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Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation - Overall Summary and Encumbrances Reconciliation (Details) | 12 Months Ended |
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Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Apartment Units |  |  |  | 77,458
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Accumulated Depreciation | $ (6,084,616,000) | $ (5,432,805,000) | $ (4,807,709,000) | $ (5,360,389,000)
Changes in total real estate |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of year | 28,542,697,000 | 27,675,383,000 | 26,800,948,000 |
Acquisitions and development | 832,803,000 | 964,645,000 | 1,121,423,000 |
Improvements | 174,981,000 | 186,104,000 | 191,243,000 |
Dispositions and other | (4,164,056,000) | (283,435,000) | (438,231,000) |
Balance, end of year | 25,386,425,000 | 28,542,697,000 | 27,675,383,000 |
Changes in accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of year | (6,084,616,000) | (5,432,805,000) | (4,807,709,000) |
Depreciation | 705,649,000 | 765,895,000 | 758,861,000 |
Dispositions and other | (1,429,876,000) | (114,084,000) | (133,765,000) |
Balance, end of year | (5,360,389,000) | $ (6,084,616,000) | $ (5,432,805,000) |
EQR-Fanwell 2007 LP [Member] |  |  |  |
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Encumbrances |  |  |  | $ 299,795,866
Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation Encumbrances Reconciliation [Abstract] |  |  |  |
Number of Properties Encumbered |  |  |  | 4
EQR-Wellfan 2008 LP [Member] |  |  |  |
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Encumbrances |  |  |  | $ 549,337,934
Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation Encumbrances Reconciliation [Abstract] |  |  |  |
Number of Properties Encumbered |  |  |  | 10
Archstone Master Property [Domain] |  |  |  |
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Encumbrances |  |  |  | $ 796,845,087
Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation Encumbrances Reconciliation [Abstract] |  |  |  |
Number of Properties Encumbered |  |  |  | 13
Portfolio Entity Encumbrances [Member] |  |  |  |
Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation Encumbrances Reconciliation [Abstract] |  |  |  |
Number of Properties Encumbered |  |  |  | 27
Individual Property Encumbrances [Member] |  |  |  |
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Encumbrances |  |  |  | $ 2,473,201,938
Investment in Real Estate - Wholly Owned Unencumbered [Member] |  |  |  |
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Properties |  |  |  | 204
Units |  |  |  | 52,102
Investment in Real Estate, Gross |  |  |  | $ 18,448,319,778
Accumulated Depreciation | (3,651,990,171) |  |  | (3,651,990,171)
Investment in Real Estate Net |  |  |  | 14,796,329,607
Encumbrances |  |  |  | $ 0
Changes in accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Balance, end of year | (3,651,990,171) |  |  |
Investment in Real Estate - Wholly Owned Encumbered [Member] |  |  |  |
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Properties |  |  |  | 79
Units |  |  |  | 21,196
Investment in Real Estate, Gross |  |  |  | $ 6,291,785,512
Accumulated Depreciation | (1,497,361,379) |  |  | (1,497,361,379)
Investment in Real Estate Net |  |  |  | 4,794,424,133
Encumbrances |  |  |  | $ 3,818,071,013
Changes in accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Balance, end of year | (1,497,361,379) |  |  |
Wholly Owned Properties |  |  |  |
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Properties |  |  |  | 283
Units |  |  |  | 73,298
Investment in Real Estate, Gross |  |  |  | $ 24,740,105,290
Accumulated Depreciation | (5,149,351,550) |  |  | (5,149,351,550)
Investment in Real Estate Net |  |  |  | 19,590,753,740
Encumbrances |  |  |  | $ 3,818,071,013
Changes in accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Balance, end of year | (5,149,351,550) |  |  |
Investment in Real Estate - Partially Owned Unencumbered [Member] |  |  |  |
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Properties |  |  |  | 9
Units |  |  |  | 1,527
Investment in Real Estate, Gross |  |  |  | $ 288,230,337
Accumulated Depreciation | (98,826,978) |  |  | (98,826,978)
Investment in Real Estate Net |  |  |  | 189,403,359
Encumbrances |  |  |  | $ 0
Changes in accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Balance, end of year | (98,826,978) |  |  |
Investment in Real Estate - Partially Owned Encumbered [Member] |  |  |  |
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Properties |  |  |  | 8
Units |  |  |  | 1,688
Investment in Real Estate, Gross |  |  |  | $ 358,089,848
Accumulated Depreciation | (112,210,888) |  |  | (112,210,888)
Investment in Real Estate Net |  |  |  | 245,878,960
Encumbrances |  |  |  | $ 301,109,812
Changes in accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Balance, end of year | (112,210,888) |  |  |
NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS – PARTIALLY OWNED PROPERTIES |  |  |  |
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Properties |  |  |  | 17
Units |  |  |  | 3,215
Investment in Real Estate, Gross |  |  |  | $ 646,320,185
Accumulated Depreciation | (211,037,866) |  |  | (211,037,866)
Investment in Real Estate Net |  |  |  | 435,282,319
Encumbrances |  |  |  | $ 301,109,812
Changes in accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Balance, end of year | (211,037,866) |  |  |
Unencumbered Properties [Member] |  |  |  |
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Properties |  |  |  | 213
Units |  |  |  | 53,629
Investment in Real Estate, Gross |  |  |  | $ 18,736,550,115
Accumulated Depreciation | (3,750,817,149) |  |  | (3,750,817,149)
Investment in Real Estate Net |  |  |  | 14,985,732,966
Encumbrances |  |  |  | $ 0
Changes in accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Balance, end of year | (3,750,817,149) |  |  |
Encumbered Properties [Member] |  |  |  |
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Properties |  |  |  | 87
Units |  |  |  | 22,884
Investment in Real Estate, Gross |  |  |  | $ 6,649,875,360
Accumulated Depreciation | (1,609,572,267) |  |  | (1,609,572,267)
Investment in Real Estate Net |  |  |  | 5,040,303,093
Encumbrances |  |  |  | $ 4,119,180,825
Changes in accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Balance, end of year | (1,609,572,267) |  |  |
Total Consolidated Investment in Real Estate [Member] |  |  |  |
Overall summary of real estate and accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Properties |  |  |  | 300
Units |  |  |  | 76,513
Investment in Real Estate, Gross |  |  |  | $ 25,386,425,475
Accumulated Depreciation | (5,360,389,416) |  |  | (5,360,389,416)
Investment in Real Estate Net |  |  |  | 20,026,036,059
Encumbrances |  |  |  | $ 4,119,180,825
Changes in accumulated depreciation |  |  |  |
Balance, end of year | $ (5,360,389,416) |  |  |

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