Disclosure About Fair Value of Financial Instruments - Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	$ 5,599	$ 6,425
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	1,146	1,286
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	1,849	2,388		$ 2,451
Impaired real estate assets	10,252
Total Assets	18,846	10,099
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	2,056,248	2,015,689
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	3,581
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	1,849	2,388		$ 2,451	$ 2,736
Total Liabilities	2,061,678	2,018,077
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)	1,849	2,388
Impaired real estate assets	0
Total Assets	1,849	2,388
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	1,849	2,388
Total Liabilities	1,849	2,388
Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	5,599	6,425
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	1,146	1,286
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0	0
Impaired real estate assets	0
Total Assets	6,745	7,711
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	2,056,248	2,015,689
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	3,581
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0	0
Total Liabilities	2,059,829	2,015,689
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	10,252		$ 5,900
Total Assets	10,252	0
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	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	105,960	144,009
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	105,960	144,009
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