| Document And Entity Information | 9 Months Ended | |
| Sep. 30, 2013 | Nov. 14, 2013 | |
| Document and Entity Information [Abstract] | ' | ' |
| Entity Registrant Name | 'USA REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST /CA | ' |
| Document Type | '10-Q | ' |
| Current Fiscal Year End Date | '--12-31 | ' |
| Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding | ' | 15,788 |
| Amendment Flag | 'false | ' |
| Entity Central Index Key | '0000803771 | ' |
| Entity Current Reporting Status | 'Yes | ' |
| Entity Voluntary Filers | 'No | ' |
| Entity Filer Category | 'Smaller Reporting Company | ' |
| Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer | 'No | ' |
| Document Period End Date | 30-Sep-13 | ' |
| Document Fiscal Year Focus | '2013 | ' |
| Document Fiscal Period Focus | 'Q3 | ' |
| Condensed Balance Sheets (Current Period Unaudited) (USD $) | Sep. 30, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 |
| Assets | ' | ' |
| Real estate loan | $0 | $0 |
| Cash | 905,991 | 788,469 |
| Other assets | 0 | 230,000 |
| Total assets | 905,991 | 1,018,469 |
| Liabilities: | ' | ' |
| Accounts payable | 3,462 | 1,303 |
| Total liabilities | 3,462 | 1,303 |
| Shareholders' equity: | ' | ' |
| Shares of beneficial interest, par value $1 per share; 62,500 shares authorized; 15,788 and 15,798 shares outstanding at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively | 15,788 | 15,798 |
| Additional paid-in capital | 26,172,711 | 26,173,534 |
| Distributions in excess of cumulative net income | -25,285,970 | -25,172,166 |
| Total shareholders’ equity | 902,529 | 1,017,166 |
| Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity | $905,991 | $1,018,469 |
| Condensed Balance Sheets (Current Period Unaudited) (Parentheticals) (USD $) | Sep. 30, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 |
| Shares of beneficial interest, par value (in Dollars per share) | $1 | $1 |
| Shares of beneficial interest, shares authorized | 62,500 | 62,500 |
| Shares of beneficial interest, shares outstanding | 15,788 | 15,798 |
| Condensed Statements of Operations (Unaudited) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | ||
| Sep. 30, 2013 | Sep. 30, 2012 | Sep. 30, 2013 | Sep. 30, 2012 | |
| Revenues: | ' | ' | ' | ' |
| Interest income | $166 | ' | $1,010 | ' |
| Expenses: | ' | ' | ' | ' |
| Operating | ' | ' | ' | 4,745 |
| Impairment of receivables | ' | ' | 8,652 | 0 |
| General and administrative | 25,919 | 36,080 | 106,162 | 157,019 |
| Total expenses | 25,919 | 36,080 | 114,814 | 161,764 |
| Net loss | ($25,753) | ($36,080) | ($113,804) | ($161,764) |
| Net loss per share (in Dollars per share) | ($1.63) | ($2.26) | ($7.21) | ($9.45) |
| Weighted-average number of shares outstanding (in Shares) | 15,788 | 15,998 | 15,792 | 17,114 |
| Condensed Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (USD $) | 9 Months Ended | |
| Sep. 30, 2013 | Sep. 30, 2012 | |
| CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: | ' | ' |
| Net loss | ($113,804) | ($161,764) |
| Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities | ' | ' |
| Impairment charge | 8,652 | 0 |
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | ' | ' |
| Increase (decrease) in accounts payable | 2,159 | -95,416 |
| Net cash used in operating activities | -102,993 | -257,180 |
| CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: | ' | ' |
| Net proceeds from the sale of real estate owned | 0 | 1,786,000 |
| Advance to related party | -8,652 | -604,252 |
| Reimbursement from related party | 230,000 | 0 |
| Net cash provided by investing activities | 221,348 | 1,181,748 |
| CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: | ' | ' |
| Payment of note payable | 0 | -500,000 |
| Repurchase of shares of beneficial interest | -833 | -167,351 |
| Net cash used in financing activities | -833 | -667,351 |
| NET INCREASE IN CASH | 117,522 | 257,217 |
| CASH AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD | 788,469 | 718,198 |
| CASH AT END OF PERIOD | 905,991 | 975,415 |
| Supplemental cash flow disclosures: | ' | ' |
| Cash paid for interest | $0 | $85,911 |
| Note 1. Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 9 Months Ended |
| Sep. 30, 2013 | |
| Accounting Policies [Abstract] | ' |
| Organization, Consolidation, Basis of Presentation, Business Description and Accounting Policies [Text Block] | ' |
| 1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | |
| GENERAL: USA Real Estate Investment Trust (the "Trust") was organized under the laws of the State of California pursuant to a Declaration of Trust dated October 7, 1986. The Trust commenced operations on October 19, 1987, upon the sale of the minimum offering amount of shares of beneficial interest. The Trust is a self-administered, self-managed, real estate investment trust. The interim unaudited financial statements of the Trust have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been omitted. The Trust believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto included in the Trust’s 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to present fairly the Trust’s financial position at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, and the results of its operations for the three month and nine month interim periods ended September 30, 2013 and September 30, 2012 and its cash flows for the nine month interim periods ended September 30, 2012 and September 30, 2012 have been included. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. |
| Note 2. Shareholders' Equity | 9 Months Ended |
| Sep. 30, 2013 | |
| Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract] | ' |
| Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block] | ' |
| 2. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY | |
| In May 2013, the Trust repurchased 10 of its shares of beneficial interest for $833. |
| Note 3. Commitments and Contingencies | 9 Months Ended |
| Sep. 30, 2013 | |
| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | ' |
| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block] | ' |
| 3. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | |
