CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - OP - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Total Partners' Capital [Member]	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Preferred Units [Member] General Partner [Member]	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Preferred Units [Member] Limited Partner [Member]	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Common Units [Member] General Partner [Member]	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Common Units [Member] Limited Partner [Member]	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Non-Controlling Interests [Member]
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2017				42,834,138	86,874	974,208,583	23,748,347
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2017		$ 8,042,876	$ 8,041,571	$ 782,073	$ 3,027	$ 7,102,205	$ 154,266	$ 1,305
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Repurchases of Common Stock under the share repurchase programs (shares)						(6,399,666)
Repurchases of Common Stock under the share repurchase programs	$ (44,585)	(44,585)	(44,585)			$ (44,585)
Repurchases of Common OP Units to settle tax obligation (shares)						(230,436)
Repurchases of common OP Units to settle tax obligation	(1,660)	(1,660)	(1,660)			$ (1,660)
Equity-based compensation, net forfeitures (shares)						576,005
Equity-based compensation, net		2,932	2,932			$ 2,932
Distributions to common OP Units and non-controlling interests —$0.1375 per common unit	(3,264)	(136,368)	(136,368)			(133,104)	(3,264)
Dividend equivalents on awards granted under the Equity Plan	(522)	(522)	(522)			(522)
Distributions to Preferred OP Units		(17,973)	(17,973)	$ (17,937)	$ (36)
Net income (loss)	32,537	32,537	32,577			31,795	782	(40)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(732)	(732)	(732)			$ (715)	$ (17)
Ending balance (shares) at Mar. 31, 2018				42,834,138	86,874	968,154,486	23,748,347
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2018		7,876,505	7,875,240	$ 764,136	$ 2,991	$ 6,956,346	$ 151,767	1,265
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2017				42,834,138	86,874	974,208,583	23,748,347
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2017		8,042,876	8,041,571	$ 782,073	$ 3,027	$ 7,102,205	$ 154,266	1,305
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Distributions payable relinquished	0
Surrender of Limited Partner OP Units	0
Net income (loss)	(115,872)	(115,872)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	2,600	2,600
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2018				42,834,138	86,874	967,522,113	23,715,908
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2018		7,423,874	7,422,562	$ 728,262	$ 2,919	$ 6,549,848	$ 141,533	1,312
Beginning balance (shares) at Mar. 31, 2018				42,834,138	86,874	968,154,486	23,748,347
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2018		7,876,505	7,875,240	$ 764,136	$ 2,991	$ 6,956,346	$ 151,767	1,265
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Conversion of Limited Partners' Common OP Units to General Partner's Common OP Units (shares)						32,439	(32,439)
Conversion of Limited Partners' Common OP Units to General Partner's Common OP Units						$ 241	$ (241)
Conversion of Limited Partners' Common OP Units to General Partner's Common OP Units	0
Repurchases of Common Stock under the share repurchase programs (shares)						(807,210)
Repurchases of Common Stock under the share repurchase programs	(5,569)	(5,569)	(5,569)			$ (5,569)
Repurchases of Common OP Units to settle tax obligation (shares)						(69,931)
Repurchases of common OP Units to settle tax obligation	(488)	(488)	(488)			$ (488)
Equity-based compensation, net forfeitures (shares)						184,011
Equity-based compensation, net		3,948	3,948			$ 3,948
Distributions to common OP Units and non-controlling interests —$0.1375 per common unit	(3,262)	(136,272)	(136,272)			(133,010)	(3,262)
Dividend equivalents on awards granted under the Equity Plan	(274)	(274)	(274)			(274)
Distributions to Preferred OP Units		(17,973)	(17,973)	$ (17,937)	$ (36)
Net income (loss)	(74,467)	(74,467)	(74,451)			(72,670)	(1,781)	(16)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(6)	(6)	(6)			$ (6)	$ 0
Ending balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2018				42,834,138	86,874	967,493,795	23,715,908
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2018		7,645,404	7,644,155	$ 746,199	$ 2,955	$ 6,748,518	$ 146,483	1,249
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Repurchases of Common Stock under the share repurchase programs (shares)						(7,597)
Repurchases of Common Stock under the share repurchase programs		(61)	(61)			$ (61)
Repurchases of common OP Units to settle tax obligation	(61)
Equity-based compensation, net forfeitures (shares)						35,915
Equity-based compensation, net		3,323	3,323			$ 3,323
Contributions from non-controlling interest holders	120	120						120
Distributions to common OP Units and non-controlling interests —$0.1375 per common unit	(3,261)	(136,276)	(136,276)			(133,015)	(3,261)
Dividend equivalents on awards granted under the Equity Plan	(59)	(59)	(59)			(59)
Distributions to Preferred OP Units		(17,973)	(17,973)	$ (17,937)	$ (36)
Net income (loss)	(73,942)	(73,942)	(73,885)			(72,117)	(1,768)	(57)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	3,338	3,338	3,338			$ 3,259	$ 79
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2018				42,834,138	86,874	967,522,113	23,715,908
