Equity Interests in Real Estate Joint Ventures (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 item	Dec. 31, 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2011 item
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of joint venture communities, sold		3
Number of units in joint venture communities, sold	2,180
Ownership interest in joint ventures		35.00%
Proceeds from sale of consolidated joint venture entities		$ 26,919,000
Net gain on sale of joint venture interest		6,025,000
Number of joint venture arrangements	1	8	11
Investments in rental properties	6,363,000	40,753,000
Income for unconsolidated entities	625,000	2,644,000	2,888,000
Ownership Interest 15% [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of joint venture communities, sold	6
Ownership interest in joint ventures	15.00%	15.00%
Proceeds from sale of consolidated joint venture entities	47,408,000
Net gain on sale of joint venture interest	15,025,000
Number of joint venture arrangements		7
Investments in rental properties		34,257,000
Ownership Interest 15% [Member] \| Calvera Point, Westminister, Colorado [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of units in joint venture communities, sold		276
Ownership Interest 15% [Member] \| Pinnacle at the Creek, Centennial, Colorado [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of units in joint venture communities, sold		216
Ownership Interest 15% [Member] \| Joint Ventures in Denver, Colorado [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of joint venture communities, sold	4
Ownership Interest 15% [Member] \| Joint Ventures in Phoenix, Arizona [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of joint venture communities, sold	2
Ownership Interest 15% [Member] \| Joint Venture Second in Phoenix, Arizona [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of joint venture communities, sold	1
Number of units in joint venture communities, sold	432
Proceeds from sale of consolidated joint venture entities	6,000,000
Net gain on sale of joint venture interest	3,608,000
Ownership Interest 35% [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Ownership interest in joint ventures	35.00%	35.00%
Number of joint venture arrangements	1	1
Investments in rental properties	$ 6,363,000	$ 6,496,000	$ 6,496,000
Ownership Interest 35% [Member] \| Pinnacle at Galleria, Roseville, California [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of units in joint venture communities, sold		236

This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

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BRE PROPERTIES INC /MD/ 10-K