Mergers with Real Estate Businesses (Cole Real Estate Investments, Inc. Merger) (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended	11 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 07, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2012
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill		$ 1,894,794	$ 1,894,794	$ 1,894,794		$ 92,789	$ 1,656,374	$ 0
Measurement period adjustments				22,288
REI Segment [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 1,700,000	1,509,396	1,509,396	1,509,396		92,789	1,410,631	0
Measurement period adjustments				(27,339)
Cole Capital Segment [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill		385,398	385,398	385,398		$ 0	245,743	$ 0
Measurement period adjustments				49,627
VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill		1,894,794	1,894,794	$ 1,894,794			$ 1,656,374
Cole Real Estate Investments, Inc. Merger [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash paid for acquired real estate investments	181,775
Consideration transferred	7,467,643
Estimated fair value of assets	8,963,883
Below-market lease liability	212,433
Goodwill	2,262,547
Revenue related to merger			814,800
Earnings or loss of acquiree since acquisition date			$ 47,300
Decrease in fair value of identifiable management and advisory contracts		(80,368)
Decrease in corresponding deferred tax liability		(30,741)
Measurement period adjustments		$ 49,627
Cole Real Estate Investments, Inc. Merger [Member] | Cole Capital Segment [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 608,500
Common Stock [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Shares issued (shares)				662,305,318	[1]	78,215,719
Common Stock [Member] | Cole Real Estate Investments, Inc. Merger [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Conversion rate (shares)	1.0929
Consideration transferred, amount per share (in dollars per share)	$ 13.82
Percentage of outstanding shares elected to receive stock consideration	98.00%
Percentage of outstanding shares elected to receive cash consideration	2.00%
Equity interest issued or issuable (shares)	520,800,000
Cash paid for acquired real estate investments	$ 181,800
Common Stock [Member] | Cole Real Estate Investments, Inc. Merger [Member] | Executive Officer [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Equity interest issued or issuable (shares)	400,000
Shares issued (shares)	2,800,000

[1] Includes $2.2 million and $161.8 million issued to affiliates of the Former Manager (as defined in Note 1 – Organization) for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. No such expenses were incurred during the year ended December 31, 2015.