CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Revenue:
Interest income	$ 29,100	$ 121,052	$ 114,784	$ 118,284
Interest expense		(51,949)	(62,583)	(63,002)
Net interest margin		69,103	52,201	55,282
Revenue from real estate owned		13,593	25,058	0
Total revenue		82,696	77,259	55,282
Expenses:
Management and incentive fees to affiliate	2,400	8,159	7,363	7,418
Professional fees	$ 400	2,640	2,194	1,945
General and administrative expenses		3,732	4,188	3,307
General and administrative expenses reimbursed to affiliate		3,653	3,026	3,570
Expenses from real estate owned		18,127	22,982	0
Total expenses		36,311	39,753	16,240
Provision for current expected credit losses		20,185	0	0
Realized losses on loans sold		4,008	0	0
Income before income taxes		22,192	37,506	39,042
Income tax expense, including excise tax		352	515	446
Net income attributable to common stockholders		$ 21,840	$ 36,991	$ 38,596
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Basic earnings per common share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.66	$ 1.29	$ 1.35
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.66	$ 1.28	$ 1.35
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic weighted average shares of common stock outstanding (in shares)		32,977,462	28,609,282	28,529,439
Diluted weighted average shares of common stock outstanding (in shares)		33,196,508	28,846,641	28,656,660