Disclosure About Fair Value of Financial Instruments - Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	$ 1,440	$ 1,501
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	2,111	2,345
Impaired real estate assets	2,053
Total Assets	5,604	3,846
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	2,421,024	2,615,776
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	1,237	154
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	2,111	2,345
Total Liabilities	2,424,372	2,618,275
Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	0	0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	2,111	2,345
Impaired real estate assets	0
Total Assets	2,111	2,345
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)	2,111	2,345
Total Liabilities	2,111	2,345
Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	1,440	1,501
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0	0
Impaired real estate assets	0
Total Assets	1,440	1,501
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	2,421,024	2,615,776
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	1,237	154
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0	0
Total Liabilities	2,422,261	2,615,930
Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	0	0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0	0
Impaired real estate assets	2,053
Total Assets	2,053	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	106,103	133,216
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	106,103	133,216
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