Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014 segment	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013 Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] security	Mar. 31, 2014 Real Estate Investment Segment [Member] note_receivable	Mar. 31, 2013 Real Estate Investment Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Real Estate Investment Segment [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Real Estate Investment Segment [Member] Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] security	Mar. 31, 2014 Real Estate Investment Segment [Member] Consolidated Properties [Member] property state sqft	Mar. 31, 2014 Real Estate Investment Segment [Member] Unconsolidated joint venture properties property sqft	Mar. 31, 2014 Private Capital Management	Mar. 31, 2013 Private Capital Management	Dec. 31, 2013 Private Capital Management	Mar. 31, 2014 Minimum [Member] Real Estate Investment Segment [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Maximum [Member] Real Estate Investment Segment [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Long Term [Member] Real Estate Investment Segment [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Short Term [Member] [Member] Real Estate Investment Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments	2
Real estate portfolio, property concentration, percentage																70.00%	30.00%
Real estate portfolio, property average remaining lease term														10 years	12 years
Number of owned properties									3,809	6
Square feet of property									101,800,000
Number of states in which entity operates									49
Percentage of rentable space leased									98.90%
Real estate property, weighted average remaining lease term									10 years 2 months 12 days
Number of securities acquired				10				25
Number of loans held for investment					14
Net rentable area										1,600,000
Rental income	$ 244,445	$ 40,987			$ 244,445	$ 40,987
Direct financing lease income	1,006	0			1,006	0
Operating expense reimbursements					21,096	1,910
Dealer manager and distribution fees, selling commissions and offering reimbursements											42,453	0
Transaction service fees											4,559	0
Management fees and reimbursements											7,055	0
Total revenues	320,614	42,897			266,547	42,897
Total Cole Capital revenues	54,067	0									54,067	0
Acquisition related					11,884	10,327
Cole Capital reallowed fees and commissions	34,436	0									34,436	0
Merger and other transaction related	222,192	137,769			222,192	137,769
Property operating expenses	29,627	2,549			29,627	2,549
General and administrative expenses	26,839	1,454			7,750	1,454					19,089	0
Equity based compensation	22,510	881			22,510	881
Depreciation and amortization	165,363	26,753			151,004	26,753					14,359	0
Total operating expenses	512,851	179,733			444,967	179,733					67,884	0
Total other income	(128,418)	(4,757)									5,195	0
Operating loss	(192,237)	(136,836)			(178,420)	(136,836)
Interest expense, net	(116,712)	(6,056)			(116,717)	(6,056)
Other income, net	5,512	853			322	853
Loss on derivative instruments, net	(20,197)	(5)			(20,197)	(5)
Gain on disposition of properties, net	2,979	0			2,979	0
Gain on sale of investments	0	451			0	451
Total other expenses, net	(128,418)	(4,757)			(133,613)	(4,757)
Net loss											(8,622)	0
Net loss from continuing operations	(320,655)	(141,593)			(312,033)	(141,593)
Loss from operations of held for sale properties	0	(16)			0	(16)
Gain on held for sale properties	2,979	14			0	14
Net loss from discontinued operations	0	(2)			0	(2)
Net loss attributable to common stockholders	(320,655)	(141,595)			(312,033)	(141,595)
Assets	$ 20,480,300		$ 7,805,059		$ 19,480,029		$ 7,805,059				$ 1,000,271		$ 0