2.4.0.8040045 - Disclosure - Net Investments in Properties (Details 1)truefalseIn Thousands, unless otherwise specifiedfalse1false USDfalsefalse$AS_OF_Jun30_2013http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001025378instant2013-06-30T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2false USDfalsefalse$AS_OF_Dec31_2012http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001025378instant2012-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$1true 4us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyAtCostAbstractus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Real Estate Investment Property At Cost2false 5us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyAccumulatedDepreciationus-gaap_truecreditinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1truefalsefalse165009000165009USD$falsetruefalse2truefalsefalse136068000136068USD$falsetruefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe cumulative amount of depreciation for real estate property held for investment purposes.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(3)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 1 -Article 7 false2Accumulated depreciation3false 5us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyNetus-gaap_truedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse23846150002384615USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse22981230002298123USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAmount of real estate investment property, net of accumulated depreciation, which may include the following: (1) land available-for-sale; (2) land available-for-development; (3) investments in building and building improvements; (4) tenant allowances; (5) developments in-process; (6) rental properties; and (7) other real estate investments.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 false2Net investments in properties4false 0truefalsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3false USDtruefalse$AS_OF_Jun30_2013_wpc_RealEstateActivityAxis_RealEstateBusinessMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001025378instant2013-06-30T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseReal Estatewpc_RealEstateActivityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiwpc_RealEstateBusinessMemberwpc_RealEstateActivityAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$nanafalse0Real Estate5true 4us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyAtCostAbstractus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Real Estate Investment Property At Cost6false 5us-gaap_Landus-gaap_truedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1truefalsefalse532425000532425USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse509530000509530USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying amount as of the balance sheet date of real estate held for productive use. This excludes land held for sale.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6361293&loc=d3e6812-107765 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.13) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 false2Land7false 5us-gaap_InvestmentBuildingAndBuildingImprovementsus-gaap_truedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboseLabel1truefalsefalse19184430001918443USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse18249580001824958USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAggregate of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of investments in building and building improvements.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 false2Buildings8false 5us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyAccumulatedDepreciationus-gaap_truecreditinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1truefalsefalse-143756000-143756USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-116075000-116075USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe cumulative amount of depreciation for real estate property held for investment purposes.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(3)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 1 -Article 7 false2Accumulated depreciation9false 5us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyNetus-gaap_truedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse23071120002307112USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse22184130002218413USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAmount of real estate investment property, net of accumulated depreciation, which may include the following: (1) land available-for-sale; (2) land available-for-development; (3) investments in building and building improvements; (4) tenant allowances; (5) developments in-process; (6) rental properties; and (7) other real estate investments.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 false2Net investments in properties10false 0truefalsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse5false USDtruefalse$AS_OF_Jun30_2013_wpc_RealEstateActivityAxis_OperatingRealEstateBusinessMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001025378instant2013-06-30T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseOperating Real Estatewpc_RealEstateActivityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiwpc_OperatingRealEstateBusinessMemberwpc_RealEstateActivityAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$nanafalse0Operating Real Estate11true 4us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyAtCostAbstractus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Real Estate Investment Property At Cost12false 5us-gaap_Landus-gaap_truedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1truefalsefalse2196200021962USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse2215800022158USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying amount as of the balance sheet date of real estate held for productive use. This excludes land held for sale.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6361293&loc=d3e6812-107765 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.13) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 false2Land13false 5us-gaap_InvestmentBuildingAndBuildingImprovementsus-gaap_truedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboseLabel1truefalsefalse7679400076794USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse7754500077545USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAggregate of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of investments in building and building improvements.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 false2Buildings14false 5us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyAccumulatedDepreciationus-gaap_truecreditinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1truefalsefalse-21253000-21253USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-19993000-19993USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe cumulative amount of depreciation for real estate property held for investment purposes.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(3)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 1 -Article 7 false2Accumulated depreciation15false 5us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyNetus-gaap_truedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse7750300077503USD$falsetruefalse2truefalsefalse7971000079710USD$falsetruefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAmount of real estate investment property, net of accumulated depreciation, which may include the following: (1) land available-for-sale; (2) land available-for-development; (3) investments in building and building improvements; (4) tenant allowances; (5) developments in-process; (6) rental properties; and (7) other real estate investments.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 false2Net investments in propertiesfalseNet Investments in Properties (Details 1) (USD $)ThousandsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.wpcarey.com/role/NetInvestmentsInPropertiesDetails1215