Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Assets:
Accounts receivable allowance	$ 1,269	$ 753
Mortgages and notes receivable allowance	52	72
Accrued straight-line rents receivable allowance	726	819
Deferred leasing costs, accumulated amortization	147,588	143,512
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated depreciation	$ 20,033	$ 19,092
Equity/Capital:
Series A Preferred Stock, dividend rate percentage (in hundredths)	8.625%	8.625%
Series A Preferred Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Series A Preferred Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	50,000,000	50,000,000
Series A Preferred Stock, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Stock, shares issued (in shares)	28,887	28,892
Series A Preferred Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	28,887	28,892
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	200,000,000	200,000,000
Common Stock, shares issued (in shares)	103,488,326	103,266,875
Common Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	103,488,326	103,266,875
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Assets:
Accounts receivable allowance	$ 1,269	$ 753
Mortgages and notes receivable allowance	52	72
Accrued straight-line rents receivable allowance	726	819
Deferred leasing costs, accumulated amortization	147,588	143,512
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated depreciation	$ 20,033	$ 19,092
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units: [Abstract]
Redeemable Common Units outstanding (in shares)	2,802,508	2,828,704
Series A Preferred Units, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Units, issued (in shares)	28,887	28,892
Series A Preferred Units, outstanding (in shares)	28,887	28,892
Common Units: [Abstract]
General partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	1,058,820	1,056,868
Limited partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	102,020,697	101,801,198