ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING (Details)	Dec. 31, 2012
Percentage of Common stock owned by Affiliates	87.40%
Percentage of common stock outstanding shares of Transcontinental Realty Investors Inc.	83.80%
Owned percentage of subsidiary TCI in Income Opportunity Realty Investors	81.10%
Number of interests in a total property portfolio of income producing properties	62
Number of commercial properties	14
Number of office buildings	10
Area of rental square feet (In Millions)	3.7
Number of apartment communities	48
Apartment communities units total	8,873
Area of acres of developed and undeveloped land	4,657
Buildings and improvements minimum useful life	10
Buildings and improvements maximum useful life	40
Furniture, fixtures and equipment minimum useful life	5
Furniture, fixtures and equipment maximum useful life	10