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	Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	$ 25,638	[1]	$ 24,725	[1]
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	3,529		3,354
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	14,324		14,496
Impaired real estate assets	9,002
Total Assets	52,493		42,575
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	147,317		124,869
Liabilities[Abstract]
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	2,024,509	[1]	1,987,364	[1]
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	8,261		9,369
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	3,529		3,354
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	375		563
Financing obligations, at fair value	23,986	[1]	23,252	[1]
Total Liabilities	2,060,660		2,023,902
Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	0		0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	3,529		3,354
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0		0
Impaired real estate assets	0
Total Assets	3,529		3,354
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	147,317		124,869
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)	3,529		3,354
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Financing obligations, at fair value	0		0
Total Liabilities	3,529		3,354
Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	16,990		16,077
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	0
Total Assets	16,990		16,077
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	0		0
Liabilities[Abstract]
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	2,024,509		1,987,364
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	8,261		9,369
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		0
Financing obligations, at fair value	0		0
Total Liabilities	2,032,770		1,996,733
Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	8,648		8,648
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)	14,324		14,496
Impaired real estate assets	9,002
Total Assets	31,974		23,144
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)	375		563
Financing obligations, at fair value	23,986		23,252
Total Liabilities	24,361		23,815
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	25,638	[1]	24,725	[1]
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	3,529		3,354
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	14,324		14,496
Impaired real estate assets	9,002
Total Assets	52,493		42,575
Liabilities[Abstract]
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	2,024,509	[1]	1,987,364	[1]
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	8,261		9,369
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	3,529		3,354
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	375		563
Financing obligations, at fair value	23,986	[1]	23,252	[1]
Total Liabilities	2,060,660		2,023,902
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	0		0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	3,529		3,354
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0		0
Impaired real estate assets	0
Total Assets	3,529		3,354
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)	3,529		3,354
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Financing obligations, at fair value	0		0
Total Liabilities	3,529		3,354
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	16,990		16,077
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	0
Total Assets	16,990		16,077
Liabilities[Abstract]
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	2,024,509		1,987,364
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	8,261		9,369
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		0
Financing obligations, at fair value	0		0
Total Liabilities	2,032,770		1,996,733
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	8,648		8,648
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)	14,324		14,496
Impaired real estate assets	9,002
Total Assets	31,974		23,144
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)	375		563
Financing obligations, at fair value	23,986		23,252
Total Liabilities	$ 24,361		$ 23,815

[1] Amounts recorded at historical cost on our Consolidated Balance Sheets at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012.