The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Minimum amount of other commitment not otherwise specified in the taxonomy. Excludes commitments explicitly modeled in the taxonomy, including but not limited to, long-term and short-term purchase commitments, recorded and unrecorded purchase obligations, supply commitments, registration payment arrangements, leases, debt, product warranties, guarantees, environmental remediation obligations, and pensions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow from the acquisition of a piece of land, anything permanently fixed to it, including buildings, structures on it and so forth; includes real estate intended to generate income for the owner; excludes real estate acquired for use by the owner.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482740/230-10-45-13

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=wpc_SelfStorageInLittleRockArkansasMember
Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=wpc_SelfStorageInHoustonTexasMember
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- Details

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=wpc_KnoxvilleAndSpringfieldTennesseeMember
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- Details

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=wpc_BastropTexasMember
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- Details

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Land, Buildings and Improvements, and Assets Held for Sale - Operating Property Investments (Details) $ in Thousands									1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 15, 2023 USD ($) property	Dec. 08, 2023 USD ($) property	Nov. 17, 2023 USD ($) property	Oct. 26, 2023 USD ($)	Aug. 25, 2023 USD ($) property	Jun. 22, 2023 USD ($) property	Jun. 15, 2023 USD ($) property	Jan. 12, 2023 USD ($) property	May 26, 2023 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2023 USD ($) property	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) property	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) property	May 05, 2023 property	Apr. 18, 2023 property
Real Estate Properties
Payment to acquire real estate										$ 1,211,397	$ 1,145,734	$ 1,306,858
Operating real estate
Real Estate Properties
Number of properties (property) \| property										5
Payment to acquire real estate										$ 47,309
Real Estate Subject to Operating Leases
Real Estate Properties
Number of properties (property) \| property										71	23	28
Payment to acquire real estate				$ 8,658						$ 1,178,702	$ 1,200,000	$ 1,300,000
Little Rock, Arkansas \| Operating real estate
Real Estate Properties
Number of properties (property) \| property						1
Payment to acquire real estate						$ 6,166
Funding commitment						$ 3,600
Houston, Texas \| Operating real estate
Real Estate Properties
Number of properties (property) \| property					1
Payment to acquire real estate					$ 13,120
Knoxville and Springfield, Tennessee \| Operating real estate
Real Estate Properties
Number of properties (property) \| property		2
Payment to acquire real estate		$ 15,580
Bastrop, Texas \| Operating real estate
Real Estate Properties
Number of properties (property) \| property	1
Payment to acquire real estate	$ 12,443
Various, United States
Real Estate Properties
Number of properties (property) \| property														4
Various, United States \| Real Estate Subject to Operating Leases
Real Estate Properties
Number of properties (property) \| property			7				4	6					9
Payment to acquire real estate			$ 35,577				$ 139,092	$ 64,861	$ 39,713