Variable Interest Entities (Details) - Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) Entity Units Property	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) Entity Units Property
Aimco Real Estate [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of consolidated variable interest entities | Entity	13	14
Number of apartment communities | Property	13	14
Number of apartment homes owned by VIEs | Units	4,196	4,321
Variable Interest Entity, Consolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net [Abstract]
Real Estate Investment Property, Net	$ 530,382	$ 529,898
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	17,567	16,111
Restricted cash	7,050	4,798
Secured Debt	410,600	412,205
Accrued liabilities and other	$ 13,427	$ 10,623
Asset Management [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of consolidated variable interest entities | Entity	41	49
Number of apartment communities | Property	31	37
Number of apartment homes owned by VIEs | Units	4,879	5,893
Variable Interest Entity, Consolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets and Liabilities, Net [Abstract]
Real Estate Investment Property, Net	$ 173,949	$ 215,580
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	15,479	15,931
Restricted cash	22,232	30,107
Secured Debt	184,316	220,356
Accrued liabilities and other	$ 13,586	$ 20,241