Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies	Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies Description of Business Highwoods Properties, Inc., together with its consolidated subsidiaries (the “Company”), is a fully-integrated, self-administered and self-managed equity real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that provides leasing, management, development, construction and other customer-related services for its properties and for third parties. The Company conducts virtually all of its activities through Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership (the “Operating Partnership”). At June 30, 2012, the Company and/or the Operating Partnership wholly owned: 304 in-service office, industrial and retail properties, comprising 29.5 million square feet; nine for-sale residential condominiums; 581 acres of undeveloped land suitable for future development, of which 518 acres are considered core assets; and one office property under development. The Company is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership. At June 30, 2012, the Company owned all of the Preferred Units and 75.2 million, or 95.3%, of the Common Units in the Operating Partnership. Limited partners, including one officer and two directors of the Company, own the remaining 3.7 million Common Units. In the event the Company issues shares of Common Stock, the net proceeds are contributed to the Operating Partnership in exchange for additional Common Units. Generally, the Operating Partnership is required to redeem each Common Unit at the request of the holder thereof for cash equal to the value of one share of the Company’s Common Stock, $0.01 par value, based on the average of the market price for the 10 trading days immediately preceding the notice date of such redemption, provided that the Company at its option may elect to acquire any such Common Units presented for redemption for cash or one share of Common Stock. The Common Units owned by the Company are not redeemable. During the six months ended June 30, 2012, the Company redeemed 18,366 Common Units for a like number of shares of Common Stock. The redemptions, in conjunction with the proceeds from issuances of Common Stock contributed to the Operating Partnership in exchange for additional Common Units, increased the percentage of Common Units owned by the Company from 95.1% at December 31, 2011 to 95.3% at June 30, 2012. Common Stock Offerings The Company has entered into equity sales agreements with various financial institutions to offer and sell, from time to time, shares of its Common Stock by means of ordinary brokers' transactions on the New York Stock Exchange or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices or as otherwise agreed with any of the institutions. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, the Company issued 1,836,976 and 2,622,476 shares, respectively, of Common Stock under these agreements at an average gross sales price of $33.72 and $33.45 per share, respectively, raising net proceeds, after sales commissions and expenses, of $61.0 million and $86.4 million, respectively. Basis of Presentation Our Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Our Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2011 was recast from previously reported amounts to reflect in real estate and other assets, net, held for sale those properties which qualified as held for sale during the three months ended June 30, 2012. Our Consolidated Statements of Income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 were recast from previously reported amounts to reflect in discontinued operations the operations for those properties that qualified for discontinued operations. Prior period amounts related to capital expenditures in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. Our Consolidated Financial Statements include the Operating Partnership, wholly owned subsidiaries and those entities in which we have the controlling financial interest. All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated. At June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, we had involvement with no entities that we concluded to be variable interest entities. 1. Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies – Continued The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and accompanying unaudited consolidated financial information, in the opinion of management, contain all adjustments (including normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. We have omitted certain notes and other information from the interim consolidated financial statements presented in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as permitted by SEC rules and regulations. These Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with our 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Recently Issued Accounting Standards As a result of adopting certain new or amended accounting pronouncements in the first quarter of 2012, we have enhanced our disclosure of assets and liabilities measured at fair value and elected to continue use of credit valuation adjustments on a net basis by counterparty as part of the calculation to determine the fair value of our derivatives. Our disclosures now include: (1) significant transfers between Levels 1 and 2 of the fair value hierarchy, if any; (2) additional quantitative and qualitative information regarding fair value measurements categorized as Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy; and (3) the hierarchy classification for items whose fair value is not recorded on our Consolidated Balance Sheets but was disclosed previously in our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Additionally, we have presented comprehensive income in a separate financial statement entitled Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies	1. Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies Description of Business Highwoods Properties, Inc., together with its consolidated subsidiaries (the “Company”), is a fully-integrated, self-administered and self-managed equity real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that provides leasing, management, development, construction and other customer-related services for its properties and for third parties. The Company conducts virtually all of its activities through Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership (the “Operating Partnership”). At June 30, 2012, the Company and/or the Operating Partnership wholly owned: 304 in-service office, industrial and retail properties, comprising 29.5 million square feet; nine for-sale residential condominiums; 581 acres of undeveloped land suitable for future development, of which 518 acres are considered core assets; and one office property under development. The Company is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership. At June 30, 2012, the Company owned all of the Preferred Units and 75.2 million, or 95.3%, of the Common Units in the Operating Partnership. Limited partners, including one officer and two directors of the Company, own the remaining 3.7 million Common Units. In the event the Company issues shares of Common Stock, the net proceeds are contributed to the Operating Partnership in exchange for additional Common Units. Generally, the Operating Partnership is required to redeem each Common Unit at the request of the holder thereof for cash equal to the value of one share of the Company’s Common Stock, $0.01 par value, based on the average of the market price for the 10 trading days immediately preceding the notice date of such redemption, provided that the Company at its option may elect to acquire any such Common Units presented for redemption for cash or one share of Common Stock. The Common Units owned by the Company are not redeemable. During the six months ended June 30, 2012, the Company redeemed 18,366 Common Units for a like number of shares of Common Stock. The redemptions, in conjunction with the proceeds from issuances of Common Stock contributed to the Operating Partnership in exchange for additional Common Units, increased the percentage of Common Units owned by the Company from 95.1% at December 31, 2011 to 95.3% at June 30, 2012. Common Stock Offerings The Company has entered into equity sales agreements with various financial institutions to offer and sell, from time to time, shares of its Common Stock by means of ordinary brokers' transactions on the New York Stock Exchange or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices or as otherwise agreed with any of the institutions. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, the Company issued 1,836,976 and 2,622,476 shares, respectively, of Common Stock under these agreements at an average gross sales price of $33.72 and $33.45 per share, respectively, raising net proceeds, after sales commissions and expenses, of $61.0 million and $86.4 million, respectively. Basis of Presentation Our Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Our Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2011 was revised from previously reported amounts to reflect in real estate and other assets, net, held for sale those properties which qualified as held for sale during the three months ended June 30, 2012. Our Consolidated Statements of Income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 were revised from previously reported amounts to reflect in discontinued operations the operations for those properties that qualified for discontinued operations. Prior period amounts related to capital expenditures in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. Our Consolidated Financial Statements include wholly owned subsidiaries and those entities in which we have the controlling financial interest. All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated. At June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, we had involvement with no entities that we concluded to be variable interest entities. 1. Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies – Continued The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and accompanying unaudited consolidated financial information, in the opinion of management, contain all adjustments (including normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. We have omitted certain notes and other information from the interim consolidated financial statements presented in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as permitted by SEC rules and regulations. These Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with our 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Recently Issued Accounting Standards As a result of adopting certain new or amended accounting pronouncements in the first quarter of 2012, we have enhanced our disclosure of assets and liabilities measured at fair value and elected to continue use of credit valuation adjustments on a net basis by counterparty as part of the calculation to determine the fair value of our derivatives. Our disclosures now include: (1) significant transfers between Levels 1 and 2 of the fair value hierarchy, if any; (2) additional quantitative and qualitative information regarding fair value measurements categorized as Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy; and (3) the hierarchy classification for items whose fair value is not recorded on our Consolidated Balance Sheets but was disclosed previously in our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Additionally, we have presented comprehensive income in a separate financial statement entitled Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.

The entire disclosure for the organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure, and significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. May be provided in more than one note to the financial statements, as long as users are provided with an understanding of (1) the significant judgments and assumptions made by an enterprise in determining whether it must consolidate a VIE and/or disclose information about its involvement with a VIE, (2) the nature of restrictions on a consolidated VIE's assets reported by an enterprise in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets, (3) the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with an enterprise's involvement with the VIE, and (4) how an enterprise's involvement with the VIE affects the enterprise's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. Describes procedure if disclosures are provided in more than one note to the financial statements.

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