Segment Reporting (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Segment Reporting Table [Abstract]

Reconciliation Of Assets From Segment To Consolidated Text Block

	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2011		2010		2011		2010
Investment Management
Revenues (a)	$	53,354	$	38,089	$	204,968	$	130,648
Operating expenses (a)		(39,542)		(31,492)		(119,780)		(97,244)
Other, net (b)		7,000		2,542		14,226		5,431
Provision for income taxes		(5,075)		(3,045)		(38,511)		(12,993)
Income from continuing operations attributable to W. P. Carey members	$	15,737	$	6,094	$	60,903	$	25,842
Real Estate Ownership (c)
Revenues	$	25,018	$	20,012	$	68,272	$	58,814
Operating expenses		(18,863)		(10,179)		(42,911)		(30,063)
Interest expense		(5,989)		(4,169)		(15,660)		(11,391)
Other, net (b)		9,039		5,018		57,544		18,730
Provision for income taxes		(856)		(332)		(30)		(1,247)
Income from continuing operations attributable to W. P. Carey members	$	8,349	$	10,350	$	67,215	$	34,843
Total Company
Revenues (a)	$	78,372	$	58,101	$	273,240	$	189,462
Operating expenses (a)		(58,405)		(41,671)		(162,691)		(127,307)
Interest expense		(5,989)		(4,169)		(15,660)		(11,391)
Other, net (b)		16,039		7,560		71,770		24,161
Provision for income taxes		(5,931)		(3,377)		(38,541)		(14,240)
Income from continuing operations attributable to W. P. Carey members	$	24,086	$	16,444	$	128,118	$	60,685

Schedule of Segment Long Lived Assets to Consolidated Assets

	Total Long-Lived Assets at (d)				Total Assets at
	September 30, 2011		December 31, 2010		September 30, 2011		December 31, 2010
Investment Management	$	2,871	$	3,729	$	137,775	$	123,921
Real Estate Ownership		1,222,865		946,976		1,331,114		1,048,405
Total Company	$	1,225,736	$	950,705	$	1,468,889	$	1,172,326

Schedule Of International Investment By Segment [Table Text Block]

	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2011		2010		2011		2010
Lease revenues	$	2,115	$	1,809	$	6,248	$	4,645
Income from equity investments in real estate		1,570		185		4,719		3,161
	$	3,685	$	1,994	$	10,967	$	7,806

	September 30, 2011		December 31, 2010
Long-lived assets	$	69,777	$	69,126