Name:	efc_AvailableforsalesecuritiesRealizesLossesWriteoffs
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For securities whose cash flows vary depending on prepayments, an effective yield retroactive to the time of purchase is periodically recomputed based on actual prepayments and changes in projected prepayment activity, and a catch-up adjustment, or "Catch-up Premium Amortization Adjustment," is made to amortization to reflect the cumulative impact of the change in effective yield.

No definition available.

Name:	efc_CatchupPremiumAmortizationAdjustment
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Amount of allowance for credit loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section 50
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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
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-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (aaa)
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Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
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Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLoss
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Amount of allowance for credit loss at acquisition date of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), purchased with credit deterioration.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118955579&loc=SL82922903-210455

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Amount of allowance for credit loss on financing receivable. Excludes allowance for financing receivable covered under loss sharing agreement.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
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-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
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Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
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-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119407570&loc=SL82919249-210447

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLosses
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Period Type:	instant

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.