Derivative Financial Instruments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013 swaps	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of derivative instruments obtained	6
Derivative maturity date	Jan. 01, 2019
Amount of borrowings outstanding	$ 225,000,000
Interest rate under derivative instruments	1.678%
Expected increase to interest expense	3,300,000
Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities [Abstract]
Interest rate swaps	8,261,000		9,369,000
Amount of unrealized gains recognized in AOCL on derivatives (effective portion) [Abstract]
Interest rate swaps	280,000	1,104,000
Amount of (gains)/losses reclassified out of AOCL into contractual interest expense (effective portion) [Abstract]
Interest rate swaps	788,000	(33,000)
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of derivative instruments obtained	6
Derivative maturity date	Jan. 01, 2019
Amount of borrowings outstanding	225,000,000
Interest rate under derivative instruments	1.678%
Expected increase to interest expense	3,300,000
Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities [Abstract]
Interest rate swaps	8,261,000		9,369,000
Amount of unrealized gains recognized in AOCL on derivatives (effective portion) [Abstract]
Interest rate swaps	280,000	1,104,000
Amount of (gains)/losses reclassified out of AOCL into contractual interest expense (effective portion) [Abstract]
Interest rate swaps	$ 788,000	$ (33,000)