CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jan. 31, 2016	Apr. 30, 2015
Real estate investments
Property owned	$ 1,801,019	$ 1,546,367
Less accumulated depreciation	(346,895)	(313,308)
Total property owned	1,454,124	1,233,059
Development in progress	78,341	153,994
Unimproved land	22,304	25,827
Total real estate investments	1,554,769	1,412,880
Assets held for sale	22,064	463,103
Cash and cash equivalents	47,117	48,970
Other investments	50	329
Receivable arising from straight-lining of rents, net of allowance of $766 and $718, respectively	16,778	15,617
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $163 and $438, respectively	5,118	2,865
Real estate deposits	1,250	2,489
Prepaid and other assets	3,943	3,174
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $21,214 and $19,610, respectively	23,913	26,213
Tax, insurance, and other escrow	7,834	10,073
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $1,116 and $1,464, respectively	1,442	1,542
Goodwill	1,715	1,718
Deferred charges and leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $9,078 and $8,077, respectively	9,816	8,864
TOTAL ASSETS	1,695,809	1,997,837
LIABILITIES
Liabilities held for sale	11,449	321,393
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	48,778	56,399
Revolving line of credit	17,500	60,500
Mortgages payable	761,645	668,112
Construction debt and other	140,264	144,111
TOTAL LIABILITIES	$ 979,636	$ 1,250,515
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (NOTE 6)
REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS - CONSOLIDATED REAL ESTATE ENTITIES	$ 7,244	$ 6,368
Investors Real Estate Trust shareholders' equity
Common Shares of Beneficial Interest (Unlimited authorization, no par value, 121,033,647 shares issued and outstanding at January 31, 2016, and 124,455,624 shares issued and outstanding at April 30, 2015)	924,658	951,868
Accumulated distributions in excess of net income	(434,388)	(438,432)
Total Investors Real Estate Trust shareholders' equity	628,944	652,110
Noncontrolling interests - Operating Partnership (13,863,575 units at January 31, 2016 and 13,999,725 units at April 30, 2015)	58,254	58,325
Noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities	21,731	30,519
Total equity	708,929	740,954
TOTAL LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS AND EQUITY	1,695,809	1,997,837
Preferred Series A [Member]
Investors Real Estate Trust shareholders' equity
Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest (Cumulative redeemable preferred shares)	27,317	27,317
Preferred Series B [Member]
Investors Real Estate Trust shareholders' equity
Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest (Cumulative redeemable preferred shares)	$ 111,357	$ 111,357