Net Income (Loss) Per Share/Unit - Schedule of Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Income (loss) from continuing operations	$ (2,479)	$ 12,489	$ 29,550	$ 11,935	$ 10,703	$ 28,865	$ 246	$ (116,701)	$ 51,495	$ (76,887)	$ (138,992)
Noncontrolling interests’ share in continuing operations									(1,005)	1,908	2,341
Net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to the General Partner/Operating Partnership									50,490	(74,979)	(136,651)
Dividends to preferred units									(71,892)	(71,892)	(71,892)
Net loss from continuing operations available to the General Partner/Operating Partnership									(21,402)	(146,871)	(208,543)
Earnings allocated to participating units									(491)	(492)	(410)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	$ (30,613)	$ 4,005	$ 4,636	$ 2,855	$ (128,926)	$ 1,381	$ 2,987	$ 621	(19,117)	(123,937)	(184,500)
Loss from discontinued operations attributable to limited partners									445	3,053	4,798
Net (loss) income available to common stockholders used in basic and diluted net loss per share									$ (40,565)	$ (268,247)	$ (388,655)
Weighted average number of common stock outstanding - basic (shares)									974,098,652	931,422,844	903,360,763
Basic and diluted net (loss) income per share from continuing operations attributable to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.02)	$ (0.01)	$ 0.01	$ (0.01)	$ (0.01)	$ 0.01	$ (0.02)	$ (0.15)	$ (0.02)	$ (0.16)	$ (0.23)
Basic and diluted net loss per share from discontinued operations attributable to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	(0.03)	0.00	0.01	0.00	(0.13)	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.02)	(0.13)	(0.20)
Basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.05)	$ 0.00	$ 0.02	$ 0.00	$ (0.14)	$ 0.01	$ (0.02)	$ (0.15)	$ (0.04)	$ (0.29)	$ (0.43)
VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Income (loss) from continuing operations	$ (2,479)	$ 12,489	$ 29,550	$ 11,935	$ 10,703	$ 28,865	$ 246	$ (116,701)	$ 51,495	$ (76,887)	$ (138,992)
Noncontrolling interests’ share in continuing operations									194	14	(1,274)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to the General Partner/Operating Partnership									51,689	(76,873)	(140,266)
Dividends to preferred units									(71,892)	(71,892)	(71,892)
Net loss from continuing operations available to the General Partner/Operating Partnership									(20,203)	(148,765)	(212,158)
Earnings allocated to participating units									(491)	(492)	(410)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	$ (30,613)	$ 4,005	$ 4,636	$ 2,855	$ (128,926)	$ 1,381	$ 2,987	$ 621	(19,117)	(123,937)	(184,500)
Net (loss) income available to common stockholders used in basic and diluted net loss per share									$ (39,811)	$ (273,194)	$ (397,068)
Weighted average number of common stock outstanding - basic (shares)									997,846,999	955,181,238	927,124,560
Basic and diluted net loss per unit from continuing operations attributable to common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.02)	$ (0.01)	$ 0.01	$ (0.01)	$ (0.01)	$ 0.01	$ (0.02)	$ (0.15)	$ (0.02)	$ (0.16)	$ (0.23)
Basic and diluted net loss per unit from discontinued operations attributable to common unitholders (in dollars per share)	(0.03)	0.00	0.01	0.00	(0.13)	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.02)	(0.13)	(0.20)
Basic and diluted net loss per unit attributable to common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.05)	$ 0.00	$ 0.02	$ 0.00	$ (0.14)	$ 0.01	$ (0.02)	$ (0.15)	$ (0.04)	$ (0.29)	$ (0.43)