Net Loss Per Share/Unit (Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted, Operating Partnership) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Net loss from continuing operations attributable to the Operating Partnership	$ (113,086)	$ (29,970)
Less: dividends to preferred shares and participating securities	$ 18,098	$ 17,978
Weighted average number of common units outstanding - basic and diluted (shares)	903,825,726	902,996,270
VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Net loss from continuing operations attributable to the Operating Partnership	$ (116,041)	$ (30,873)
Less: dividends to preferred shares and participating securities	18,098	17,978
Net loss attributable to common stockholders / unitholders	$ (134,139)	$ (48,851)
Weighted average number of common units outstanding - basic and diluted (shares)	927,589,523	926,760,067
Basic and diluted net loss per unit attributable to common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.15)	$ (0.05)