FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jul. 31, 2015	Apr. 30, 2015
Carrying Amount [Member]
FINANCIAL ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 44,770	$ 48,970
Other investments	329	329
FINANCIAL LIABILITIES [Abstract]
Other debt	165,854	144,090
Line of credit	83,500	60,500
Mortgages payable	669,743	668,112
Mortgages payable related to assets held for sale	293,021	306,716
Fair Value [Member]
FINANCIAL ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	44,770	48,970
Other investments	329	329
FINANCIAL LIABILITIES [Abstract]
Other debt	165,511	143,749
Line of credit	83,500	60,500
Mortgages payable	778,990	749,604
Mortgages payable related to assets held for sale	409,931	374,818
Nonrecurring [Member]
Fair Value Measurements on a Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Real Estate Investment	575
Real estate held for sale	2,900	7,100
Nonrecurring [Member] \| Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements on a Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Real Estate Investment	0
Real estate held for sale	0	0
Nonrecurring [Member] \| Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements on a Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Real Estate Investment	0
Real estate held for sale	0	0
Nonrecurring [Member] \| Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Measurements on a Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]
Real Estate Investment	575
Real estate held for sale	$ 2,900	$ 7,100

No definition available.

Name:	iret_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnNonrecurringBasisAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	iret_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value portion of loans to finance the purchase of real estate where the lender has a lien on the property as collateral for the loan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	iret_MortgagesPayableFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	iret_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of mortgages payable related to assets held for sale.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	iret_MortgagesPayableRelatedToAssetsHeldForSaleFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	iret_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents loan receivable as presented on the statement of financial position which may include investments in land and buildings held for sale, excluding real estate considered to be inventory of the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	iret_RealEstateHeldForSaleFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	iret_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents loan receivable as presented on the statement of financial position which may include investments in land and buildings, excluding real estate considered to be inventory of the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	iret_RealEstateInvestmentFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	iret_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Cash

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6506951

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Cash Equivalents

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6507016

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentsFinancialAssetsBalanceSheetGroupingsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentsFinancialLiabilitiesBalanceSheetGroupingsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value portion of investment securities, including, but not limited to, marketable securities, derivative financial instruments, and investments accounted for under the equity method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Trading Securities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6526789

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 35

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27723805&loc=d3e24584-111560

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51813488&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Available-for-Sale Securities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505594

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph a, f, g

-Article 7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of contractual arrangement with a lender under which borrowings can be made up to a specific amount at any point in time.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Line-of-Credit Arrangement

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6517033

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LinesOfCreditFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of contractual obligation to pay money on demand or on fixed or determinable dates.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansPayableFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis=us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis=us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis=us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: