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Organization and Basis of Presentation - Narrative (Details) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) community building investment partnership apartment project shares | Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) community building investment partnership apartment project shares | Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) shares
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in partnership (as a percent) |  |  | 96.70% |  | 96.70%
Apartment communities owned (in communities) | community | 247 |  | 247 |  |
Apartment units owned (in units) | apartment | 60,305 |  | 60,305 |  |
Ownership interest, number of commercial buildings (in commercial buildings) | building | 1 |  | 1 |  |
Ownership interest, number of active development projects (in projects) | project | 7 |  | 7 |  |
Sales and maturities of marketable securities | $ 4,600 | $ 3,500 | $ 33,400 | $ 14,700 |
Available-for-sale securities, gross realized gain (loss) | $ 32 | 1,000 | $ 1,700 | 2,900 |
Downreit limited partnerships consolidated by company (in partnerships) | partnership | 16 |  | 16 |  |
Communities within Downreit partnerships (in communities) | community | 8 |  | 8 |  |
Number of previously consolidated co-investments considered VIE (in investments) | investment | 8 |  | 8 |  |
Assets related to variable interest entities net of intercompany eliminations | $ 842,700 |  | $ 842,700 |  | $ 746,100
Liabilities related to variable interest entities net of intercompany eliminations | 278,700 |  | 278,700 |  | 221,300
Noncontrolling interest in variable interest entity | 66,100 |  | 66,100 |  | 45,400
Fixed rate debt carrying amount | 5,000,000 |  | 5,000,000 |  | 5,100,000
Fixed rate debt fair value | 5,100,000 |  | 5,100,000 |  |
Investments in mortgage back securities, fair value | 117,600 |  | 117,600 |  | 108,800
Capitalized internal costs related to development and redevelopment projects | 4,900 | $ 4,800 | $ 15,000 | $ 14,000 |
Number of co-investments with financing distributions in excess of the company's investment (in investments) | investment |  |  | 1 |  |
Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Held-to-maturity securities, carrying value | $ 105,541 |  | $ 105,541 |  | $ 94,393
Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Operating Partnership units outstanding (in units) | shares | 2,251,112 |  | 2,251,112 |  | 2,237,290
Redemption value of operating partnership units outstanding | $ 571,800 |  | $ 571,800 |  | $ 520,200

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