Commitments and contingencies.

No definition available.

Name:	aiv_CommitmentsAndContingenciesTextualAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	aiv_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Environmental Remediation, Number of Potentially Responsible Parties

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aiv_EnvironmentalRemediationNumberofPotentiallyResponsibleParties
Namespace Prefix:	aiv_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of rent expense incurred for leased assets, including but not limited to, furniture and equipment, that is not directly or indirectly associated with the manufacture, sale or creation of a product or product line.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Term of lessee's operating lease, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888426&loc=SL77918673-209980

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseTermOfContract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The minimum amount the entity agreed to spend under the long-term purchase commitment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period covered by the long-term purchase commitment, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermPurchaseCommitmentPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LeaseArrangementTypeAxis=aiv_GroundLeasesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LeaseArrangementTypeAxis=aiv_OfficeandEquipmentLeasesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis=aiv_CommitmentsrelatedtodevelopmentredevelopmentandcapitalimprovementactivitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherCommitmentsAxis=aiv_CommitmentsrelatedtooperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Commitments and Contingencies - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2017 party	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]
Number of potentially-responsible parties \| party	4
Ground Lease Obligations
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]
Rent expense		$ 2.3	$ 1.8	$ 1.7
Ground Lease Obligations \| Minimum
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]
Lessee leasing arrangements, operating leases, term of contract		52 years
Ground Lease Obligations \| Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]
Lessee leasing arrangements, operating leases, term of contract		99 years
Office Lease Obligations
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]
Rent expense		$ 2.8	$ 3.0	$ 3.3
Commitments related to development, redevelopment and capital improvement activities
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]
Commitments related to capital spending activities		$ 207.0
Long-term purchase commitment, period (or less)		12 months
Commitments related to operations \| Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]
Long-term purchase commitment, period (or less)		1 year