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v2.4.1.9

Equity, Capital and Other Interests Text (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Additional Common Shares Authorized | 13,000,000 eqr_AdditionalCommonSharesAuthorized |  |
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues | 0 us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues | 34,468,085 us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues | 25,023,919 us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues
Acquisition of Archstone Common Shares Issued | $ 0 eqr_AcquisitionOfArchstoneCommonSharesIssued | $ 1,929,868,000 eqr_AcquisitionOfArchstoneCommonSharesIssued | $ 0 eqr_AcquisitionOfArchstoneCommonSharesIssued
Average Price Per Common Share Issued |  |  | $ 60.59 eqr_AveragePricePerCommonShareIssued
Units Issued During Period New Issues |  |  | 3,200,000 eqr_UnitsIssuedDuringPeriodNewIssues
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues |  |  | 192,300,000 us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueNewIssues
Payments of Stock Issuance Costs | 41,000 us-gaap_PaymentsOfStockIssuanceCosts | 1,047,000 us-gaap_PaymentsOfStockIssuanceCosts | 39,359,000 us-gaap_PaymentsOfStockIssuanceCosts
Stock Repurchase Program, Number of Shares Authorized to be Repurchased | 13,000,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased |  |
Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Number of Shares Authorized to be Repurchased | 12,968,760 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased |  |
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Shares | (31,240)us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares | 0 us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares | 0 us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share | $ 56.87 us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare |  |
OP units repurchased and retired | 1,777,000 us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock | 0 us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock | 0 us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock
Redemption of Preferred Shares | 0 us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfPreferredStockAndPreferenceStock | 0 us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfPreferredStockAndPreferenceStock | 150,000,000 us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfPreferredStockAndPreferenceStock
Issuance Of Units To Noncontrolling Interests |  |  | 1,081,797 eqr_UnitsIssuedToNoncontrollingInterests
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Limited Partners Units |  |  | 66,600,000 us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonLimitedPartnersUnits
Price Per Unit Issued |  |  | $ 61.57 eqr_PricePerUnitIssued
Properties acquired |  |  | 1 eqr_PropertiesAcquired
Partially Owned Properties Acquired Properties | 1 eqr_PartiallyOwnedPropertiesAcquiredProperties |  | 1 eqr_PartiallyOwnedPropertiesAcquiredProperties
Partially Owned Units Acquired Units | 268 eqr_PartiallyOwnedUnitsAcquiredUnits |  |
Change in Paid In Capital | (2,300,000)eqr_IncreaseToReductionOfPaidInCapital |  | 1,300,000 eqr_IncreaseToReductionOfPaidInCapital
Reduction In Partially Owned Properties | 2,200,000 eqr_ReductionInPartiallyOwnedProperties |  | 1,300,000 eqr_ReductionInPartiallyOwnedProperties
Reduction In Other Liabilities | 1,000,000 eqr_ReductionInOtherLiabilities |  |
Archstone Transaction [Member] |  |  |
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues |  | 34,468,085 us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_ArchstoneTransactionMember |
Acquisition of Archstone Common Shares Issued |  | 1,929,868,000 eqr_AcquisitionOfArchstoneCommonSharesIssued / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_ArchstoneTransactionMember |
Average Price Per Common Share Issued |  | $ 55.99 eqr_AveragePricePerCommonShareIssued / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_ArchstoneTransactionMember |
Units Issued During Period New Issues |  | 34,468,085 eqr_UnitsIssuedDuringPeriodNewIssues / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_ArchstoneTransactionMember |
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues |  | 1,200,000,000 us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueNewIssues / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_ArchstoneTransactionMember |
Public Offering [Member] |  |  |
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues |  |  | 21,850,000 us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_PublicOfferingMember
Average Price Per Common Share Issued |  |  | $ 54.75 eqr_AveragePricePerCommonShareIssued / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_PublicOfferingMember
Units Issued During Period New Issues |  |  | 21,850,000 eqr_UnitsIssuedDuringPeriodNewIssues / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_PublicOfferingMember
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues |  |  | 1,200,000,000 us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueNewIssues / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_PublicOfferingMember
Payments of Stock Issuance Costs |  |  | 35,900,000 us-gaap_PaymentsOfStockIssuanceCosts / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_PublicOfferingMember
Series N Preferred Stock [Member] |  |  |
Redemption of Preferred Shares |  |  | 150,000,000 us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfPreferredStockAndPreferenceStock / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_SeriesNPreferredStockMember
Premium on redemption of Preferred Shares - original issuance costs |  |  | 5,100,000 eqr_PremiumOnRedemptionOfPreferredSharesPreferenceUnitsOriginalIssuance / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_SeriesNPreferredStockMember
Preferred Stock Preference Units Dividend Rate Percentage | 6.48%eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsDividendRatePercentage / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_SeriesNPreferredStockMember | 6.48%eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsDividendRatePercentage / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_SeriesNPreferredStockMember | 6.48%eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsDividendRatePercentage / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_SeriesNPreferredStockMember
Series P [Domain] |  |  |
Preferred Stock Preference Units Dividend Rate Percentage | 3.00%eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsDividendRatePercentage / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_SeriesPDomain |  |
Liquidation Value Preferred Interests | 18,400,000 eqr_LiquidationValuePreferredInterests / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_SeriesPDomain |  |
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Including Subsequent Acquisition, Percentage | 95.00%us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeIncludingSubsequentAcquisitionPercentage / us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis = eqr_SeriesPDomain |  |
Partner Buyout [Member] |  |  |
Purchase Price, Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity | $ 5,500,000 eqr_PurchasePriceBusinessAcquisitionCostofAcquiredEntity / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = eqr_PartnerBuyoutMember |  |
ATM Program [Member] |  |  |
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues |  |  | 3,200,000 us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = eqr_ATMProgramMember

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- Definition The total cost of the acquired entity including the cash paid to shareholders of acquired entities, fair value of debt and equity securities issued to shareholders of acquired entities, the fair value of the liabilities assumed, and direct costs of the acquisition. + References No definition available. + Details
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