EARNINGS PER SHARE (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015
EARNINGS PER SHARE [Abstract]
Redemption basis			one-for-one
Period to hold the beneficial interest, minimum			1 year
NUMERATOR [Abstract]
Income from continuing operations - Investors Real Estate Trust	$ 8,028	$ 7,334	$ 15,938	$ 12,195
Income from discontinued operations - Investors Real Estate Trust	31,769	1,037	45,065	1,139
Net income attributable to Investors Real Estate Trust	39,797	8,371	61,003	13,334
Dividends to preferred shareholders	(2,879)	(2,879)	(8,636)	(8,636)
NET INCOME AVAILABLE TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	36,918	5,492	52,367	4,698
Noncontrolling interests - Operating Partnership	4,227	657	5,940	618
Numerator for diluted earnings per share	$ 41,145	$ 6,149	$ 58,307	$ 5,316
DENOMINATOR [Abstract]
Denominator for basic earnings per share weighted average shares (in shares)	121,864	120,855	123,793	116,303
Effect of convertible operating partnership units (in shares)	13,877	14,461	13,913	17,334
Denominator for diluted earnings per share (in shares)	135,741	135,316	137,706	133,637
Earnings per common share from continuing operations - Investors Real Estate Trust - basic and diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.04	$ 0.04	$ 0.06	$ 0.03
Earnings per common share from discontinued operations - Investors Real Estate Trust - basic and diluted (in dollars per share)	0.26	0.01	0.36	0.01
NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE - BASIC & DILUTED (in dollars per share)	$ 0.30	$ 0.05	$ 0.42	$ 0.04