Earnings Per Share (Schedule of Earnings Per Share) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2013
Reconciliation of income (loss) from continuing operations used in the basic and diluted EPS calculations
Income (loss) from continuing operations	$ (20,774)	[1]	$ (56,939)	[1]	$ (51,445)	[1]	$ (119,176)	[1]
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(325)		311		(779)		500
Income from sales of residential property	17,180		34,319		33,674		58,016
Preferred dividends	(12,830)		(12,780)		(25,660)		(23,360)
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to iStar Financial Inc. and allocable to common shareholders, HPU holders and Participating Security Holders	(16,749)		(35,089)		(44,210)		(84,020)
Numerator for basic and diluted earnings per share:
Gain from discontinued operations	0		8,279		0		13,323
Net income (loss) allocable to common shareholders	(16,207)		(26,001)		(42,779)		(67,264)
Denominator for basic and diluted earnings per share:
Weighted average number of common shares—basic and diluted	84,916	[1]	85,125	[1]	84,868	[1]	84,975	[1]
Weighted average number of HPU shares—basic and diluted	15	[1],[2]	15	[1],[2]	15	[1],[2]	15	[1],[2]
Basic and diluted earnings per common share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to iStar Financial Inc. and allocable to common shareholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.19)	[1]	$ (0.40)	[1]	$ (0.50)	[1]	$ (0.95)	[1]
Net income (loss) attributable to iStar Financial Inc. and allocable to common shareholders/HPU holders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.19)	[1]	$ (0.31)	[1]	$ (0.50)	[1]	$ (0.79)	[1]
Common Stock
Numerator for basic and diluted earnings per share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to iStar Financial Inc. and allocable to common shareholders	(16,207)		(33,958)		(42,779)		(81,304)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0		(55)		0		1,148
Gain from discontinued operations	0		8,012		0		12,892
Net income (loss) allocable to common shareholders	(16,207)		(26,001)		(42,779)		(67,264)
Denominator for basic and diluted earnings per share:
Weighted average number of common shares—basic and diluted	84,916		85,125		84,868		84,975
Basic and diluted earnings per common share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to iStar Financial Inc. and allocable to common shareholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.19)		$ (0.40)		$ (0.50)		$ (0.95)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00		$ 0.00		$ 0.00		$ 0.01
Gain from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00		$ 0.09		$ 0.00		$ 0.15
Net income (loss) attributable to iStar Financial Inc. and allocable to common shareholders/HPU holders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.19)		$ (0.31)		$ (0.50)		$ (0.79)
HPU's
Numerator for basic and diluted earnings per share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to iStar Financial Inc. and allocable to HPU holders	(542)		(1,131)		(1,431)		(2,716)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0		(2)		0		38
Gain from discontinued operations	0		267		0		431
Net income (loss) allocable to common shareholders	$ (542)		$ (866)		$ (1,431)		$ (2,247)
Denominator for basic and diluted earnings per share:
Weighted average number of HPU shares—basic and diluted	15		15		15		15
Basic and diluted earnings per common share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to iStar Financial Inc. and allocable to common shareholders (in dollars per share)	$ (36.13)		$ (75.41)		$ (95.40)		$ (181.07)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00		$ (0.13)		$ 0.00		$ 2.53
Gain from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00		$ 17.80		$ 0.00		$ 28.73
Net income (loss) attributable to iStar Financial Inc. and allocable to common shareholders/HPU holders (in dollars per share)	$ (36.13)		$ (57.74)		$ (95.40)		$ (149.81)

[1] Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to iStar Financial Inc. was $(21.1) million and $(52.2) million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, respectively, and $(56.6) million and $(118.7) million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013, respectively. See Note 13 for details on the calculation of earnings per share.

[2] HPU holders are current and former Company employees who purchased high performance common stock units under the Company's High Performance Unit Program.