Assets and Liabilities of Consolidated Variable Interest Entities (Detail) - USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2016	Oct. 05, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Investments in mortgages and loans, at amortized cost:
Commercial mortgages, mezzanine loans, other loans and preferred equity interests		$ 1,292,639,000		$ 1,623,583,000
Allowance for loan losses		(12,354,000)		(17,097,000)	$ (9,218,000)	$ (22,955,000)
Investments in real estate
Investments in real estate		854,646,000		1,145,630,000	1,151,339,000
Accumulated depreciation		(138,214,000)		(158,688,000)	(168,480,000)
Total investments in real estate	[1]	716,432,000		986,942,000
Cash and cash equivalents		110,531,000		87,581,000	$ 106,963,000	$ 85,513,000
Restricted cash		190,179,000		207,599,000
Accrued interest receivable		36,271,000		47,343,000
Other assets		53,878,000		67,566,000
Intangible assets
Accumulated amortization		(22,230,000)		(13,234,000)
Total intangible assets		19,267,000		28,864,000
Assets of discontinued operations				1,383,547,000
Total assets		2,406,843,000		4,415,928,000
Liabilities and Equity
Accrued interest payable		8,347,000		8,595,000
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		20,016,000		22,557,000
Derivative liabilities				4,727,000
Deferred taxes, borrowers’ escrows and other liabilities		168,047,000		197,908,000
Liabilities of discontinued operations				952,530,000
Total liabilities		1,947,492,000		3,585,792,000
Shareholders’ equity:
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)				(4,699,000)
Retained earnings (deficit)		(1,723,735,000)		(1,680,751,000)
Total shareholders’ equity		372,384,000		404,528,000
Noncontroling Interests		5,386,000		340,213,000
Total liabilities and equity		2,406,843,000		4,415,928,000
IRT
Investments in real estate
Accrued interest receivable		0
Intangible assets
Assets of discontinued operations			$ 54,195,000
VIE
Investments in mortgages and loans, at amortized cost:
Commercial mortgages, mezzanine loans, other loans and preferred equity interests		1,734,467,000		2,242,416,000
Total investments in mortgages and loans		1,734,467,000		2,242,416,000
Investments in real estate
Investments in real estate		223,722,000		278,774,000
Accumulated depreciation		(31,652,000)		(26,398,000)
Total investments in real estate		192,070,000		252,376,000
Cash and cash equivalents		2,146,000		1,589,000
Restricted cash		8,876,000		17,803,000
Accrued interest receivable		58,487,000		77,130,000
Other assets		10,071,000		14,219,000
Intangible assets
Intangible assets		5,616,000		5,245,000
Accumulated amortization		(3,740,000)		(1,446,000)
Total intangible assets		1,876,000		3,799,000
Assets of discontinued operations				1,383,188,000
Total assets		2,007,993,000		3,992,520,000
Liabilities and Equity
Indebtedness, net		1,798,502,000		2,332,505,000
Accrued interest payable		17,063,000		16,204,000
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		5,463,000		6,008,000
Derivative liabilities				4,672,000
Deferred taxes, borrowers’ escrows and other liabilities		2,971,000		4,018,000
Liabilities of discontinued operations				952,406,000
Total liabilities		1,823,999,000		3,315,813,000
Shareholders’ equity:
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)				(4,691,000)
RAIT investment		85,637,000		208,355,000
Retained earnings (deficit)		96,498,000		96,230,000
Total shareholders’ equity		182,135,000		299,894,000
Noncontroling Interests		1,859,000		376,813,000
Total liabilities and equity		2,007,993,000		3,992,520,000
VIE | RAIT Securitizations
Investments in mortgages and loans, at amortized cost:
Commercial mortgages, mezzanine loans, other loans and preferred equity interests		1,409,758,000		2,242,416,000
Total investments in mortgages and loans		1,409,758,000		2,242,416,000
Investments in real estate
Restricted cash		6,986,000		14,944,000
Accrued interest receivable		56,974,000		77,130,000
Other assets		480,000		479,000
Intangible assets
Total assets		1,474,198,000		2,334,969,000
Liabilities and Equity
Indebtedness, net		1,244,507,000		2,058,739,000
Accrued interest payable		1,903,000		2,207,000
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		19,000		8,000
Derivative liabilities				4,672,000
Deferred taxes, borrowers’ escrows and other liabilities				176,000
Total liabilities		1,246,429,000		2,065,802,000
Shareholders’ equity:
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)				(4,691,000)
RAIT investment		41,790,000		118,174,000
Retained earnings (deficit)		185,979,000		155,684,000
Total shareholders’ equity		227,769,000		269,167,000
Total liabilities and equity		1,474,198,000		2,334,969,000
VIE | IRT
Intangible assets
Assets of discontinued operations				1,383,188,000
Total assets				1,383,188,000
Liabilities and Equity
Liabilities of discontinued operations				952,406,000
Total liabilities				952,406,000
Shareholders’ equity:
RAIT investment				54,389,000
Total shareholders’ equity				54,389,000
Noncontroling Interests				376,393,000
Total liabilities and equity				1,383,188,000
VIE | RAIT VIE Properties
Investments in real estate
Investments in real estate		223,722,000		278,774,000
Accumulated depreciation		(31,652,000)		(26,398,000)
Total investments in real estate		192,070,000		252,376,000
Cash and cash equivalents		2,145,000		1,589,000
Restricted cash		1,167,000		2,859,000
Other assets		9,591,000		13,740,000
Intangible assets
Intangible assets		5,616,000		5,245,000
Accumulated amortization		(3,740,000)		(1,446,000)
Total intangible assets		1,876,000		3,799,000
Total assets		206,849,000		274,363,000
Liabilities and Equity
Indebtedness, net		230,510,000		273,766,000
Accrued interest payable		14,306,000		13,997,000
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		5,443,000		6,000,000
Deferred taxes, borrowers’ escrows and other liabilities		2,051,000		3,842,000
Total liabilities		252,310,000		297,605,000
Shareholders’ equity:
RAIT investment		40,962,000		35,792,000
Retained earnings (deficit)		(88,282,000)		(59,454,000)
Total shareholders’ equity		(47,320,000)		(23,662,000)
Noncontroling Interests		1,859,000		420,000
Total liabilities and equity		206,849,000		$ 274,363,000
VIE | RAIT Venture VIE
Investments in mortgages and loans, at amortized cost:
Commercial mortgages, mezzanine loans, other loans and preferred equity interests		324,709,000
Total investments in mortgages and loans		324,709,000
Investments in real estate
Cash and cash equivalents		1,000
Restricted cash		723,000
Accrued interest receivable		1,513,000
Intangible assets
Total assets		326,946,000
Liabilities and Equity
Indebtedness, net		323,485,000
Accrued interest payable		854,000
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		1,000
Deferred taxes, borrowers’ escrows and other liabilities		920,000
Total liabilities		325,260,000
Shareholders’ equity:
RAIT investment		2,885,000
Retained earnings (deficit)		(1,199,000)
Total shareholders’ equity		1,686,000
Total liabilities and equity		$ 326,946,000

[1] As of December 31, 2016, three of our multifamily properties, with a carrying amount of $62,428, and two of our parcels of land, with a carrying amount of $14,233, were considered held-for-sale.