XML 28 R32.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.6

Investment in Real Estate - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended |  |  |  | 3 Months Ended |  | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2013 | Mar. 31, 2012 | Apr. 02, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011 integer | Mar. 31, 2013 Purchase Price Allocation Adjustments | Dec. 31, 2012 Victoria Palms [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Alamo Palms [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Manufactured Home [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 R V Resort [Member]
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Asset acquisition price adjustments period |  |  |  |  |  | 1 year |  |  |  |
Number of acquired sites |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,122 | 643 |  |
Purchase price to acquire properties |  |  |  | $ 25,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Document Period End Date | Mar. 31, 2013 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number Of Closed Acquisition Properties |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 74 | 1
Fee Interest And Leasehold Interest Property |  |  |  |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |
Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal of Discontinued Operation, Net of Tax | 958,000 | 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ground Lease Escrow Shares |  | 113,793 | 98,834 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value of Escrow Fund | 7,700,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase (Decrease) in Fair Value of Escrow Fund Shares | $ 1,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Escrow Share Distribution |  |  | 14,959 |  |  |  |  |  |  |

X
- Definition The end date of the period reflected on the cover page if a periodic report. For all other reports and registration statements containing historical data, it is the date up through which that historical data is presented. If there is no historical data in the report, use the filing date. The format of the date is CCYY-MM-DD. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate
Namespace Prefix: | dei_
Data Type: | xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The distribution of shares designated as collateral for an escrow deposit furnished by shares for future ground lease payments. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_EscrowShareDistribution
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The fair value of shares designated as collateral for an escrow deposit furnished by shares for future ground lease payments. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_FairValueOfEscrowFund
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The number of properties that contain both a fee interest and a leasehold interest by the company. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_FeeInterestAndLeaseholdInterestProperty
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Purchase price adjustments may be made within one year following any acquisition and applied retroactively to the date of acquisition. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_FinalAdjustmentPeriodMaximumRange
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The designation of shares as collateral for an escrow deposit furnished by the company's shares intended to fund a portion of future ground lease payments. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_GroundLeaseEscrowShares
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The increase (decrease) during the period, which was recognized in earnings, in the value of the shares designated as collateral for an escrow deposit furnished by the company's shares for future ground lease payments. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_IncreaseDecreaseInFairValueOfEscrowFundShares
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number of Acquired Sites + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_NumberOfAcquiredSites
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The number of acquisition properties that have been closed on. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | els_NumberOfClosedAcquisitionProperties
Namespace Prefix: | els_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- 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 Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141 -Paragraph 51 -Subparagraph d -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityPurchasePrice
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of gain (loss), after tax expense or benefit and not previously recognized, resulting from the sale of a business component. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 144 -Paragraph 47 -Subparagraph b -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6892542&loc=d3e957-107759 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 144 -Paragraph 43 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6360339&loc=d3e1361-107760 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration