Mergers with Real Estate Businesses (American Realty Capital Trust IV, Inc. Merger) (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)			12 Months Ended
	Jul. 20, 2015	Jan. 03, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015
Preferred OP Units [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Preferred stock, dividend rate	6.70%		6.70%
Preferred OP Units [Member] | VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Preferred stock, dividend rate			6.70%
Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration transferred, amount per share (in dollars per share)		$ 9.00
Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member] | VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of merger consideration		$ 651,400,000
Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member] | Limited Partner [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration transferred, amount per share (in dollars per share)		$ 9.00
Conversion rate (shares)		0.5190
Equity interest issued or issuable (shares)		1,200,000.0
Minimum holding period		2 years
Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member] | Limited Partner [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Conversion of stock (shares)		6,700,000
Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member] | Preferred OP Units [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Preferred stock, dividend rate		6.70%
Equity interest issued or issuable (shares)		42,200,000
Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member] | Preferred OP Units [Member] | Limited Partner [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Conversion rate (shares)		0.5937
Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member] | Class B Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Conversion rate (shares)		2.3961
Common Stock [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Conversion rate (shares)		0.5190
Equity interest issued or issuable (shares)		36,900,000
Preferred Stock [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member] | Preferred OP Units [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Conversion rate (shares)		0.5937
Contribution and Exchange Agreement [Member] | Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cumulative capital investment return, threshold percentage		6.00%
ARCT IV Merger [Member] | Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member] | Limited Partner [Member] | VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Equity interest issued or issuable (shares)		600,000.0
ARCT IV OP Merger [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Equity interest issued or issuable (shares)		42,200,000
ARCT IV OP Merger [Member] | Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Subordinated distribution of net sales proceeds		$ 63,200,000
ARCT IV OP Merger [Member] | Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member] | Limited Partner [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Equity interest issued or issuable (shares)		2,800,000.0
Conversion rate (in dollars per share)		$ 22.50
Fair value of units issued		$ 78,200,000
ARCT IV OP Merger [Member] | Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member] | Preferred OP Units [Member] | Limited Partner [Member] | VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Equity interest issued or issuable (shares)		700,000.0
ARCT IV | Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member] | Class B Units [Member] | Limited Partner [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Conversion rate (shares)		2.3961
ARCT IV Special Ltd. Partner [Member] | Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Performance hurdle and return to stockholders		$ 358,300,000
ARC [Member] | Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of merger consideration		$ 750,000
ARC [Member] | Member Units [Member] | ARCT IV Merger [Member] | Class B Units [Member] | Limited Partner [Member] | VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Equity interest issued or issuable (shares)		100,000