Organization (Details Textual)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018 community Units Property shares
Organization [Line Items]
Common partnership units and equivalents outstanding | shares	157,352,109
Percentage of the Aimco Operating Partnership's common partnership units and equivalents owned by Aimco	94.60%
AIMCO PROPERTIES, L.P [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Common partnership units and equivalents outstanding | shares	166,384,727
Aimco Real Estate [Member] | Partially Owned Properties [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Number of apartment communities | Property	133
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units	36,481
Aimco Real Estate [Member] | Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Number of apartment communities | Property	129
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units	36,339
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Aimco Real Estate [Member] | Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Number of apartment communities | Property	4
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units	1,334
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Hunters Point Affordable Apartment Communities [Member] | Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Number of apartment communities | community	4