Earnings (Loss) Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Numerator:
Income (loss) from continuing operations	$ 890	$ 1,012	$ 1,135	$ 2,312	$ 1,254	$ 592	$ 902	$ 873	$ 5,349	$ 3,621	$ (165)
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									(111)	(115)	10
Distributions paid on unvested restricted shares									(201)	(50)	(22)
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Whitestone REIT excluding amounts attributable to unvested restricted shares									5,037	3,456	(177)
Income from discontinued operations	2,023	109	145	120	41	43	101	113	2,397	298	218
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(49)	(10)	(13)
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Whitestone REIT									2,348	288	205
Net income attributable to common shareholders excluding amounts attributable to unvested restricted shares									7,385	3,744	28
Denominator:
Weighted average number of common shares - basic									22,278,000	18,027,000	13,496,000
Effect of dilutive securities:
Unvested restricted shares									515,000	246,000	117,000
Weighted average number of common shares - dilutive									22,793,000	18,273,000	13,613,000
Basic:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Whitestone REIT excluding amounts attributable to unvested restricted shares (in dollars per share)	$ 0.04	$ 0.04	$ 0.05	$ 0.10	$ 0.06	$ 0.03	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.23	$ 0.19	$ (0.01)
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Whitestone REIT (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	$ 0.01	$ 0.00	$ 0.01	$ 0.00	$ 0.01	$ 0.01	$ 0.01	$ 0.10	$ 0.02	$ 0.01
Net income attributable to common shareholders excluding amounts attributable to unvested restricted shares (in dollars per share)	$ 0.12	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.11	$ 0.06	$ 0.04	$ 0.06	$ 0.06	$ 0.33	$ 0.21	$ 0.00
Diluted:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Whitestone REIT excluding amounts attributable to unvested restricted shares (in dollars per share)	$ 0.03	$ 0.04	$ 0.05	$ 0.10	$ 0.06	$ 0.03	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.22	$ 0.19	$ (0.01)
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Whitestone REIT (in dollars per share)	$ 0.09	$ 0.01	$ 0.00	$ 0.01	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.01	$ 0.01	$ 0.10	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Net income attributable to common shareholders excluding amounts attributable to unvested restricted shares (in dollars per share)	$ 0.12	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.11	$ 0.06	$ 0.03	$ 0.06	$ 0.06	$ 0.32	$ 0.20	$ 0.00
OP Units [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
OP units excluded from diluted earnings per share because their effect would be anti-dilutive (in shares)									471,310	595,782	848,284
Restricted Stock [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Distributions to holders of certain restricted common shares									272	177	194
Distributions to holders of certain restricted common shares charged against earnings									$ 71	$ 127	$ 172