Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets:
Accounts receivable allowance	$ 1,923	$ 2,848
Mortgages and notes receivable allowance	437	182
Accrued straight-line rents receivable allowance	1,034	880
Deferred financing and leasing costs, accumulated amortization	82,472	77,219
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated amortization	12,587	12,318
Equity:
Series A Preferred Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Series A Preferred Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	50,000,000	50,000,000
Series A Preferred Stock, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Stock, shares issued (in shares)	29,077	29,077
Series A Preferred Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	29,077	29,077
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	200,000,000	200,000,000
Common Stock, shares issued (in shares)	82,130,593	80,311,437
Common Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	82,130,593	80,311,437
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Assets:
Accounts receivable allowance	1,923	2,848
Mortgages and notes receivable allowance	437	182
Accrued straight-line rents receivable allowance	1,034	880
Deferred financing and leasing costs, accumulated amortization	82,472	77,219
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated amortization	$ 12,587	$ 12,318
Equity:
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units: [Abstract]
Redeemable Common Units outstanding (in shares)	3,722,945	3,733,016
Series A Preferred Units, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Units, issued (in shares)	29,077	29,077
Series A Preferred Units, outstanding (in shares)	29,077	29,077
Common Units: [Abstract]
General partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	854,447	836,356
Limited partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	80,867,336	79,066,272