Disclosure About Fair Value of Financial Instruments - Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	$ 6,789	$ 8,833
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	306	7,619
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	2,269	2,451
Impaired real estate assets	5,888
Total Assets	15,252	18,903
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	1,983,723	1,965,611
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	1,059	1,870
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	2,269	2,451
Total Liabilities	1,987,051	1,969,932
Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0	0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	2,269	2,451
Impaired real estate assets	0
Total Assets	2,269	2,451
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0	0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	2,269	2,451
Total Liabilities	2,269	2,451
Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	6,789	8,833
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	306	7,619
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0	0
Impaired real estate assets	0
Total Assets	7,095	16,452
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	1,983,723	1,965,611
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	1,059	1,870
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0	0
Total Liabilities	1,984,782	1,967,481
Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0	0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0	0
Impaired real estate assets	5,888
Total Assets	5,888	0
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0	0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0	0
Total Liabilities	0	0
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	147,451	144,802
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	147,451	144,802
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	0	0
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	$ 0	$ 0