Line Of Credit Payable (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Line Of Credit Payable
Revolving credit facility borrowing capacity	$ 450,000,000
Revolving credit facility weighted average outstanding balance	191,099,000
Revolving credit facility weighted average interest rate	3.30%
Maturity date	May 2015
Spread over libor	1.50%
Option to extend maturity date	May 2016
Option to increase facility size	650,000,000
Line of credit payable	219,200,000	161,000,000
Revolving credit facility available future borrowings	230,800,000
Line of credit facility undrawn letter of credit	$ 57,000

Date when the debt instrument may extend its maturity date to have debt fully repaid, which may be presented in a variety of ways (year, month and year, day, month and year, quarter, etc.

Name:	nnn_DebtInstrumentMaturityDateOptionToExtend
Namespace Prefix:	nnn
Data Type:	xbrli:normalizedStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line Of Credit Facility Option to Increase Facility Size Through Accordion Feature

+ Details

Name:	nnn_LineOfCreditFacilityOptionToIncreaseFacilitySizeThroughAccordionFeature
Namespace Prefix:	nnn
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line Of Credit Facility Undrawn Letter of Credit

+ Details

Name:	nnn_LineOfCreditFacilityUndrawnLetterOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	nnn
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Spread Over Libor

+ Details

Name:	nnn_SpreadOverLibor
Namespace Prefix:	nnn
Data Type:	us-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 19, 20, 22
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Average amount borrowed under the credit facility during the period.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAverageOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reflects when the credit facility terminates, which may be presented in a variety of ways (year, month and year, day, month and year, quarter).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 129
-Paragraph 2, 4

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 19, 22
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityExpirationDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The effective interest during the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 19, 22
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInterestRateDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	us-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 19, 22
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant