Disclosure About Fair Value of Financial Instruments - Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Assets: [Abstract]
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	$ 17,382	[1]	$ 18,990	[1]
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	3,264		3,149
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	15,270		14,788
Impaired real estate assets and for-sale residential condominiums			12,767
Total Assets	35,916		49,694
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	123,141		110,655
Liabilities[Abstract]
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	1,889,775	[1]	1,959,438	[1]
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	10,274		2,202
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	3,264		3,149
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	563
Financing obligations, at fair value	18,930	[1]	18,866	[1]
Total Liabilities	1,922,806		1,983,655
Level 1 [Member]
Assets: [Abstract]
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	0		0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	3,264		3,149
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0		0
Impaired real estate assets and for-sale residential condominiums			0
Total Assets	3,264		3,149
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	123,141		110,655
Liabilities[Abstract]
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	0		0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	3,264		3,149
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0
Financing obligations, at fair value	0		0
Total Liabilities	3,264		3,149
Level 2 [Member]
Assets: [Abstract]
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	17,382		18,990
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0		0
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0		0
Impaired real estate assets and for-sale residential condominiums			0
Total Assets	17,382		18,990
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	0		0
Liabilities[Abstract]
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	1,889,775		1,959,438
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	10,274		2,202
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0
Financing obligations, at fair value	0		0
Total Liabilities	1,900,049		1,961,640
Level 3 [Member]
Assets: [Abstract]
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	0		0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0		0
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	15,270		14,788
Impaired real estate assets and for-sale residential condominiums			12,767
Total Assets	15,270		27,555
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	0		0
Liabilities[Abstract]
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	0		0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	563
Financing obligations, at fair value	18,930		18,866
Total Liabilities	19,493		18,866
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Assets: [Abstract]
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	17,382	[1]	18,990	[1]
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	3,264		3,149
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	15,270		14,788
Impaired real estate assets and for-sale residential condominiums			12,767
Total Assets	35,916		49,694
Liabilities[Abstract]
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	1,889,775	[1]	1,959,438	[1]
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	10,274		2,202
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	3,264		3,149
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	563
Financing obligations, at fair value	18,930	[1]	18,866	[1]
Total Liabilities	1,922,806		1,983,655
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets: [Abstract]
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	0		0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	3,264		3,149
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0		0
Impaired real estate assets and for-sale residential condominiums			0
Total Assets	3,264		3,149
Liabilities[Abstract]
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	0		0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	3,264		3,149
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0
Financing obligations, at fair value	0		0
Total Liabilities	3,264		3,149
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Assets: [Abstract]
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	17,382		18,990
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0		0
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0		0
Impaired real estate assets and for-sale residential condominiums			0
Total Assets	17,382		18,990
Liabilities[Abstract]
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	1,889,775		1,959,438
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	10,274		2,202
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0
Financing obligations, at fair value	0		0
Total Liabilities	1,900,049		1,961,640
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Assets: [Abstract]
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	0		0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0		0
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	15,270		14,788
Impaired real estate assets and for-sale residential condominiums			12,767
Total Assets	15,270		27,555
Liabilities[Abstract]
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	0		0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	563
Financing obligations, at fair value	18,930		18,866
Total Liabilities	$ 19,493		$ 18,866

[1] Amounts carried at historical cost on our Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively.