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Real Estate Investments - Sales of Real Estate Investments (Details) $ in Thousands | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($) community | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) community unit | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) community unit | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) community unit
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of communities sold | community | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4
Number of units sold | unit |  | 323 | 848 | 594
Sales Price | $ 13,000 | $ 80,800 | $ 308,800 | $ 120,400
Gain on sale of properties |  | 14,000 |  |
Deferred tax expense on gain on sale of real estate and land |  | 4,410 | 0 | 0
Gain on sale of real estate | $ 2,400 | 14,000 | $ 44,900 | $ 43,600
Palo Alto, CA [Member] |  |  |  |
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Proceeds from sale of headquarters building |  | 18,000 |  |
Palo Alto, CA [Member] | Apartment Building [Member] |  |  |  |
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Gain on sale of corporate headquarters |  | $ 9,600 |  |
Harvest Park [Member] |  |  |  |
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of units sold | unit |  | 104 |  |
Sales Price |  | $ 30,500 |  |
Deferred tax expense on gain on sale of real estate and land |  | $ 4,300 |  |
Essex Ownership Percentage |  | 100.00% |  |
Gain on sale of real estate |  | $ 6,400 |  |
Tuscana [Member] |  |  |  |
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of units sold | unit |  | 30 |  |
Sales Price |  | $ 6,700 |  |
Deferred tax expense on gain on sale of real estate and land |  | $ 100 |  |
Essex Ownership Percentage |  | 100.00% |  |
Gain on sale of real estate |  | $ 300 |  |
Candlewood North [Member] |  |  |  |
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of units sold | unit |  | 189 |  |
Sales Price |  | $ 43,600 |  |
Essex Ownership Percentage |  | 100.00% |  |
Gain on sale of real estate |  | $ 7,300 |  |
Jefferson at Hollywood [Member] | Apartment Building [Member] |  |  |  |
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Real estate assets held for sale |  | $ 102,000 |  |
Jefferson at Hollywood [Member] | Apartment Building [Member] | Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations |  |  |  |
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of units held-for-sale | unit |  | 270 |  |

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- Definition Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Real Estate + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The number of communities sold by the entity during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The number of units sold by the entity during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Real Estate Investment, Ownership Sold + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The difference between the carrying value and the sale price of real estate or properties that were intended to be sold or held for capital appreciation or rental income. This element refers to the gain (loss) included in earnings and not to the cash proceeds of the sale. This element is a noncash adjustment to net income when calculating net cash generated by operating activities using the indirect method. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
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- Definition Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of oil and gas property or timber property. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
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- Definition Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of property, plant and equipment assets, including oil and gas property and timber property. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
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- Definition Represents properties which were acquired directly or through foreclosure for which a committed plan to sell exists and an active program to market such properties has been initiated. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The number of units in a real estate property owned as of the balance sheet date. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The cash inflow from sale of buildings. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Investing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3179-108585 + Details
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- 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
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- Definition Revenue from the sale of commercial, industrial, or residential property during the period. This element is more likely than not relevant to an entity for which real estate operations are a principal activity. If real estate operations are not a principal activity, the reporting entity would likely use a gain (loss) on sale of property, plant, or equipment type element. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(e)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688 + Details
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