Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Total Aimco Equity	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Distributions in Excess of Earnings	Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014			6,391	146,403
Beginning Balances at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 1,442,105	$ 1,227,735	$ 186,126	$ 1,464	$ 3,696,143	$ (6,456)	$ (2,649,542)	$ 214,370
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of stock (in shares)				9,430
Issuance of Common Stock	366,580	366,580		$ 94	366,486
Repurchase of Preferred Stock	(27,000)	(27,000)	$ (27,000)		695		(695)
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units	(4,181)							(4,181)
Amortization of share-based compensation cost (in shares)				27
Amortization of share-based compensation cost	7,096	7,096			7,096
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities	(1,819)	(6,008)			(6,008)			4,189
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	593	416				416		177
Other, net (in shares)				466
Other, net	352	352		$ 5	247		100	0
Net income	265,040	248,710					248,710	16,330
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(89,371)							(89,371)
Common Stock dividends	(184,391)	(184,391)					(184,391)
Preferred Stock dividends	(11,099)	(11,099)					(11,099)
Ending Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015			6,391	156,326
Ending Balances at Dec. 31, 2015	1,763,905	1,622,391	$ 159,126	$ 1,563	4,064,659	(6,040)	(2,596,917)	141,514
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Repurchase of Preferred Stock (in shares)			(1,391)
Repurchase of Preferred Stock	(34,799)	(34,799)	$ (34,126)		1,307		(1,980)
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units	(10,819)							(10,819)
Amortization of share-based compensation cost (in shares)				31
Amortization of share-based compensation cost	8,610	8,610			8,610
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities	(16,064)	(26,171)			(26,171)			10,107
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	7,662	7,051				7,051		611
Other, net (in shares)				531
Other, net	3,323	3,323		$ 6	3,317		0
Net income	476,034	430,410					430,410	45,624
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(35,974)							(35,974)
Common Stock dividends	(206,898)	(206,898)					(206,898)
Preferred Stock dividends	(10,014)	(10,014)					(10,014)
Ending Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016			5,000	156,888
Ending Balances at Dec. 31, 2016	1,944,966	1,793,903	$ 125,000	$ 1,569	4,051,722	1,011	(2,385,399)	151,063
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units	(11,882)							(11,882)
Amortization of share-based compensation cost (in shares)				18
Amortization of share-based compensation cost	9,251	8,638			8,638			613
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	3,401							3,401
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities	(312,775)	(160,586)			(160,586)			(152,189)
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	2,814	2,592				2,592		222
Other, net (in shares)				283
Other, net	271	271		$ 3	268		0
Net income	339,315	315,774					315,774	23,541
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(19,132)							(19,132)
Common Stock dividends	(226,172)	(226,172)					(226,172)
Preferred Stock dividends	(8,594)	(8,594)					(8,594)
Ending Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017			5,000	157,189
Ending Balances at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 1,655,753	$ 1,663,144	$ 125,000	$ 1,572	$ 3,900,042	$ 3,603	$ (2,367,073)	$ (7,391)