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Equity, Capital and Other Interests (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014
Common shares and units rollforward | The following tables present the changes in the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Shares and “Units” (which includes OP Units and restricted units (formerly known as Long-Term Incentive Plan ("LTIP") Units)) for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012:
|  | 2014 |  | 2013 |  | 2012
Common Shares |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Common Shares outstanding at January 1, |  | 360,479,260 |  |  | 325,054,654 |  |  | 297,508,185 |
Common Shares Issued: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Conversion of OP Units |  | 94,671 |  |  | 67,939 |  |  | 675,817 |
Issuance of Common Shares |  | — |  |  | 34,468,085 |  |  | 25,023,919 |
Exercise of share options |  | 2,086,380 |  |  | 586,017 |  |  | 1,608,427 |
Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP) |  | 68,807 |  |  | 73,468 |  |  | 110,054 |
Restricted share grants, net |  | 169,722 |  |  | 229,097 |  |  | 128,252 |
Common Shares Other: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Conversion of restricted shares to restricted units |  | (12,146 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |
Repurchased and retired |  | (31,240 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |
Common Shares outstanding at December 31, |  | 362,855,454 |  |  | 360,479,260 |  |  | 325,054,654 |
Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Units outstanding at January 1, |  | 14,180,376 |  |  | 13,968,758 |  |  | 13,492,543 |
Restricted units, net |  | 200,840 |  |  | 279,557 |  |  | 70,235 |
OP Units issued through acquisitions |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 1,081,797 |
Conversion of restricted shares to restricted units |  | 12,146 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Conversion of OP Units to Common Shares |  | (94,671 | ) |  | (67,939 | ) |  | (675,817 | )
Units outstanding at December 31, |  | 14,298,691 |  |  | 14,180,376 |  |  | 13,968,758 |
Total Common Shares and Units outstanding at December 31, |  | 377,154,145 |  |  | 374,659,636 |  |  | 339,023,412 |
Units Ownership Interest in Operating Partnership |  | 3.8 | % |  | 3.8 | % |  | 4.1 | %
OP Units Issued: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisitions – per unit |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | $61.57
Acquisitions – valuation |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | $66.6 million |
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Table Text Block] | The following table presents the changes in the redemption value of the Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests – Operating Partnership for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively (amounts in thousands):
|  | 2014 |  | 2013 |  | 2012
Balance at January 1, |  | $ | 363,144 |  |  | $ | 398,372 |  |  | $ | 416,404 |
Change in market value |  | 139,818 |  |  | (79,667 | ) |  | (38,734 | )
Change in carrying value |  | (2,229 | ) |  | 44,439 |  |  | 20,702 |
Balance at December 31, |  | $ | 500,733 |  |  | $ | 363,144 |  |  | $ | 398,372 |
Schedule Of Preferred Stock [Table Text Block] | The following table presents the Company’s issued and outstanding Preferred Shares as of December 31, 2014 and 2013:
|  |  |  |  |  | Amounts in thousands
|  | Redemption Date (1) |  | Annual Dividend per Share (2) |  | December 31, 2014 |  | December 31, 2013
Preferred Shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
8.29% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred; liquidation value $50 per share; 1,000,000 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 |  | 12/10/26 |  |  | $4.145 |  |  | $ | 50,000 |  |  | $ | 50,000 |
|  |  |  |  |  | $ | 50,000 |  |  | $ | 50,000 |
Limited Partner [Member] |
Common shares and units rollforward | The following tables present the changes in the Operating Partnership's issued and outstanding Units and in the limited partners' Units for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012:
|  | 2014 |  | 2013 |  | 2012
General and Limited Partner Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
General and Limited Partner Units outstanding at January 1, |  | 374,659,636 |  |  | 339,023,412 |  |  | 311,000,728 |
Issued to General Partner: |  |  |  |  |  |
Issuance of OP Units |  | — |  |  | 34,468,085 |  |  | 25,023,919 |
Exercise of EQR share options |  | 2,086,380 |  |  | 586,017 |  |  | 1,608,427 |
EQR's Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP) |  | 68,807 |  |  | 73,468 |  |  | 110,054 |
EQR's restricted share grants, net |  | 169,722 |  |  | 229,097 |  |  | 128,252 |
Issued to Limited Partners: |  |  |  |  |  |
Restricted units, net |  | 200,840 |  |  | 279,557 |  |  | 70,235 |
OP Units issued through acquisitions |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 1,081,797 |
OP Units Other: |  |  |  |  |  |
Repurchased and retired |  | (31,240 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |
General and Limited Partner Units outstanding at December 31, |  | 377,154,145 |  |  | 374,659,636 |  |  | 339,023,412 |
Limited Partner Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Limited Partner Units outstanding at January 1, |  | 14,180,376 |  |  | 13,968,758 |  |  | 13,492,543 |
Limited Partner restricted units, net |  | 200,840 |  |  | 279,557 |  |  | 70,235 |
Limited Partner OP Units issued through acquisitions |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 1,081,797 |
Conversion of EQR restricted shares to restricted units |  | 12,146 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Conversion of Limited Partner OP Units to EQR Common Shares |  | (94,671 | ) |  | (67,939 | ) |  | (675,817 | )
Limited Partner Units outstanding at December 31, |  | 14,298,691 |  |  | 14,180,376 |  |  | 13,968,758 |
Limited Partner Units Ownership Interest in Operating Partnership |  | 3.8 | % |  | 3.8 | % |  | 4.1 | %
Limited Partner OP Units Issued: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisitions – per unit |  | — |  |  | — |  |  |  | $61.57 |
Acquisitions – valuation |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | $66.6 million |
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Table Text Block] | The following table presents the changes in the redemption value of the Redeemable Limited Partners for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively (amounts in thousands):
|  | 2014 |  | 2013 |  | 2012
Balance at January 1, |  | $ | 363,144 |  |  | $ | 398,372 |  |  | $ | 416,404 |
Change in market value |  | 139,818 |  |  | (79,667 | ) |  | (38,734 | )
Change in carrying value |  | (2,229 | ) |  | 44,439 |  |  | 20,702 |
Balance at December 31, |  | $ | 500,733 |  |  | $ | 363,144 |  |  | $ | 398,372 |
Schedule Of Preferred Stock [Table Text Block] | The following table presents the Operating Partnership's issued and outstanding “Preference Units” as of December 31, 2014 and 2013:
|  |  |  |  |  | Amounts in thousands
|  | Redemption Date (1) |  | Annual Dividend per Unit (2) |  | December 31, 2014 |  | December 31, 2013
Preference Units: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
8.29% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preference Units; liquidation value $50 per unit; 1,000,000 units issued and outstanding at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 |  | 12/10/26 |  |  | $4.145 |  |  | $ | 50,000 |  |  | $ | 50,000 |
|  |  |  |  |  |  | $ | 50,000 |  |  | $ | 50,000 |

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