Consolidated Statements Of Earnings (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Revenues:
Rental income from operating leases	$ 246,569	$ 210,329	$ 207,734
Earned income from direct financing leases	2,787	3,001	3,070
Percentage rent	1,093	919	1,310
Real estate expense reimbursement from tenants	9,927	7,197	8,138
Interest and other income from real estate transactions	2,312	2,982	4,323
Interest income on commercial mortgage residual interests	3,105	3,460	4,252
Total revenues	265,793	227,888	228,827
Retail operations:
Revenues	45,139	32,958	15,595
Operating expenses	(43,096)	(31,647)	(15,176)
Net	2,043	1,311	419
Operating expenses:
General and administrative	28,814	22,763	21,774
Real estate	16,887	13,235	13,497
Depreciation and amortization	58,115	48,047	46,258
Impairment losses and other charges, net of recoveries	(1,431)	7,458	36,080
Impairment - commercial mortgage residual interests valuation	1,024	3,995	498
Restructuring Costs	0	0	731
Total operating expenses	103,409	95,498	118,838
Earnings from operations	164,427	133,701	110,408
Other expenses (revenues):
Interest and other income	(1,511)	(1,513)	(1,371)
Interest expense	74,845	65,179	62,151
Total other expenses (revenues)	73,334	63,666	60,780
Earnings from continuing operations before income tax benefit (expense), equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate and gain on extinguishment of debt	91,093	70,035	49,628
Gain on disposition of real estate	297	641	37
Income tax benefit (expense)	(779)	(475)	1,049
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate	474	428	421
Gain on extinguishment of debt	0	0	3,432
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	91,085	70,629	54,567
Earnings from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense (Note 18):	1,331	2,724	1,832
Earnings (loss) including noncontrolling interests	92,416	73,353	56,399
Loss (earnings) attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Continuing operations	(11)	(367)	(1,423)
Discontinued operations	(80)	11	(166)
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	(91)	(356)	(1,589)
Net earnings attributable to NNN	92,325	72,997	54,810
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(5,491)	1,150	(1,903)
Total comprehensive income	86,834	74,147	52,907
Series C preferred stock dividends	(6,785)	(6,785)	(6,785)
Net earnings attributable to common stockholders	85,540	66,212	48,025
Basic:
Continuing operations	$ 0.95	$ 0.77	$ 0.58
Discontinued operations	$ 0.01	$ 0.03	$ 0.02
Net earnings	$ 0.96	$ 0.80	$ 0.60
Diluted:
Continuing operations	$ 0.95	$ 0.77	$ 0.58
Discontinued operations	$ 0.01	$ 0.03	$ 0.02
Net earnings	$ 0.96	$ 0.80	$ 0.60
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic	88,100,076	82,715,645	79,846,258
Diluted	88,837,057	82,849,362	79,953,499
Segment, Discontinued Operations [Member]
Revenues:
Rental income from operating leases	3,709	5,394	11,284
Percentage rent	27	40	30
Real estate expense reimbursement from tenants	619	1,647	1,944
Interest and other income from real estate transactions	37	578	471
Total revenues	4,392	7,659	13,729
Operating expenses:
General and administrative	22	101	123
Real estate	1,146	2,363	3,098
Depreciation and amortization	306	627	2,043
Total operating expenses	1,905	3,091	10,894
Other expenses (revenues):
Interest and other income	0	(2)	(6)
Interest expense	1,382	2,655	3,790
Total other expenses (revenues)	1,382	2,653	3,784
Earnings from continuing operations before income tax benefit (expense), equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate and gain on extinguishment of debt	1,105	1,915	(949)
Gain on disposition of real estate	424	1,434	2,950
Income tax benefit (expense)	(198)	(625)	(169)
Loss (earnings) attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	$ 80	$ (11)	$ 166