Condensed Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Distributions in Excess of Earnings	Distributions in Excess of Earnings Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Total Aimco Equity	Total Aimco Equity Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Noncontrolling Interests In Consolidated Real Estate Partnerships	Common Noncontrolling Interests In Aimco Operating Partnership
Balances at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 1,763,641		$ 125,000	$ 1,446	$ 3,515,686	$ 4,794	$ (1,947,507)		$ 1,699,419		$ (2,967)	$ 67,189
Purchase of noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships	(917)										(917)
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	77					72			72			5
Net income	357,424						338,592		338,592		161	18,671
Common Stock dividends	(125,514)						(125,514)		(125,514)
Common Stock issued to Common Stockholders in special dividend	(516)			$ 45	(561)				(516)
Common Stock issued to Common Stockholders in special dividend (in shares)				4,492
Preferred Stock dividends	(3,247)						(3,247)		(3,247)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(6,603)										(56)	(6,547)
Other, net	(77)			$ 1	57		0		58		19
Other, net (in shares)				81
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			5,000	144,623
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Repurchases of Common Stock	(20,682)			$ (5)	(20,677)				(20,682)
Repurchases of Common Stock (in shares)				(461)
Redemption of Preferred Stock	(125,000)		$ (125,000)		4,089		(4,089)		(125,000)
Redemption of Preferred Stock (in shares)			(5,000)
Issuance of Aimco Operating Partnership units	3,034											3,034
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units	(4,132)				3,422				3,423		0	(7,555)
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units (in shares)				70
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units				$ 1
Amortization of share-based compensation cost	5,224				3,632				3,632			1,592
Amortization of share-based compensation cost (in shares)				22
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities	0				(7,019)				(7,019)		1,042	5,977
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	77					72			72			5
Net income	357,424						338,592		338,592		161	18,671
Common Stock dividends	(125,514)						(125,514)		(125,514)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(6,603)										(56)	(6,547)
Other, net	(77)			$ 1	57		0		58		19
Other, net (in shares)				81
Balances at Jun. 30, 2019	1,842,866		$ 0	$ 1,488	3,498,629	4,866	(1,741,765)		1,763,218		(2,718)	82,366
Balances (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019			0	148,827
Balances at Mar. 31, 2019	1,960,272		$ 125,000	$ 1,488	3,495,295	4,851	(1,742,998)		1,883,636		(2,857)	79,493
Purchase of noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships	(917)										(917)
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	16					15			15			1
Net income	68,063						64,459		64,459		70	3,534
Common Stock dividends	(58,039)						(58,039)		(58,039)
Common Stock issued to Common Stockholders in special dividend	(516)				(516)				(516)
Preferred Stock dividends	(1,098)						(1,098)		(1,098)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(3,359)										(56)	(3,303)
Other, net	1			$ (1)			0		(1)
Other, net (in shares)				(1)
Balances (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019			5,000	148,758
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of Preferred Stock	(125,000)		$ (125,000)		4,089		(4,089)		(125,000)
Redemption of Preferred Stock (in shares)			(5,000)
Issuance of Aimco Operating Partnership units	3,034											3,034
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units	(1,575)				3,422				3,423		0	(4,998)
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units (in shares)				70
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units				$ 1
Amortization of share-based compensation cost	1,986				1,190				1,190			796
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities	0				(4,851)				(4,851)		1,042	3,809
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	16					15			15			1
Net income	68,063						64,459		64,459		70	3,534
Common Stock dividends	(58,039)						(58,039)		(58,039)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(3,359)										(56)	(3,303)
Other, net	1			$ (1)			0		(1)
Other, net (in shares)				(1)
Balances at Jun. 30, 2019	1,842,866		$ 0	$ 1,488	3,498,629	4,866	(1,741,765)		1,763,218		(2,718)	82,366
Balances (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019			0	148,827
Balances at Dec. 31, 2019	1,860,795	$ (277)	$ 0	$ 1,489	3,497,367	4,195	(1,722,402)	$ (277)	1,780,649	$ (277)	(3,296)	83,442
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	(415)					(388)			(388)			(27)
Net income	48,677						45,977		45,977		225	2,475
Common Stock dividends	(121,859)						(121,859)		(121,859)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(6,606)										(108)	(6,498)
Other, net	(69)				116		0		116		(47)
Other, net (in shares)				30
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			0	148,885
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Repurchases of Common Stock	(10,004)		$ 0	$ (2)	(10,002)				(10,004)
Repurchases of Common Stock (in shares)				(234)
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units	(1,255)				5,135				5,137			(6,392)
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units (in shares)				159
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units				$ 2
Amortization of share-based compensation cost	5,111				3,009				3,009			2,102
Amortization of share-based compensation cost (in shares)				25
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities	0				(4,348)				(4,348)		36	4,312
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	(415)					(388)			(388)			(27)
Net income	48,677						45,977		45,977		225	2,475
Common Stock dividends	(121,859)						(121,859)		(121,859)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(6,606)										(108)	(6,498)
Other, net	(69)				116		0		116		(47)
Other, net (in shares)				30
Balances at Jun. 30, 2020	1,774,236		$ 0	$ 1,489	3,491,277	3,807	(1,798,561)		1,698,012		(3,190)	79,414
Balances (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020			0	148,865
Balances at Mar. 31, 2020	1,795,548		$ 0	$ 1,487	3,488,611	4,139	(1,776,782)		1,717,455		(3,409)	81,502
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	(355)					(332)			(332)			(23)
Net income	41,469						39,255		39,255		107	2,107
Common Stock dividends	(61,034)						(61,034)		(61,034)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(3,378)										(35)	(3,343)
Other, net	(141)				30		0		30		111
Other, net (in shares)				1
Balances (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020			0	148,700
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units	(286)				5,135				5,137		0	(5,423)
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units (in shares)				159
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units				$ 2
Amortization of share-based compensation cost	2,131				1,080				1,080			1,051
Amortization of share-based compensation cost (in shares)				5
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities	0				(3,579)				(3,579)		36	3,543
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	(355)					(332)			(332)			(23)
Net income	41,469						39,255		39,255		107	2,107
Common Stock dividends	(61,034)						(61,034)		(61,034)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(3,378)										(35)	(3,343)
Other, net	(141)				30		0		30		111
Other, net (in shares)				1
Balances at Jun. 30, 2020	$ 1,774,236		$ 0	$ 1,489	$ 3,491,277	$ 3,807	$ (1,798,561)		$ 1,698,012		$ (3,190)	$ 79,414
Balances (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020			0	148,865