Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Cash Flows From Operating Activities
Net income	$ 121,075	$ 239,073
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Change in fair value of investments in excess mortgage servicing rights	1,405	(12,104)
Change in fair value of investments in excess mortgage servicing rights, equity method investees	(8,016)	(19,117)
Change in fair value of investments in servicer advances	(16,893)	(82,877)
Earnings from consumer loan equity method investees	0	(37,695)
Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative investments	8,259	2,444
Accretion and other amortization	(209,137)	(138,733)
(Gain) / loss on settlement of investments (net)	(15,968)	(56,896)
(Gain) / loss on transfer of loans to REO	197	(6,694)
(Gain) / loss on mortgage servicing rights recapture agreement	(1,577)	0
Other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI)	1,720	943
Valuation provision on loans and real estate owned	5,749	457
Unrealized loss on other ABS	368	0
Non-cash directors' compensation	300	329
Deferred tax provision	11,341	17,645
Changes in:
Restricted cash	(32,737)	(3,989)
Other assets	145,461	(3,213)
Due to affiliates	(47,754)	6,963
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	31,288	1,800
Other operating cash flows:
Interest received from excess mortgage servicing rights	43,367	25,509
Interest received from servicer advance investments	73,480	65,321
Interest received from Non-Agency RMBS	16,657	4,394
Interest payments from residential mortgage loans, held-for-investment	0	1,223
Distributions of earnings from consumer loan equity method investees	0	2,152
Purchases of residential mortgage loans, held-for-sale	(388,805)	(247,097)
Proceeds from sales of purchased residential mortgage loans, held-for-sale	722,961	249,690
Principal repayments from purchased residential mortgage loans, held-for-sale	34,614	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	517,275	30,028
Cash Flows From Investing Activities
Acquisition of investments in excess mortgage servicing rights	(129,098)	(55,289)
Acquisition of HLSS, net of cash acquired	(959,616)	0
Purchase of servicer advance investments	(6,306,745)	(3,955,602)
Purchase of Agency RMBS	(1,026,586)	(354,838)
Purchase of Non-Agency RMBS	(468,197)	(1,057,464)
Purchase of residential mortgage loans	0	(486,596)
Purchase of derivative assets	(2,877)	(70,027)
Purchase of real estate owned	(1,289)	(3,391)
Payments for settlement of derivatives	(36,212)	(17,273)
Return of investments in excess mortgage servicing rights	66,400	19,421
Principal repayments from servicer advance investments	6,587,781	3,062,259
Principal repayments from Agency RMBS	85,369	143,735
Principal repayments from Non-Agency RMBS	34,687	49,175
Principal repayments from residential mortgage loans, held-for-investment and held-for-sale	11,085	8,289
Proceeds from sale of residential mortgage loans	646,436	0
Proceeds from sale of Agency RMBS	1,455,221	324,379
Proceeds from sale of Non-Agency RMBS	389,719	1,273,190
Proceeds from settlement of derivatives	22,406	13,271
Proceeds from sale of real estate owned	46,341	2,880
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	419,427	(1,082,718)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities
Repayments of repurchase agreements	(3,480,781)	(2,274,155)
Margin deposits under repurchase agreements and derivatives	(284,389)	(115,961)
Repayments of notes payable	(3,073,963)	(4,216,985)
Payment of deferred financing fees	(34,096)	(6,530)
Common stock dividends paid	(107,490)	(107,609)
Borrowings under repurchase agreements	2,651,587	2,473,920
Return of margin deposits under repurchase agreements and derivatives	288,880	152,936
Borrowings under notes payable	2,481,379	5,017,812
Issuance of common stock	882,099	173,201
Costs related to issuance of common stock	(3,580)	(2,693)
Noncontrolling interest in equity of consolidated subsidiaries - contributions	0	142,082
Noncontrolling interest in equity of consolidated subsidiaries - distributions	(37,326)	(144,196)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(717,680)	1,091,822
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	219,022	39,132
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Period	212,985	271,994
Cash and Cash Equivalents, End of Period	432,007	311,126
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information
Cash paid during the period for interest	103,548	72,100
Cash paid during the period for income taxes	535	3,510
Supplemental Schedule of Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities
Dividends declared but not paid	89,521	70,553
Non-cash contingent consideration	50,000	0
Transfer from residential mortgage loans, held-for-sale to real estate owned	19,875	0
Non-cash distribution from Consumer Loan Companies	585	557
Portion of HLSS Acquisition (Note 1) paid in common stock	434,092	0
Real estate securities retained from loan securitizations	14,990	0
Agency RMBS [Member]
Cash Flows From Investing Activities
Purchase of Agency RMBS	(1,800,000)
Supplemental Schedule of Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities
Purchase of RMBS settled after quarter end	771,276	0
Sale of RMBS settled after quarter end	986,532	$ 0
Non-Agency RMBS [Member]
Cash Flows From Investing Activities
Purchase of Non-Agency RMBS	(490,400)
Supplemental Schedule of Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities
Purchase of RMBS settled after quarter end	7,252
Excess MSRs Investees [Member]
Other operating cash flows:
Distributions of earnings from consumer loan equity method investees	19,920	$ 20,500
Cash Flows From Investing Activities
Return of investments in excess mortgage servicing rights, equity method investees	4,602	21,163
Accounting Standards Update 2014-11 [Member]
Supplemental Schedule of Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities
Reclassification resulting from the application of ASU No. 2014-11	$ 85,955	$ 0