Mortgages and Notes Payable (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended					3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2013 Revolving Credit Facility due 2015 [Member]	Apr. 19, 2013 Revolving Credit Facility due 2015 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Variable Rate Term Loan due 2016 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Secured indebtedness [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Secured indebtedness [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Unsecured indebtedness [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Unsecured indebtedness [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Revolving Credit Facility due 2015 [Member]	Apr. 19, 2013 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Revolving Credit Facility due 2015 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Variable Rate Term Loan due 2016 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Secured indebtedness [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Secured indebtedness [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Unsecured indebtedness [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Unsecured indebtedness [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgages and notes payable	$ 1,896,300,000		$ 1,859,162,000				$ 547,150,000	$ 549,607,000	$ 1,349,150,000	$ 1,309,555,000	$ 1,896,300,000		$ 1,859,162,000				$ 547,150,000	$ 549,607,000	$ 1,349,150,000	$ 1,309,555,000
Aggregate undepreciated book value of secured real estate assets							967,300,000										967,300,000
Maximum borrowing capacity on revolving credit facility				475,000,000										475,000,000
Maturity date on revolving credit facility				Jul. 27, 2015										Jul. 27, 2015
Additional borrowing capacity on revolving credit facility				75,000,000										75,000,000
Credit facility, interest rate basis				LIBOR plus basis points										LIBOR plus basis points
Credit facility, current interest rate (in hundredths)				1.50%										1.50%
Annual facility fee (in hundredths)				0.35%										0.35%
Amount outstanding on revolving credit facility				97,500,000	94,500,000									97,500,000	94,500,000
Outstanding letters of credit on revolving credit facility				100,000	100,000									100,000	100,000
Unused borrowing capacity on revolving credit facility				377,400,000	380,400,000									377,400,000	380,400,000
Debt instrument maturity date						Feb. 28, 2016										Feb. 28, 2016
Principal amount of debt						200,000,000										200,000,000
Early repayment of debt						35,000,000										35,000,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt	$ (164,000)	$ 0				$ 200,000					$ (164,000)	$ 0				$ 200,000