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
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	(4,958)				6,242				6,244		0	(11,202)
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units (in shares)				127
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units				$ 2
Amortization of share-based compensation cost	7,182				4,795				4,795			2,387
Amortization of share-based compensation cost (in shares)				22
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities	0				(12,123)				(12,123)		3,357	8,766
Contribution from noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships	4,911										4,911
Purchase of noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships	(3,780)										(3,780)
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	(325)					(306)			(306)			(19)
Net income (loss)	359,461						340,571		340,571		103	18,787
Common Stock dividends	(183,579)						(183,579)		(183,579)
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	(9,970)										(143)	(9,827)
Other, net	(98)			$ 1	(118)		0		(117)		19
Other, net (in shares)				82
Balances at Sep. 30, 2019	1,786,074		$ 0	$ 1,489	3,497,333	4,488	(1,797,851)		1,705,459		1,500	79,115
Balances (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019			0	148,885
Balances at Jun. 30, 2019	1,842,866			$ 1,488	3,498,629	4,866	(1,741,765)		1,763,218		(2,718)	82,366
Balances (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019				148,827
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units	(826)				2,820				2,821		0	(3,647)
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units (in shares)				57
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units				$ 1
Amortization of share-based compensation cost	1,958				1,163				1,163			795
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities	0				(5,104)				(5,104)		2,315	2,789
Contribution from noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships	4,911										4,911
Purchase of noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships	(2,863)										(2,863)
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	(402)					(378)			(378)			(24)
Net income (loss)	2,037						1,979		1,979		(58)	116
Common Stock dividends	(58,065)						(58,065)		(58,065)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(3,367)										(87)	(3,280)
Other, net	(175)				(175)		0		(175)
Other, net (in shares)				1
Balances at Sep. 30, 2019	1,786,074		$ 0	$ 1,489	3,497,333	4,488	(1,797,851)		1,705,459		1,500	79,115
Balances (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019			0	148,885
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
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	(1,739)				5,135				5,137			(6,876)
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units (in shares)				159
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units				$ 2
Amortization of share-based compensation cost	7,065				3,911				3,911			3,154
Amortization of share-based compensation cost (in shares)				25
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities	447,688				504,361				504,361		(61,320)	4,647
Contribution from noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships	4,701										4,701
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	(658)					(616)			(616)			(42)
Net income (loss)	22,298						20,970		20,970		194	1,134
Common Stock dividends	(182,893)						(182,893)		(182,893)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(10,019)										(178)	(9,841)
Other, net	(160)				153		0		153		(313)
Other, net (in shares)				31
Balances at Sep. 30, 2020	2,136,797		$ 0	$ 1,489	4,000,925	3,579	(1,884,602)		2,121,391		(60,212)	75,618
Balances (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020			0	148,866
Balances at Jun. 30, 2020	1,774,236			$ 1,489	3,491,277	3,807	(1,798,561)		1,698,012		(3,190)	79,414
Balances (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020				148,865
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of Aimco Operating Partnership units	(484)								0		0	(484)
Amortization of share-based compensation cost	1,954				902				902			1,052
Effect of changes in ownership for consolidated entities	447,688				508,709				508,709		(61,356)	335
Contribution from noncontrolling interest in consolidated real estate partnerships	4,701										4,701
Change in accumulated other comprehensive income	(243)					(228)			(228)			(15)
Net income (loss)	(26,379)						(25,007)		(25,007)		(31)	(1,341)
Common Stock dividends	(61,034)						(61,034)		(61,034)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(3,413)										(70)	(3,343)
Other, net	(229)				37		0		37		(266)
Other, net (in shares)				1
Balances at Sep. 30, 2020	$ 2,136,797		$ 0	$ 1,489	$ 4,000,925	$ 3,579	$ (1,884,602)		$ 2,121,391		$ (60,212)	$ 75,618
Balances (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020			0	148,866