Consolidated Statements of Income (USD $) Share data in Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Rental and other revenues	$ 516,102,000		$ 463,444,000		$ 440,836,000
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses	187,434,000		167,853,000		155,771,000
Depreciation and amortization	156,318,000		137,890,000		130,232,000
Impairments of real estate assets	0		2,429,000		0
General and administrative	37,377,000		35,727,000		32,948,000
Total operating expenses	381,129,000		343,899,000		318,951,000
Interest expense:
Contractual	92,838,000		91,458,000		87,409,000
Amortization of deferred financing costs	3,685,000		3,312,000		3,385,000
Financing obligations	(409,000)		740,000		2,157,000
Total interest expense	96,114,000		95,510,000		92,951,000
Other income:
Interest and other income	7,353,000		7,387,000		6,362,000
Losses on debt extinguishment	(973,000)		(24,000)		(705,000)
Total other income	6,380,000		7,363,000		5,657,000
Income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	45,239,000		31,398,000		34,591,000
Gains on disposition of property	0		764,000		74,000
Gains/(losses) on for-sale residential condominiums	444,000		(316,000)		276,000
Gains on disposition of investments in unconsolidated affiliates	0		2,282,000		25,330,000
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	5,035,000		4,878,000		3,821,000
Income from continuing operations	50,718,000		39,006,000		64,092,000
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations	4,062,000		6,392,000		8,297,000
Net gains/(losses) on disposition of discontinued operations	29,455,000		2,573,000		(86,000)
Total discontinued operations	33,517,000		8,965,000		8,211,000
Net income	84,235,000		47,971,000		72,303,000
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,854,000)		(2,091,000)		(3,320,000)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(786,000)		(755,000)		(485,000)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,508,000)		(4,553,000)		(6,708,000)
Excess of Preferred Stock redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value	0		(1,895,000)		0
Net income available for common stockholders	77,087,000		38,677,000		61,790,000
Earnings per Common Share - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.60		$ 0.42		$ 0.75
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.42		$ 0.12		$ 0.11
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.02		$ 0.54		$ 0.86
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	75,811	[1],[2]	72,281	[1],[2]	71,578	[1],[2]
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.60		$ 0.42		$ 0.75
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.42		$ 0.12		$ 0.11
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.02		$ 0.54		$ 0.86
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	79,678	[2]	76,189	[2]	75,578	[2]
Net income available for common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders	45,164,000		30,158,000		53,994,000
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders	31,923,000		8,519,000		7,796,000
Net income available for common stockholders	77,087,000		38,677,000		61,790,000
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Rental and other revenues	516,102,000		463,444,000		440,836,000
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses	187,185,000		167,827,000		155,411,000
Depreciation and amortization	156,318,000		137,890,000		130,232,000
Impairments of real estate assets	0		2,429,000		0
General and administrative	37,626,000		35,753,000		33,308,000
Total operating expenses	381,129,000		343,899,000		318,951,000
Interest expense:
Contractual	92,838,000		91,458,000		87,409,000
Amortization of deferred financing costs	3,685,000		3,312,000		3,385,000
Financing obligations	(409,000)		740,000		2,157,000
Total interest expense	96,114,000		95,510,000		92,951,000
Other income:
Interest and other income	7,353,000		7,387,000		6,362,000
Losses on debt extinguishment	(973,000)		(24,000)		(705,000)
Total other income	6,380,000		7,363,000		5,657,000
Income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	45,239,000		31,398,000		34,591,000
Gains on disposition of property	0		764,000		74,000
Gains/(losses) on for-sale residential condominiums	444,000		(316,000)		276,000
Gains on disposition of investments in unconsolidated affiliates	0		2,282,000		25,330,000
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	5,095,000		4,939,000		3,794,000
Income from continuing operations	50,778,000		39,067,000		64,065,000
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations	4,062,000		6,392,000		8,297,000
Net gains/(losses) on disposition of discontinued operations	29,455,000		2,573,000		(86,000)
Total discontinued operations	33,517,000		8,965,000		8,211,000
Net income	84,295,000		48,032,000		72,276,000
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(786,000)		(755,000)		(485,000)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(2,508,000)		(4,553,000)		(6,708,000)
Excess of Preferred Unit redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value	0		(1,895,000)		0
Net income available for common unitholders	81,001,000		40,829,000		65,083,000
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.60		$ 0.42		$ 0.76
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.42		$ 0.12		$ 0.11
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.02		$ 0.54		$ 0.87
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - basic (in shares)	79,147		75,644		74,971
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	0.60		0.42		0.76
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	0.42		0.12		0.11
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	1.02		0.54		0.87
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - diluted (in shares)	79,269		75,780		75,169
Net income available for common unitholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders	47,484,000		31,864,000		56,872,000
Total discontinued operations	33,517,000		8,965,000		8,211,000
Net income available for common unitholders	$ 81,001,000		$ 40,829,000		$ 65,083,000

[1] Includes all unvested restricted stock since dividends on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.

[2] There were 0.5 million, 0.4 million and 0.7 million options outstanding during the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively, that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share because the impact of including such options would be anti-dilutive.