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2018		7,423,874	7,422,562	$ 728,262	$ 2,919	$ 6,549,848	$ 141,533	1,312
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2018				42,834,138	86,874	967,515,165	23,715,908
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2018		7,300,144	7,298,873	$ 710,325	$ 2,883	$ 6,446,734	$ 138,931	1,271
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common OP Units (shares)						3,309,808
Issuance of common OP Units, net	27,544	27,544	27,544			$ 27,544
Conversion of Limited Partners' Common OP Units to General Partner's Common OP Units	0					$ (26)	26
Conversion of Limited Partner Series F Preferred Units to Series F Preferred Stock (shares)				37,108	(37,108)
Conversion of Limited Partner Series F Preferred Units to Series F Preferred Stock	0			$ 923	$ (923)
Repurchases of Common OP Units to settle tax obligation (shares)						(199,083)
Repurchases of common OP Units to settle tax obligation	(1,595)	(1,595)	(1,595)			$ (1,595)
Equity-based compensation, net forfeitures (shares)						950,487
Equity-based compensation, net		2,872	2,872			$ 2,872
Contributions from non-controlling interest holders	64	64						64
Distributions to common OP Units and non-controlling interests —$0.1375 per common unit	(3,262)	(136,742)	(136,742)			(133,480)	(3,262)
Dividend equivalents on awards granted under the Equity Plan	(1,222)	(1,222)	(1,222)			(1,222)
Distributions to Preferred OP Units		(17,973)	(17,973)	$ (17,940)	$ (33)
Net income (loss)	70,971	70,971	70,999			69,304	1,695	(28)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(11,189)	(11,189)	(11,189)			$ (10,922)	$ (267)
Ending balance (shares) at Mar. 31, 2019				42,871,246	49,766	971,576,377	23,715,908
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2019		7,232,874	7,231,567	$ 693,308	$ 1,927	$ 6,399,209	$ 137,123	1,307
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2018				42,834,138	86,874	967,515,165	23,715,908
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2018		7,300,144	7,298,873	$ 710,325	$ 2,883	$ 6,446,734	$ 138,931	1,271
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Distributions payable relinquished	7,799
Surrender of Limited Partner OP Units	(191,974)
Net income (loss)	(378,274)	(378,274)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(47,669)	(47,669)
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2019				38,871,246	49,766	1,067,688,887	20,793,463
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2019		7,022,042	7,020,790	$ 595,781	$ 1,891	$ 6,421,484	$ 1,634	1,252
Beginning balance (shares) at Mar. 31, 2019				42,871,246	49,766	971,576,377	23,715,908
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2019		7,232,874	7,231,567	$ 693,308	$ 1,927	$ 6,399,209	$ 137,123	1,307
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common OP Units (shares)						1,773,456
Issuance of common OP Units, net	14,534	14,534	14,534			$ 14,534
Repurchases of Common OP Units to settle tax obligation (shares)						0
Repurchases of common OP Units to settle tax obligation	(9)	(9)	(9)			$ (9)
Equity-based compensation, net forfeitures (shares)						36,066
Equity-based compensation, net		3,883	3,883			$ 3,883
Distributions to common OP Units and non-controlling interests —$0.1375 per common unit	(3,264)	(137,105)	(137,105)			(133,841)	(3,264)
Dividend equivalents on awards granted under the Equity Plan	(44)	(44)	(44)			(44)
Distributions to Preferred OP Units		(17,973)	(17,973)	$ (17,958)	$ (15)
Distributions payable relinquished	6,429	6,429	6,429				6,429
Surrender of Limited Partner OP Units	(26,537)	(26,537)	(26,537)			(8,520)	$ (18,017)
Partnership units, surrendered (in shares)							(2,922,445)
Net income (loss)	292,284	292,284	292,314			285,658	$ 6,656	(30)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(16,209)	(16,209)	(16,209)			$ (15,824)	$ (385)
Ending balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2019				42,871,246	49,766	973,385,899	20,793,463
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2019		7,352,127	7,350,850	$ 675,350	$ 1,912	$ 6,545,046	$ 128,542	1,277
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common OP Units (shares)						94,300,000
Issuance of common OP Units, net	886,926	886,926	886,926			$ 886,926
Redemption of Series F Preferred Stock (shares)				(4,000,000)
Redemption of Series F Preferred Stock	(100,096)	(100,096)	(100,096)	$ (63,012)		$ (37,084)
Repurchases of Common OP Units to settle tax obligation (shares)						(1,248)
Repurchases of common OP Units to settle tax obligation	(14)	(14)	(14)			$ (14)
Equity-based compensation, net forfeitures (shares)						4,236
Equity-based compensation, net		3,144	3,144			$ 3,144
Distributions to common OP Units and non-controlling interests —$0.1375 per common unit	(2,859)	(149,667)	(149,667)			(146,808)	(2,859)
Dividend equivalents on awards granted under the Equity Plan		(26)	(26)			(26)
Distributions to Preferred OP Units		(16,578)	(16,578)	$ (16,557)	$ (21)
Surrender of Limited Partner OP Units	(191,974)	(191,974)	(191,974)			(83,400)	$ (108,574)
Partnership units, surrendered (in shares)							0
Net income (loss)	(741,529)	(741,529)	(741,504)			(726,440)	$ (15,064)	(25)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ (20,271)	(20,271)	(20,271)			$ (19,860)	$ (411)
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2019				38,871,246	49,766	1,067,688,887	20,793,463
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2019		$ 7,022,042	$ 7,020,790	$ 595,781	$ 1,891	$ 6,421,484	$ 1,634	$ 1,252