Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]

Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information [Table Text Block]

			Three Months Ended
			March 31, 2011		June 30, 2011		September 30, 2011		December 31, 2011
Revenues (a) (b)			$	75,945	$	116,776	$	76,973	$	61,947
Expenses (a)				49,328		53,507		57,674		51,790
Net income				23,616		81,060		25,258		9,204
	Add: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests			330		384		581		569
	Less: Net income attributable to redeemable
		noncontrolling interests		(603)		(1)		(637)		(682)
Net income attributable to W. P. Carey members				23,343		81,443		25,202		9,091
Earnings per share attributable to W. P. Carey members -
	Basic			0.58		2.02		0.62		0.22
	Diluted			0.58		1.99		0.62		0.23
Distributions declared per share				0.512		0.550		0.560		0.563
			Three Months Ended
			March 31, 2010		June 30, 2010		September 30, 2010		December 31, 2010
Revenues (a)			$	60,532	$	67,904	$	56,927	$	80,062
Expenses (a)				41,713		42,342		40,947		48,192
Net income				14,302		23,721		16,371		20,557
	Add: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests			286		128		81		(181)
	Less: Net income attributable to redeemable
		noncontrolling interests		(175)		(417)		(106)		(595)
Net income attributable to W. P. Carey members				14,413		23,432		16,346		19,781
Earnings per share attributable to W. P. Carey members -
	Basic			0.36		0.59		0.41		0.50
	Diluted			0.36		0.59		0.41		0.50
Distributions declared per share				0.504		0.506		0.508		0.510