Securities (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended																	12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 item	Dec. 31, 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2013 Mezzanine Loans item	Dec. 31, 2012 Mezzanine Loans item	Dec. 31, 2013 Residential mortgage-backed security (RMBS)	Dec. 31, 2013 CDO bond and CMBS investments item	Dec. 31, 2012 CDO bond and CMBS investments item	Dec. 31, 2013 CDO bond and CMBS investments AA+ item	Dec. 31, 2013 CDO bond and CMBS investments CCC item	Dec. 31, 2013 CDO bond and CMBS investments CCC- item	Dec. 31, 2012 CDO bond and CMBS investments CCC- item	Dec. 31, 2013 CDO bond and CMBS investments NR item	Dec. 31, 2012 Collateralized debt obligation (CDO) bond	Dec. 31, 2013 Commercial mortgage-backed security (CMBS)	Dec. 31, 2012 Commercial mortgage-backed security (CMBS)	Dec. 31, 2013 Common equity securities	Dec. 31, 2012 Common equity securities	Dec. 31, 2013 Available-for-sale securities	Dec. 31, 2012 Available-for-sale securities	Dec. 31, 2011 Available-for-sale securities	Dec. 31, 2013 Available-for-sale securities Residential mortgage-backed security (RMBS)	Mar. 31, 2014 Available-for-sale securities Residential mortgage-backed security (RMBS) Subsequent event	May 31, 2013 Available-for-sale securities Collateralized debt obligation (CDO) bond	Dec. 31, 2013 Available-for-sale securities Commercial mortgage-backed security (CMBS)	Dec. 31, 2012 Available-for-sale securities Commercial mortgage-backed security (CMBS)	Dec. 31, 2010 Available-for-sale securities Commercial mortgage-backed security (CMBS)	Dec. 31, 2012 Available-for-sale securities Commercial mortgage-backed security (CMBS) Mezzanine Loans item	Dec. 31, 2013 Available-for-sale securities Common equity securities Realty Finance Corporation	Dec. 31, 2012 Available-for-sale securities Common equity securities Realty Finance Corporation
Available-for-sale securities
Face Value	$ 41,113,690	$ 12,100,000			$ 39,013,690								$ 10,000,000	$ 2,100,000	$ 2,100,000
Amortized Cost	36,208,099	3,158,789			34,049,310	36,149,310	3,100,000	93,715	18,417,402	2,100,000	3,100,000	15,538,193	1,000,000	2,100,000	2,100,000	58,789	58,789				34,000,000
Cumulative Unrealized Gain	1,113,851	393,947			437,774								100,000			676,077	293,947
Cumulative Unrealized Loss	(6,298)				(6,298)
Carrying Value / Estimated Fair Value	37,315,652	3,552,736			34,480,786								1,100,000	2,100,000	2,100,000	734,866	352,736				34,400,000	32,900,000	1,100,000	2,100,000	2,100,000			700,000	400,000
Number of securities						11	2	1	1	2	2	7
Percent of Total						100.00%	100.00%		51.00%	6.00%	100.00%	43.00%
Cumulative Unrealized Gain																					400,000
Investments financed with a repurchase agreement with a financial institution																						24,800,000
Purchase price																										2,100,000
Number of loans	144	128	27	24																							2
Carrying value of loans before loan loss reserves	1,660,195,301	1,501,056,647	118,550,172	112,843,639																							30,000,000
Base rate																								LIBOR	LIBOR
Interest spread (as a percent)																								0.89%	0.89%
Stated maturity period (in years)																								6 years 6 months	6 years 6 months
Estimated remaining life (in years)																								4 months 24 days	4 months 24 days
Number of shares of common stock purchased																												2,939,465
Impairment charges																		0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of securities	2,100,000																					33,400,000	2,100,000
Gain on sale of securities	1,100,000																						1,100,000
Realization of unrealized gain reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive loss	$ (100,000)																						$ 100,000