 filed with the SEC on January 29, 2014.