Organization	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization	Organization American Realty Capital Properties, Inc. (the “Company”), is a Maryland corporation incorporated on December 2, 2010 that qualified 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. The shares began trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “ARCP” on September 7, 2011. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had 11.2 million shares of common stock outstanding, including unvested restricted shares, and had received aggregate gross proceeds from common stock issuances of $118.9 million. In addition, as of September 30, 2012, the Company had received aggregate gross proceeds of $9.0 million from the issuance of convertible preferred stock. On August 1, 2012, the Company filed a universal shelf registration statement and a resale registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Each registration statement became effective on August 17, 2012. The $500.0 million universal shelf registration statement, as amended, will enable the Company to grow its capital base over time while providing it flexibility to issue common stock, preferred stock, debt or equity-linked securities. As of September 30, 2012, no common stock, preferred stock, debt or equity-linked security has been issued under the universal shelf registration statement. The resale registration statement, as amended, registers the resale of up to 1,882,248 shares of common stock issued in connection with any future conversion of certain currently outstanding restricted shares, convertible preferred stock or limited partnership interests. As of September 30, 2012, no common stock has been issued under the resale registration statement. 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 92.5% of the equity interest in the OP as of September 30, 2012. ARC Real Estate Partners, LLC (the “Contributor”) and an unaffiliated investor are limited partners and owners of 2.6% and 4.9%, respectively, of the equity 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 (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" or the "Dealer Manager"), 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 respective agreements to which such affiliates are party.

Organization

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

American Realty Capital Properties, Inc. (the “Company”), is a Maryland corporation incorporated on December 2, 2010 that qualified 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. The shares began trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “ARCP” on September 7, 2011. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had 11.2 million shares of common stock outstanding, including unvested restricted shares, and had received aggregate gross proceeds from common stock issuances of $118.9 million. In addition, as of September 30, 2012, the Company had received aggregate gross proceeds of $9.0 million from the issuance of convertible preferred stock.

On August 1, 2012, the Company filed a universal shelf registration statement and a resale registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Each registration statement became effective on August 17, 2012. The $500.0 million universal shelf registration statement, as amended, will enable the Company to grow its capital base over time while providing it flexibility to issue common stock, preferred stock, debt or equity-linked securities. As of September 30, 2012, no common stock, preferred stock, debt or equity-linked security has been issued under the universal shelf registration statement. The resale registration statement, as amended, registers the resale of up to 1,882,248 shares of common stock issued in connection with any future conversion of certain currently outstanding restricted shares, convertible preferred stock or limited partnership interests. As of September 30, 2012, no common stock has been issued under the resale registration statement.

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 92.5% of the equity interest in the OP as of September 30, 2012. ARC Real Estate Partners, LLC (the “Contributor”) and an unaffiliated investor are limited partners and owners of 2.6% and 4.9%, respectively, of the equity 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 (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" or the "Dealer Manager"), 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 respective agreements to which such affiliates are party.