Investments in Unconsolidated Entities Schedule of Ownership of Investments in Unconsolidated Entities (Details)	Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Longbridge Financial LLC [Member] | Voting ownership
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	49.60%	49.60%
LendSure Mortgage Corp [Member] | Voting ownership
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	49.90%	49.90%
LendSure Mortgage Corp [Member] | Nonvoting Common Stock [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	13.80%
LendSure Mortgage Corp [Member] | Nonvoting Common Stock [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		13.80%
Jepson Holdings Limited | Voting ownership
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	5.40%	19.60%
Elizon DB 2015-1 LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	66.00%	47.50%
Elizon DB 2015-1 LLC [Member] | Voting ownership
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	13.00%	3.40%
Other Equity Method Investments [Member] | Nonvoting Common Stock [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		16.40%
Elizon NM CRE 2020-1 LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	54.20%	31.00%
Elizon NM CRE 2020-1 LLC | Voting ownership
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	20.10%	20.50%
Elizon CH CRE 2020-1 LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	59.10%	44.80%
Elizon CH CRE 2020-1 LLC | Voting ownership
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	32.60%	30.50%
Loan Originator - Other | Total voting and non-voting interests
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	61.40%
Loan Originator - Other | Nonvoting Common Stock [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	16.40%
Co-investments with Ellington affiliate(s) - Other | Voting ownership
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	0.00%	16.80%
Equity investments in securitization-related risk retention vehicles | Voting ownership
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		56.30%
Elizon NAT CRE 2020-1 LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	66.40%
Elizon NAT CRE 2020-1 LLC | Voting ownership
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	15.60%	0.00%
Minimum | Other Equity Method Investments [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	8.20%	8.00%
Minimum | Loan Originator - Other
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	24.70%	31.50%
Minimum | Equity investments in securitization-related risk retention vehicles
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	24.60%
Maximum | Other Equity Method Investments [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	79.00%	79.00%
Maximum | Loan Originator - Other
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	80.00%	80.00%
Maximum | Equity investments in securitization-related risk retention vehicles
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	56.30%