| The Trust is involved in claims and legal proceedings and it may become involved in other legal matters arising in the ordinary course of business. The Trust evaluates these claims and legal matters on a case-by-case basis to make a determination as to the impact, if any, on its business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. The Trust currently believes that the ultimate outcome of these claims and proceedings, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse impact on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows. The Trust’s evaluation of the potential impact of these claims and legal proceedings on its business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could change in the future. |
| Note 4. Fair Value Measurements and Other Financial Measurements | 9 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sep. 30, 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract] | ' | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block] | ' | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 4. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Trust has no financial instruments accounted for at fair value on a recurring or non-recurring basis. Fair value is the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. There are three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair values: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 1 – Quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the entity can access as of the measurement date. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 2 – Significant other observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level 3 – Significant unobservable inputs that reflect a company’s own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| The carrying values and fair values of the Trust’s other financial instruments were as follows: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30-Sep-13 | 31-Dec-12 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Level | Carrying | Fair | Carrying | Fair | ||||||||||||||||||
| value | value | value | value | |||||||||||||||||||
| Cash | 1 | $ | 905,991 | $ | 905,991 | $ | 788,469 | $ | 788,469 | |||||||||||||
| Accounts payable | 2 | 3,462 | 3,462 | 1,303 | 1,303 | |||||||||||||||||
| There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during 2013 or 2012. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash and accounts payable. The carrying amounts approximate fair value because of the short maturity of the instruments. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Note 5. Related Party | 9 Months Ended |
| Sep. 30, 2013 | |
| Related Party Transactions [Abstract] | ' |
| Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block] | ' |
| 5. RELATED PARTY | |
| During the nine months ended September 30, 2013, the Trust advanced $8,652 to West Coast Realty Trust, Inc., a related party (“WCRT”). As of September 30, 2013, the Trust has advanced a total of $825,934 to WCRT in connection with WCRT’s formation and proposed initial public offering and is expected to be repaid without interest at the closing of WCRT’s proposed initial public offering. Of this advance, $230,000 relates to fees paid to Aviva Life and Annuity Company for a planned mortgage refinance. The mortgage refinance was completed and WCRT remitted $230,000 to the Trust in June 2013. WCRT’s proposed initial public offering has been delayed and collection of the advance is uncertain. As such, the Trust recorded impairment charges of $8,652 and $587,282 in the statement of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and the year ended December 31, 2012, respectively. The advance is reflected as “Other assets” on the accompanying balance sheet and recorded at $0 and $230,000 at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. |
| Note 4. Fair Value Measurements and Other Financial Measurements (Tables) | 9 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sep. 30, 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract] | ' | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Fair Value, by Balance Sheet Grouping [Table Text Block] | ' | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 30-Sep-13 | 31-Dec-12 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Level | Carrying | Fair | Carrying | Fair | ||||||||||||||||||
| value | value | value | value | |||||||||||||||||||
| Cash | 1 | $ | 905,991 | $ | 905,991 | $ | 788,469 | $ | 788,469 | |||||||||||||
| Accounts payable | 2 | 3,462 | 3,462 | 1,303 | 1,303 | |||||||||||||||||
| Note 2. Shareholders' Equity (Details) (USD $) | 1 Months Ended |
| 31-May-13 | |
| Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract] | ' |
| Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares | 10 |
| Stock Repurchased During Period, Value (in Dollars) | $833 |
| Note 4. Fair Value Measurements and Other Financial Measurements (Details) - Carrying Values and Fair Values of Other Financial Instruments (USD $) | Sep. 30, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Sep. 30, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011 |
| Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | ' | ' | ' | ' |
| Cash | $905,991 | $788,469 | $975,415 | $718,198 |
| Accounts payable | 3,462 | 1,303 | ' | ' |
| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | ' | ' | ' | ' |
| Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | ' | ' | ' | ' |
| Cash | 905,991 | 788,469 | ' | ' |
| Cash | 905,991 | 788,469 | ' | ' |
| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | ' | ' | ' | ' |
| Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] | ' | ' | ' | ' |
| Accounts payable | 3,462 | 1,303 | ' | ' |
| Accounts payable | $3,462 | $1,303 | ' | ' |
| Note 5. Related Party (Details) (USD $) | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | |
| Sep. 30, 2013 | Sep. 30, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2012 | |
| Note 5. Related Party (Details) [Line Items] | ' | ' | ' |
| Other Assets | $0 | ' | $230,000 |
| Asset Impairment Charges | 8,652 | 0 | 587,282 |
| West Coast Realty Trust [Member] | ' | ' | ' |
| Note 5. Related Party (Details) [Line Items] | ' | ' | ' |
| Related Party Transaction, Amounts of Transaction | 8,652 | ' | ' |
| Due from Related Parties | 825,934 | ' | ' |
| Other Assets | $230,000 | ' | ' |
