Significant Transactions, Dispositions of Apartment Communities and Assets Held for Sale (Details Textual) ft² in Thousands, $ in Thousands, shares in Millions	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2018 USD ($) shares	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) Units Property	May 01, 2018 ft² Units Property	Apr. 26, 2018 Property	Apr. 16, 2018 USD ($) ft² Units Property	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Noncontrolling Interest in Limited Partnerships		$ (2,755)				$ (1,716)
Assets		6,255,290				6,079,040
Liabilities		$ 4,491,265				$ 4,321,750
Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member] | Assets Held-for-sale [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of apartment communities | Property		0
Bent Tree Apartments - Fairfax County, Virginia [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Total fair value allocated to land		$ 47,000
Total fair value allocated to building and improvements		113,000
Total fair value allocated to other items		1,000
Payments to acquire and develop real estate		$ 160,000
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units		748
Capitalized asset acquisition costs		$ 1,000
La Jolla Cove [Member] | Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member] | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Notional value of seller financing provided		48,600
Net cash proceeds from the sale of real estate with seller financing provided		$ 5,000
Aimco Real Estate [Member] | Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units		37,086
Number of apartment communities | Property		130
Aimco Real Estate [Member] | Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member] | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units		513
Net proceeds to Aimco from the sale of real estate		$ 64,600
Gain on dispositions of real estate		50,600
Gross proceeds from sale of real estate		$ 71,900
Number of apartment communities | Property		3
Asset Management [Member] | Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units		6,211
Number of apartment communities | Property		39
Subsequent Event [Member] | 2018 Philadelphia Acquisition Portfolio [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Payments to acquire and develop real estate	$ 65,000
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units			665		1,006
Area of office and retail space acquired (in square feet) | ft²			153		185
Noncash or part noncash acquisition, debt assumed	290,000
Common units issued during period, value	$ 90,000
Common units issued during period | shares	1.7
Number of apartment communities | Property			4		6
Stated purchase price of real estate acquired					$ 445,000
Subsequent Event [Member] | One Ardmore Place - Philadelphia [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of apartment homes in apartment communities | Units					110
Subsequent Event [Member] | Hunters Point Affordable Apartment Communities [Member] | Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member] | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of apartment communities | Property				4
Asset Management [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | Wholly And Partially Owned Consolidated Properties [Member] | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net proceeds to Aimco from the sale of real estate	$ 512,000
Gross proceeds from sale of real estate	$ 590,000