Partners' Capital - Classes of Preferred OP Units (Details) - AIMCO PROPERTIES, L.P. - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Limited Partners' Capital Account [Line Items]
Units issued (in shares)	3,812,483	3,822,336
Units outstanding (in shares)	3,812,483	3,822,336
Redemption values	$ 101,291	$ 101,537
Class One
Limited Partners' Capital Account [Line Items]
Distributions per annum	8.75%
Distributions per annum (in dollars per share)	$ 8.00
Units issued (in shares)	90,000	90,000
Units outstanding (in shares)	90,000	90,000
Redemption values	$ 8,229	$ 8,229
Class Two
Limited Partners' Capital Account [Line Items]
Distributions per annum	1.92%
Distributions per annum (in dollars per share)	$ 0.48
Units issued (in shares)	14,240	17,750
Units outstanding (in shares)	14,240	17,750
Redemption values	$ 356	$ 444
Class Three
Limited Partners' Capital Account [Line Items]
Distributions per annum	7.88%
Distributions per annum (in dollars per share)	$ 1.97
Units issued (in shares)	1,338,524	1,338,524
Units outstanding (in shares)	1,338,524	1,338,524
Redemption values	$ 33,463	$ 33,462
Class Four
Limited Partners' Capital Account [Line Items]
Distributions per annum	8.00%
Distributions per annum (in dollars per share)	$ 2.00
Units issued (in shares)	644,954	644,954
Units outstanding (in shares)	644,954	644,954
Redemption values	$ 16,124	$ 16,124
Class Six
Limited Partners' Capital Account [Line Items]
Distributions per annum	8.50%
Distributions per annum (in dollars per share)	$ 2.13
Units issued (in shares)	773,693	780,036
Units outstanding (in shares)	773,693	780,036
Redemption values	$ 19,342	$ 19,501
Class Seven
Limited Partners' Capital Account [Line Items]
Distributions per annum	7.87%
Distributions per annum (in dollars per share)	$ 1.97
Units issued (in shares)	27,960	27,960
Units outstanding (in shares)	27,960	27,960
Redemption values	$ 699	$ 699
Class Nine
Limited Partners' Capital Account [Line Items]
Distributions per annum	6.00%
Distributions per annum (in dollars per share)	$ 1.50
Units issued (in shares)	243,112	243,112
Units outstanding (in shares)	243,112	243,112
Redemption values	$ 6,078	$ 6,078
Class Ten
Limited Partners' Capital Account [Line Items]
Distributions per annum	6.00%
Distributions per annum (in dollars per share)	$ 1.50
Units issued (in shares)	680,000	680,000
Units outstanding (in shares)	680,000	680,000
Redemption values	$ 17,000	$ 17,000

Temporary Equity, Distribution Made to Member or Limited Partner, Distributions Paid, Percentage

No definition available.

Name:	aiv_TemporaryEquityDistributionMadeToMemberOrLimitedPartnerDistributionsPaidPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	aiv_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Per unit of ownership amount of cash distributions paid to unit-holder of a limited partnership (LP).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 272
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6373374&loc=d3e70434-108055

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 272
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6373374&loc=d3e70478-108055

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DistributionMadeToLimitedPartnerDistributionsPaidPerUnit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LimitedPartnersCapitalAccountLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount, attributable to parent and noncontrolling interests, of an entity's issued and outstanding stock which is not included within permanent equity. Temporary equity is a security with redemption features that are outside the control of the issuer, is not classified as an asset or liability in conformity with GAAP, and is not mandatorily redeemable. Includes any type of security that is redeemable at a fixed or determinable price or on a fixed or determinable date or dates, is redeemable at the option of the holder, or has conditions for redemption which are not solely within the control of the issuer. Includes stock with a put option held by an ESOP and stock redeemable by a holder only in the event of a change in control of the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.27(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TemporaryEquityCarryingAmountIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterests
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of securities classified as temporary equity that have been sold (or granted) to the entity's shareholders. Securities issued include securities outstanding and securities held in treasury. Temporary equity is a security with redemption features that are outside the control of the issuer, is not classified as an asset or liability in conformity with GAAP, and is not mandatorily redeemable. Includes any type of security that is redeemable at a fixed or determinable price or on a fixed or determinable date or dates, is redeemable at the option of the holder, or has conditions for redemption which are not solely within the control of the issuer. If convertible, the issuer does not control the actions or events necessary to issue the maximum number of shares that could be required to be delivered under the conversion option if the holder exercises the option to convert the stock to another class of equity. If the security is a warrant or a rights issue, the warrant or rights issue is considered to be temporary equity if the issuer cannot demonstrate that it would be able to deliver upon the exercise of the option by the holder in all cases. Includes stock with put option held by ESOP and stock redeemable by holder only in the event of a change in control of the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(27)(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TemporaryEquitySharesIssued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of securities classified as temporary equity that have been issued and are held by the entity's shareholders. Securities outstanding equals securities issued minus securities held in treasury. Temporary equity is a security with redemption features that are outside the control of the issuer, is not classified as an asset or liability in conformity with GAAP, and is not mandatorily redeemable. Includes any type of security that is redeemable at a fixed or determinable price or on a fixed or determinable date or dates, is redeemable at the option of the holder, or has conditions for redemption which are not solely within the control of the issuer. If convertible, the issuer does not control the actions or events necessary to issue the maximum number of shares that could be required to be delivered under the conversion option if the holder exercises the option to convert the stock to another class of equity. If the security is a warrant or a rights issue, the warrant or rights issue is considered to be temporary equity if the issuer cannot demonstrate that it would be able to deliver upon the exercise of the option by the holder in all cases. Includes stock with put option held by ESOP and stock redeemable by holder only in the event of a change in control of the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(27)(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TemporaryEquitySharesOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidatedEntitiesAxis=srt_SubsidiariesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredUnitsByNameAxis=aiv_ClassOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredUnitsByNameAxis=aiv_ClassTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredUnitsByNameAxis=aiv_ClassThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredUnitsByNameAxis=aiv_ClassFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredUnitsByNameAxis=aiv_ClassSixMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredUnitsByNameAxis=aiv_ClassSevenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredUnitsByNameAxis=aiv_ClassNineMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredUnitsByNameAxis=aiv_ClassTenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: