Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Dec. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015
Operating activities      
Net income $ 77,148 $ 97,446 $ 93,212
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:      
Depreciation and amortization 256,019 262,276 260,633
Impairments 102,330 88,275 70,729
Amortization of deferred financing costs 9,896 9,070 7,937
Payments to terminate interest rate swap 0 (1,724) 0
Derivative net settlements, amortization and terminations 0 1,811 (132)
Amortization of debt discounts 13,572 6,217 2,322
Stock-based compensation expense 16,560 9,570 13,321
Loss (gain) on debt extinguishment 1,645 (233) 3,162
Gains on dispositions of real estate and other assets (65,106) (52,365) (69,011)
Non-cash revenue (28,439) (26,333) (20,930)
Bad debt expense and other 5,913 (594) 151
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:      
Deferred costs and other assets, net 2,866 (6,561) (604)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities 1,578 6,308 12,772
Accrued restructuring charges 0 (5,535) 5,926
Net cash provided by operating activities 393,982 387,628 379,488
Investing activities      
Acquisitions of real estate (279,934) (655,835) (875,983)
Capitalized real estate expenditures (46,100) (27,078) (10,269)
Investments in loans receivable (4,995) (5,073) (4,020)
Collections of principal on loans receivable and real estate assets under direct financing leases 12,769 8,410 6,822
Proceeds from dispositions of real estate and other assets 472,496 524,776 496,646
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 154,236 (154,800) (386,804)
Financing activities      
Borrowings under Revolving Credit Facilities 940,200 1,080,000 798,000
Repayments under Revolving Credit Facilities (914,200) (994,000) (813,181)
Borrowings under mortgages and notes payable 618,603 0 0
Repayments under mortgages and notes payable (221,310) (863,836) (516,054)
Borrowings under Term Loan 0 796,000 325,000
Repayments under Term Loan (420,000) (701,000) 0
Borrowings under Senior Unsecured Notes 0 298,134 0
Debt extinguishment costs (3,305) (28,531) (8,112)
Deferred financing costs (8,255) (4,352) (6,150)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net of offering costs 0 446,613 347,211
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock, net of offering costs 166,193 0 0
Repurchase of shares of common stock (286,631) (753) (4,272)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options/ partnership units 0 0 46
Preferred stock distributions/dividends paid (2,530) 0 0
Common stock distributions/dividends paid (339,174) (323,640) (292,262)
Net cash used in financing activities (470,409) (295,365) (169,774)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 77,809 (62,537) (177,090)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of year 36,898 99,435 276,525
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of year 114,707 36,898 99,435
Spirit Realty, L.P.      
Operating activities      
Net income 77,148 97,446 93,212
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:      
Depreciation and amortization 256,019 262,276 260,633
Impairments 102,330 88,275 70,729
Amortization of deferred financing costs 9,896 9,070 7,937
Payments to terminate interest rate swap 0 (1,724) 0
Derivative net settlements, amortization and terminations 0 1,811 (132)
Amortization of debt discounts 13,572 6,217 2,322
Stock-based compensation expense 16,560 9,570 13,321
Loss (gain) on debt extinguishment 1,645 (233) 3,162
Gains on dispositions of real estate and other assets (65,106) (52,365) (69,011)
Non-cash revenue (28,439) (26,333) (20,930)
Bad debt expense and other 5,913 (594) 151
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:      
Deferred costs and other assets, net 2,866 (6,561) (604)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities 1,578 6,308 12,772
Accrued restructuring charges 0 (5,535) 5,926
Net cash provided by operating activities 393,982 387,628 379,488
Investing activities      
Acquisitions of real estate (279,934) (655,835) (875,983)
Capitalized real estate expenditures (46,100) (27,078) (10,269)
Investments in loans receivable (4,995) (5,073) (4,020)
Collections of principal on loans receivable and real estate assets under direct financing leases 12,769 8,410 6,822
Proceeds from dispositions of real estate and other assets 472,496 524,776 496,646
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 154,236 (154,800) (386,804)
Financing activities      
Borrowings under Revolving Credit Facilities 940,200 1,080,000 798,000
Repayments under Revolving Credit Facilities (914,200) (994,000) (813,181)
Borrowings under mortgages and notes payable 618,603 0 0
Repayments under mortgages and notes payable (221,310) (863,836) (516,054)
Borrowings under Term Loan 0 796,000 325,000
Repayments under Term Loan (420,000) (701,000) 0
Borrowings under Senior Unsecured Notes 0 298,134 0
Debt extinguishment costs (3,305) (28,531) (8,112)
Deferred financing costs (8,255) (4,352) (6,150)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net of offering costs 0 446,613 347,211
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock, net of offering costs 166,193 0 0
Repurchase of partnership units (286,631) (753) (4,272)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options/ partnership units 0 0 46
Preferred stock distributions/dividends paid (2,530) 0 0
Common stock distributions/dividends paid (339,174) (323,640) (292,262)
Net cash used in financing activities (470,409) (295,365) (169,774)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 77,809 (62,537) (177,090)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of year 36,898 99,435 276,525
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of year $ 114,707 $ 36,898 $ 99,435