REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2014		Apr. 30, 2013		Apr. 30, 2014 IRET - Minot Apartments, LLC [Member]	Apr. 30, 2014 Southgate - Minot, ND [Member]	Apr. 30, 2013 Southgate - Minot, ND [Member]	Apr. 30, 2012 Golden Valley, Minnesota [Member]
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of fiscal year	$ 5,937,000	[1]				$ 5,937,000	$ 0	$ 987,000
Contributions from nonredeemable noncontrolling interests consolidated real estate entities	3,895,000	[1]	6,483,000	[1]		0	5,932,000	0
Net income						266,000	5,000	12,000
Net distributions						0	0	(27,000)
Fair value adjustments						0	0	35,000
Acquisition of joint venture partner's interest						0	0	(1,007,000)
Balance at close of fiscal year	6,203,000		5,937,000	[1]		6,203,000	5,937,000	0
Construction costs for joint venture	$ 52,200,000
Percentage of cost financed with debt (in hundredths)	69.00%				7.00%
Ownership percentage (in hundredths)	51.00%				49.00%

[1] (as revised)