Organization	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization	Organization American Realty Capital Properties, Inc. (the “Company”), incorporated on December 2, 2010, as a Maryland corporation has elected to qualify as a real estate investment trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes for the year ended December 31, 2011. On September 6, 2011, the Company completed its initial public offering (the “IPO”) and sold a total of 5.6 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $66.0 million. The shares began trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “ARCP” on September 7, 2011. On November 2, 2011, the Company sold in an underwritten follow-on offering an additional 1.5 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $14.4 million. In addition, on November 2, 2011, the underwriters of the follow-on offering exercised their option to purchase an additional 0.1 million shares of common stock, which closed on November 7, 2011, for net proceeds of $0.7 million. On June 18, 2012, the Company sold in an underwritten follow-on offering a total of 3.25 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $30.0 million. In July 2012, the underwriters exercised their over-allotment option. See Note 16 — Subsequent Events. The Company was formed to acquire and own single-tenant, freestanding commercial real estate primarily subject to medium-term net leases with high credit quality tenants. The Company considers properties that are net leased on a “medium-term basis” to mean properties originally leased long-term (ten years or longer) that currently have a primary remaining lease duration of generally three to eight years, on average. Substantially all of the Company's business is conducted through ARC Properties Operating Partnership, L.P. (the “OP”), a Delaware limited partnership. The Company is the sole general partner and holder of 92.3% of the interest in the OP. ARC Real Estate Partners, LLC (the “Contributor”) and an unaffiliated investor are limited partners and owners of 2.7% and 5.0%, respectively, of the interest in the OP. After holding units of limited partner interests in the OP (“OP Units”) for a period of one year, holders of OP Units have the right to convert OP Units for the cash value of a corresponding number of shares of the Company's common stock or, at the option of the OP, a corresponding number of shares of the Company's common stock, as allowed by the limited partnership agreement of the OP. The remaining rights of the holders of OP Units are limited, however, and do not include the ability to replace the general partner or to approve the sale, purchase or refinancing of the OP’s assets. The Company, which is externally managed with no employees, has retained ARC Properties Advisors, LLC (the "Manager"), a wholly owned subsidiary of AR Capital, LLC (formerly American Realty Capital II, LLC) (the “Sponsor”), to manage its affairs on a day to day basis. These affiliated parties, including the Manager, the Sponsor and the Sponsor's wholly owned broker-dealer, Realty Capital Securities, LLC ("RCS"), have received compensation and fees for services provided to the Company, and will continue to receive compensation and fees for providing on-going investment oversight, financing and management services to the Company, as applicable, in accordance with the terms of the agreements entered into by and between the Company and respective affiliated entity.

Organization

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

American Realty Capital Properties, Inc. (the “Company”), incorporated on December 2, 2010, as a Maryland corporation has elected to qualify as a real estate investment trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes for the year ended December 31, 2011. On September 6, 2011, the Company completed its initial public offering (the “IPO”) and sold a total of 5.6 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $66.0 million. The shares began trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “ARCP” on September 7, 2011.

On November 2, 2011, the Company sold in an underwritten follow-on offering an additional 1.5 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $14.4 million. In addition, on November 2, 2011, the underwriters of the follow-on offering exercised their option to purchase an additional 0.1 million shares of common stock, which closed on November 7, 2011, for net proceeds of $0.7 million.

On June 18, 2012, the Company sold in an underwritten follow-on offering a total of 3.25 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $30.0 million. In July 2012, the underwriters exercised their over-allotment option. See Note 16 — Subsequent Events.

The Company was formed to acquire and own single-tenant, freestanding commercial real estate primarily subject to medium-term net leases with high credit quality tenants. The Company considers properties that are net leased on a “medium-term basis” to mean properties originally leased long-term (ten years or longer) that currently have a primary remaining lease duration of generally three to eight years, on average.

Substantially all of the Company's business is conducted through ARC Properties Operating Partnership, L.P. (the “OP”), a Delaware limited partnership. The Company is the sole general partner and holder of 92.3% of the interest in the OP. ARC Real Estate Partners, LLC (the “Contributor”) and an unaffiliated investor are limited partners and owners of 2.7% and 5.0%, respectively, of the interest in the OP. After holding units of limited partner interests in the OP (“OP Units”) for a period of one year, holders of OP Units have the right to convert OP Units for the cash value of a corresponding number of shares of the Company's common stock or, at the option of the OP, a corresponding number of shares of the Company's common stock, as allowed by the limited partnership agreement of the OP. The remaining rights of the holders of OP Units are limited, however, and do not include the ability to replace the general partner or to approve the sale, purchase or refinancing of the OP’s assets.

The Company, which is externally managed with no employees, has retained ARC Properties Advisors, LLC (the "Manager"), a wholly owned subsidiary of AR Capital, LLC (formerly American Realty Capital II, LLC) (the “Sponsor”), to manage its affairs on a day to day basis. These affiliated parties, including the Manager, the Sponsor and the Sponsor's wholly owned broker-dealer, Realty Capital Securities, LLC ("RCS"), have received compensation and fees for services provided to the Company, and will continue to receive compensation and fees for providing on-going investment oversight, financing and management services to the Company, as applicable, in accordance with the terms of the agreements entered into by and between the Company and respective affiliated entity.