XML 47 R32.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.6.0.2

Organization, Basis of Presentation, and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2016 state community home
Organization and Basis of Presentation |
Number of Real Estate Properties | community | 258
Number of apartment homes included in operating apartment communities owned | home | 74,538
Number of states where operating apartment communities owned are located | state | 10
Number of communities with apartments under reconstruction | community | 4
Number of apartment homes under reconstruction | home | 1,671
Number of owned communities under construction | community | 27
Expected number of apartment homes under construction | home | 9,129
Communities under development rights | community | 25
Estimated number of apartment homes in communities to be developed | home | 8,487
Period of lease (in years) | 1 year
Buildings and Building Improvements | Minimum |
Real Estate |
Estimated useful life of buildings and improvements (in years) | 7 years
Buildings and Building Improvements | Maximum |
Real Estate |
Estimated useful life of buildings and improvements (in years) | 30 years
Computers and furniture | Minimum |
Real Estate |
Estimated useful life of buildings and improvements (in years) | 3 years
Computers and furniture | Maximum |
Real Estate |
Estimated useful life of buildings and improvements (in years) | 7 years

X
- Definition Additional number of communities owned (or in which a direct or indirect ownership interest is held) that can be expected to be developed. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | avb_AdditionalNumberofCommunitiesExpectedToBeDeveloped
Namespace Prefix: | avb_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Estimated number of apartment homes in communities awaiting development. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | avb_EstimatedNumberOfApartmentHomesInCommunitiesExpectedToBeDeveloped
Namespace Prefix: | avb_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Expected aggregate number of homes to be constructed. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | avb_ExpectedAggregateNumberOfApartmentHomesToBeConstructed
Namespace Prefix: | avb_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Number of apartment homes under reconstruction within communities with apartments under reconstruction. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | avb_NumberOfApartmentHomesUnderReconstruction
Namespace Prefix: | avb_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Number of communities with apartments under reconstruction. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | avb_NumberOfCommunitiesWithApartmentsUnderReconstruction
Namespace Prefix: | avb_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Number of owned communities (or where a direct or indirect interest is owned) that are under construction. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | avb_NumberOfOwnedCommunitiesUnderConstruction
Namespace Prefix: | avb_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents the period for life of lease. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | avb_PeriodOfLeaseLife
Namespace Prefix: | avb_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Useful life of finite-lived intangible assets, 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_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The number of states the entity operates in as of the balance sheet date. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The number of units in a real estate property owned as of the balance sheet date. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NumberOfUnitsInRealEstateProperty
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OrganizationConsolidationAndPresentationOfFinancialStatementsAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- 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_RealEstatePropertiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_BuildingAndBuildingImprovementsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |