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Real Estate (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule Of Real Estate Investments And Accumulated Depreciation [Table Text Block] | The following table summarizes the carrying amounts for the Company’s investment in real estate (at cost) as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 (amounts in thousands):
|  | 2014 |  | 2013
Land |  | $ | 6,295,404 |  |  | $ | 6,192,512 |
Depreciable property: |  |  |  |  |  |
Buildings and improvements |  | 17,974,337 |  |  | 17,509,609 |
Furniture, fixtures and equipment |  | 1,365,276 |  |  | 1,214,220 |
In-Place lease intangibles |  | 511,891 |  |  | 502,218 |
Projects under development: |  |  |  |  |  |
Land |  | 466,764 |  |  | 353,574 |
Construction-in-progress |  | 877,155 |  |  | 635,293 |
Land held for development: |  |  |  |  |  |
Land |  | 145,366 |  |  | 341,389 |
Construction-in-progress |  | 39,190 |  |  | 52,133 |
Investment in real estate |  | 27,675,383 |  |  | 26,800,948 |
Accumulated depreciation |  | (5,432,805 | ) |  | (4,807,709 | )
Investment in real estate, net |  | $ | 22,242,578 |  |  | $ | 21,993,239 |
Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Table Text Block] | The following table summarizes the carrying amounts for the Company's above and below market ground and retail lease intangibles as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 (amounts in thousands):
Description |  | Balance Sheet Location |  | 2014 |  | 2013
Assets |  |  |  |  |  |
Ground lease intangibles – below market |  | Other Assets |  | $ | 178,251 |  |  | $ | 178,251 |
Retail lease intangibles – above market |  | Other Assets |  | 1,260 |  |  | 1,260 |
Lease intangible assets |  |  |  | 179,511 |  |  | 179,511 |
Accumulated amortization |  |  |  | (8,913 | ) |  | (4,364 | )
Lease intangible assets, net |  |  |  | $ | 170,598 |  |  | $ | 175,147 |
Liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |
Ground lease intangibles – above market |  | Other Liabilities |  | $ | 2,400 |  |  | $ | 2,400 |
Retail lease intangibles – below market |  | Other Liabilities |  | 5,270 |  |  | 5,500 |
Lease intangible liabilities |  |  |  | 7,670 |  |  | 7,900 |
Accumulated amortization |  |  |  | (2,258 | ) |  | (1,161 | )
Lease intangible liabilities, net |  |  |  | $ | 5,412 |  |  | $ | 6,739 |
Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Future Amortization Expense [Table Text Block] | The following table provides a summary of the aggregate amortization expense for above and below market ground lease intangibles and retail lease intangibles for each of the next five years (amounts in thousands):
|  | 2015 |  | 2016 |  | 2017 |  | 2018 |  | 2019
Ground lease intangibles |  | $ | 4,321 |  |  | $ | 4,321 |  |  | $ | 4,321 |  |  | $ | 4,321 |  |  | $ | 4,321 |
Retail lease intangibles |  | (939 | ) |  | (896 | ) |  | (540 | ) |  | (71 | ) |  | (71 | )
Total |  | $ | 3,382 |  |  | $ | 3,425 |  |  | $ | 3,781 |  |  | $ | 4,250 |  |  | $ | 4,250 |
Schedule of Recognized Identified Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed [Table Text Block] | The following table summarizes the acquisition date fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, which the Company determined using Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 inputs (amounts in thousands):
Land |  | $ | 2,239,000 |
Depreciable property: |  |
Buildings and improvements |  | 5,765,538 |
Furniture, fixtures and equipment |  | 61,470 |
In-Place lease intangibles |  | 304,830 |
Projects under development |  | 36,583 |
Land held for development |  | 244,097 |
Investments in unconsolidated entities |  | 230,608 |
Other assets |  | 195,260 |
Other liabilities |  | (108,997 | )
Net assets acquired |  | $ | 8,968,389 |
Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets Acquired as Part of Business Combination [Table Text Block] | The following table summarizes the acquisition date fair values of the above and below market ground and retail lease intangibles, which we determined using Level 2 and Level 3 inputs (amounts in thousands):
Description |  | Balance Sheet Location |  | Fair Value
Ground lease intangibles – below market |  | Other Assets |  | $ | 178,251 |
Retail lease intangibles – above market |  | Other Assets |  | 1,260 |
Ground lease intangibles – above market |  | Other Liabilities |  | 2,400 |
Retail lease intangibles – below market |  | Other Liabilities |  | 8,040 |
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Table Text Block] | The following table illustrates the effect on net income, earnings per share – basic and earnings per share – diluted as if the Company had consummated the Archstone Acquisition as of January 1, 2012 (amounts in thousands, except per share amounts):
|  | Year Ended December 31,
|  | 2013 |  | 2012
Total revenues |  | $ | 2,485,438 |  |  | $ | 2,317,699 |
Income (loss) from continuing operations (1) |  | 203,286 |  |  | (54,940 | )
Discontinued operations, net |  | 2,074,072 |  |  | 720,361 |
Net income |  | 2,277,358 |  |  | 665,421 |
Net income available to Common Shares |  | 2,183,756 |  |  | 622,424 |
Earnings per share - basic: |  |  |  |
Net income available to Common Shares |  | $ | 6.07 |  |  | $ | 1.74 |
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding (2) |  | 359,688 |  |  | 356,984 |
Earnings per share - diluted (1): |  |  |  |
Net income available to Common Shares |  | $ | 6.05 |  |  | $ | 1.74 |
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding (2) |  | 375,861 |  |  | 356,984 |
(1) | Potential common shares issuable from the assumed conversion of OP Units and the exercise/vesting of long-term compensation shares/units are automatically anti-dilutive and therefore excluded from the diluted earnings per share calculation as the Company had a pro forma loss from continuing operations for the year ended December 31, 2012.
(2) | Includes an adjustment for Common Shares issued to the public in November/December 2012 and to an affiliate of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in February 2013 as partial consideration for the Archstone Acquisition.
Acquired Properties Table | In addition to the Archstone Acquisition described above, during the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company acquired the entire equity interest in the following from unaffiliated parties (purchase price in thousands):
|  | Properties |  | Apartment Units |  | Purchase Price
Rental Properties – Consolidated |  | 1 |  |  | 322 |  |  | $ | 91,500 |
Land Parcel (one) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 16,500 |
Total |  | 1 |  |  | 322 |  |  | $ | 108,000 |
During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company acquired the entire equity interest in the following from unaffiliated parties (purchase price in thousands):
|  | Properties |  | Apartment Units |  | Purchase Price
Rental Properties – Consolidated |  | 6 |  |  | 1,353 |  |  | $ | 469,850 |
Land Parcels (two) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 28,790 |
Total |  | 6 |  |  | 1,353 |  |  | $ | 498,640 |
Disposed Properties Table | During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company disposed of the following to unaffiliated parties (sales price in thousands):
|  | Properties |  | Apartment Units |  | Sales Price
Consolidated: |  |  |  |  |  |
Rental Properties |  | 10 |  |  | 3,092 |  |  | $ | 466,968 |
Land Parcels (three) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 62,602 |
Unconsolidated: |  |  |  |  |  |
Rental Properties (1) |  | 1 |  |  | 388 |  |  | 62,500 |
Total |  | 11 |  |  | 3,480 |  |  | $ | 592,070 |
(1) The Company owned an 85% interest in this unconsolidated rental property. Sale price listed is the gross sale price. During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company disposed of the following to unaffiliated parties (sales price in thousands):
|  | Properties |  | Apartment Units |  | Sales Price
Consolidated: |  |  |  |  |  |
Rental Properties |  | 94 |  |  | 29,180 |  |  | $ | 4,459,339 |
Land Parcels (seven) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 99,650 |
Other (1) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 30,734 |
Unconsolidated: |  |  |  |  |  |
Land Parcel (one) (2) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 26,350 |
Total |  | 94 |  |  | 29,180 |  |  | $ | 4,616,073 |
(1) Represents a 97,000 square foot commercial building adjacent to our Harbor Steps apartment property in downtown Seattle that was acquired in 2011. (2) Sales price listed is the gross sales price. EQR's share of the net sales proceeds approximated 25%.
Partnership Interest [Member] |
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Table Text Block] | The following table illustrates the effect on net income, earnings per Unit – basic and earnings per Unit – diluted as if the Operating Partnership had consummated the Archstone Acquisition as of January 1, 2012 (amounts in thousands, except per Unit amounts):
|  | Year Ended December 31,
|  | 2013 |  | 2012
Total revenues |  | $ | 2,485,438 |  |  | $ | 2,317,699 |
Income (loss) from continuing operations (1) |  | 203,286 |  |  | (54,940 | )
Discontinued operations, net |  | 2,074,072 |  |  | 720,361 |
Net income |  | 2,277,358 |  |  | 665,421 |
Net income available to Units |  | 2,273,798 |  |  | 651,548 |
Earnings per Unit - basic: |  |  |  |
Net income available to Units |  | $ | 6.07 |  |  | $ | 1.74 |
Weighted average Units outstanding (2) |  | 373,421 |  |  | 370,837 |
Earnings per Unit - diluted (1): |  |  |  |
Net income available to Units |  | $ | 6.05 |  |  | $ | 1.74 |
Weighted average Units outstanding (2) |  | 375,861 |  |  | 370,837 |
(1) | Potential Units issuable from the assumed exercise/vesting of the Company's long-term compensation shares/units are automatically anti-dilutive and therefore excluded from the diluted earnings per Unit calculation as the Operating Partnership had a pro forma loss from continuing operations for the year ended December 31, 2012.
(2) | Includes an adjustment for Common Shares issued to the public in November/December 2012 and to an affiliate of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in February 2013 as partial consideration for the Archstone Acquisition. Concurrent with these transactions, ERPOP issued the same number of OP Units to EQR.

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