CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Apr. 30, 2017	Apr. 30, 2016
Real estate investments
Property owned	$ 1,677,481	$ 1,681,471
Less accumulated depreciation	(340,417)	(312,889)
Total property owned	1,337,064	1,368,582
Development in progress		51,681
Unimproved land	18,455	20,939
Total real estate investments	1,355,519	1,441,202
Other assets
Assets held for sale and assets of discontinued operations	37,708	220,537
Cash and cash equivalents	28,819	66,698
Other investments		50
Receivable arising from straight-lining of rents, net of allowance of $340 and $333, respectively	7,822	7,179
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $210 and $97, respectively	2,600	1,524
Real estate deposits	23,659
Prepaid and other assets	3,131	2,937
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $5,444 and $6,230, respectively	658	1,858
Tax, insurance, and other escrow	5,050	5,450
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $1,199 and $1,058, respectively	901	1,011
Goodwill	1,572	1,680
Deferred charges and leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $4,038 and $3,719, respectively	7,075	4,896
TOTAL ASSETS	1,474,514	1,755,022
LIABILITIES
Liabilities held for sale and liabilities of discontinued operations	30,062	77,488
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	40,350	39,727
Revolving line of credit	57,050	17,500
Mortgages payable, net of unamortized loan costs of $5,137 and $4,931, respectively	661,960	812,393
Construction debt and other	41,817	82,130
TOTAL LIABILITIES	831,239	1,029,238
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (NOTE 15)
REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS - CONSOLIDATED REAL ESTATE ENTITIES	7,181	7,522
Investors Real Estate Trust shareholders' equity
Common Shares of Beneficial Interest (Unlimited authorization, no par value, 121,199,299 shares issued and outstanding at April 30, 2017 and 121,091,249 shares issued and outstanding at April 30, 2016)	916,121	922,084
Accumulated distributions in excess of net income	(466,541)	(442,000)
Total Investors Real Estate Trust shareholders' equity	560,937	618,758
Noncontrolling interests – Operating Partnership (15,617,216 units at April 30, 2017 and 16,285,239 units at April 30, 2016)	1,924	21,020
Noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities	73,233	78,484
Total equity	636,094	718,262
TOTAL LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS AND EQUITY	1,474,514	1,755,022
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Investors Real Estate Trust shareholders' equity
Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest (Cumulative redeemable preferred shares)		27,317
Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Investors Real Estate Trust shareholders' equity
Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest (Cumulative redeemable preferred shares)	$ 111,357	$ 111,357