Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Net interest income:
Interest income from commercial mortgage loans		$ 309,134	$ 322,475	$ 263,709
Interest income from subordinate loans and other lending assets		118,435	164,933	140,180
Interest expense		(148,891)	(152,926)	(114,597)
Net interest income		278,678	334,482	289,292
Operating expenses:
General and administrative expenses (includes equity-based compensation of $16,815, $15,897, and $13,588 in 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively)		(26,849)	(24,097)	(20,470)
Management fees to related party		(39,750)	(40,734)	(36,424)
Total operating expenses		(66,599)	(64,831)	(56,894)
Other income		1,604	2,113	1,438
Realized loss on investments		(47,632)	(12,513)	0
Reversal of (provision for) loan losses	[1]	(125,600)	(20,000)	(20,000)
Foreign currency translation gain (loss)		26,916	19,818	(30,335)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		0	0	(2,573)
Gain (loss) on sale of derivatives		(39,247)	(14,470)	0
Net income		18,377	230,174	219,986
Preferred dividends		(13,540)	(18,525)	(27,340)
Net income available to common stockholders		$ 4,837	$ 211,649	$ 192,646
Net income per share of common stock:
Basic (in dollars per share)		$ 0.01	$ 1.41	$ 1.52
Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.01	$ 1.40	$ 1.48
Basic weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding (in shares)		148,004,385	146,881,231	124,147,073
Diluted weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding (in shares)		148,004,385	175,794,896	153,821,515
Forward currency contracts
Operating expenses:
Gain (loss) on sale of derivatives		$ (9,743)	$ (14,425)	$ 39,058
Interest rate cap and swaps
Operating expenses:
Gain (loss) on sale of derivatives		$ (39,247)	$ (14,470)	$ 0

[1] Comprised of $118,019 of Specific CECL Allowance, $10,600 of General CECL Allowance, and a $3,019 reversal of a previously recorded impairment on an equity investment for the year ended December 31, 2020, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 the balance represents provision per loan losses as determined by the authoritative guidance at the time.