| Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) | 9 Months Ended |
| Sep. 30, 2016 |
| New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract] | |
| Basis of Accounting | Basis of Accounting The Unaudited Interim Financial Statements as of September 30, 2016 and the statement of net assets as of December 31, 2015, which has been derived from Audited Financial Statements, have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) on a basis consistent with reporting interim financial information in accordance with instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the financial position and results of operations have been made. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Real Property Account’s Audited Financial Statements included in the Real Property Account’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. |
| Use of Estimates | The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The most significant estimates include valuation of investment in the Partnership. |
| Investment In Partnership Interest | Investment in Partnership Interest The investment in the Partnership is based on the Real Property Account’s proportionate interest of the Partnership’s fair value measured using the Partnership's net asset value as a practical expedient. |
| Income Recognition | Income Recognition Net investment income or loss, and recognized and unrealized gains and losses are allocated based upon the monthly average net assets for the investment in the Partnership. Amounts are based on the Real Property Account’s proportionate interest in the Partnership. |
| Equity of The Prudential Insurance Company of America | Equity of The Prudential Insurance Company of America Prudential maintains a position in the Real Property Account for liquidity purposes, including unit purchases and redemptions, Partnership share transactions, and expense processing. The position does not affect contract owners’ accounts or the related unit values. There were no cash transactions at the Real Property Account level for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 as all of the transactions are settled by Prudential on behalf of the Real Property Account through a redemption or an issuance of units. Therefore, no statement of cash flows is presented for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015. |
| Taxes | Taxes Prudential is taxed as a “life insurance company,” as defined by the Internal Revenue Code. The results of operations of the Real Property Account form a part of Prudential Financial’s consolidated federal tax return. Under current federal, state, and local law, no federal, state or local income taxes are payable by the Real Property Account. As such, no provision for a tax liability has been recorded in these financial statements. Prudential management will review periodically the status of the policy in the event of changes in the tax law. |
| Fair Value Measurements | Fair Value Measurements Fair value represents the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Real Property Account values its investment in the Partnership using the net asset value provided by the Partnership as a practical expedient. Effective January 1, 2016, the Real Property Account adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-07 Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure for Investments in Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (or Its Equivalent) , which removes the requirement to classify the investment in the Partnership in the fair value hierarchy. As a result, certain tables and additional disclosures related to the leveling of assets and liabilities are no longer applicable. ASU 2015-07 was applied retrospectively to all periods presented. Properties owned by the Partnership are illiquid and fair value is based on estimates from property appraisal reports prepared by independent real estate appraisers as discussed in the notes to the Partnership’s unaudited consolidated financial statements. The purpose of an appraisal is to estimate the fair value of real estate as of a specific date. The estimate of fair value of real estate is based on the conventional approaches to value, all of which require the exercise of subjective judgment. The three approaches are: (1) current cost of reproducing the real estate less deterioration and functional and economic obsolescence; (2) discounting a series of income streams and reversion at a specific yield or by directly capitalizing a single year period income estimate by an appropriate factor; and (3) value indicated by recent sales of comparable real estate in the market. In the reconciliation of these three approaches, the independent appraiser uses one or a combination of them, to come up with the approximate value for the type of real estate in the market. The following is a summary of the investment strategy, risks, and redemption provisions of the Partnership. The Partnership has a policy of investing at least 65% of its assets in direct ownership interests in income-producing real estate, such as office buildings, shopping centers, hotels, apartments or industrial properties, and participating mortgage loans. The Partnership is subject to the risks inherent in the ownership of real property such as fluctuations in occupancy rates and operating expenses and variations in rental schedules. The Partnership properties are also subject to the risk of loss due to certain types of damage, which are either uninsurable or not economically insurable. The Partnership enters into loan agreements with certain lenders to finance its real estate investment transactions. Unfavorable economic conditions could increase related borrowing costs, limit access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to the Partnership. Refer to the Partnership’s unaudited consolidated financial statements for other related risks. The Partnership allows for withdrawal of cash, in any amount up to a partner’s value of the Partnership. Ordinarily payment of the amount requested will be made on the day following the request. The Partnership reserves the right to defer such payments for a period of up to six months if the partners or the investment manager determine that there is insufficient cash available and prompt disposition of investments held by the Partnership cannot be made on commercially reasonable terms. |
