FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS - Fair Value Levels (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities available-for-sale	$ 33,138
Loans held for sale, at fair value	70,467	$ 19,171
Investments	42,073	283,599
Loans held for investment, at fair value	492,987	505,268
Other real estate owned	2,829	3,529
Servicing asset	31,292	30,268
Derivative instruments	122
Total assets	672,908	841,835
Liabilities	194
Carrying Amount
Cash and due from banks	15,610	53,692	$ 7,355	$ 2,397
Restricted cash	70,737	71,914	74,777	184,463
Interest bearing deposits in banks	137,346	0	$ 0	$ 0
Loans held for sale, at LCM	48,450	0
Loans held for investment, at amortized cost, net of deferred fees and costs	280,934	0
Federal Home Loan Bank and Federal Reserve Bank stock	3,657	0
Servicing assets at LCM	5,482
Deposits	432,559	0
Borrowings	648,700	539,326
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Loans held for sale, at LCM	48,715
Total loans held for investment, at amortized cost, net of deferred fees and costs	281,759
Federal Home Loan Bank and Federal Reserve Bank stock	3,657
Servicing assets at LCM	5,646
Deposits	435,875
Borrowings	644,445	541,356
U.S. Treasury notes
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities available-for-sale	29,321
Government agency debentures
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities available-for-sale	3,817
Loans Held For Sale
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loans held for sale, at fair value	70,467	19,171
Loans Held for Investment
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loans held for investment, at fair value	492,987	505,268
Cash and due from banks
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	15,610	53,692
Restricted cash
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	70,737	71,914
Interest bearing deposits in banks
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	137,346
Controlled Investments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	0	259,217
Joint Ventures
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	40,713	23,022
Non-Control Investments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	1,360	1,360
Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other real estate owned	0	0
Servicing asset	0	0
Derivative instruments	0
Total assets	29,321	0
Liabilities	0
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Loans held for sale, at LCM	0
Total loans held for investment, at amortized cost, net of deferred fees and costs	0
Federal Home Loan Bank and Federal Reserve Bank stock	0
Servicing assets at LCM	0
Deposits	0
Borrowings	0	0
Level 1 | U.S. Treasury notes
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities available-for-sale	29,321
Level 1 | Government agency debentures
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities available-for-sale	0
Level 1 | Loans Held For Sale
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loans held for sale, at fair value	0	0
Level 1 | Loans Held for Investment
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loans held for investment, at fair value	0	0
Level 1 | Cash and due from banks
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	15,610	53,692
Level 1 | Restricted cash
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	70,737	71,914
Level 1 | Interest bearing deposits in banks
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	137,346
Level 1 | Controlled Investments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments		0
Level 1 | Joint Ventures
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	0
Level 1 | Non-Control Investments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	0	0
Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other real estate owned	0	0
Servicing asset	0	0
Derivative instruments	122
Total assets	5,190	19,171
Liabilities	0
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Loans held for sale, at LCM	0
Total loans held for investment, at amortized cost, net of deferred fees and costs	0
Federal Home Loan Bank and Federal Reserve Bank stock	3,657
Servicing assets at LCM	0
Deposits	435,875
Borrowings	187,202	152,162
Level 2 | U.S. Treasury notes
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities available-for-sale	0
Level 2 | Government agency debentures
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities available-for-sale	3,817
Level 2 | Loans Held For Sale
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loans held for sale, at fair value	1,251	19,171
Level 2 | Loans Held for Investment
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loans held for investment, at fair value	0	0
Level 2 | Cash and due from banks
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Level 2 | Restricted cash
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Level 2 | Interest bearing deposits in banks
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	0
Level 2 | Controlled Investments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments		0
Level 2 | Joint Ventures
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	0
Level 2 | Non-Control Investments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	0	0
Level 3
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Other real estate owned	2,829	3,529
Servicing asset	31,292	30,268
Derivative instruments	0
Total assets	638,397	799,642
Liabilities	194
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Loans held for sale, at LCM	48,715
Total loans held for investment, at amortized cost, net of deferred fees and costs	281,759
Federal Home Loan Bank and Federal Reserve Bank stock	0
Servicing assets at LCM	5,646
Deposits	0
Borrowings	457,243	389,194
Level 3 | U.S. Treasury notes
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities available-for-sale	0
Level 3 | Government agency debentures
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities available-for-sale	0
Level 3 | Loans Held For Sale
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loans held for sale, at fair value	69,216	0
Level 3 | Loans Held for Investment
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Loans held for investment, at fair value	492,987	505,268
Level 3 | Cash and due from banks
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Level 3 | Restricted cash
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Level 3 | Interest bearing deposits in banks
Other Fair Value Financial Instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	0
Level 3 | Non-affiliate | Loans Held For Sale
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	69,216
Level 3 | Controlled Investments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments		259,217
Level 3 | Joint Ventures
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	40,713
Level 3 | Non-Control Investments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	$ 1,360	1,360
NAV | Controlled Investments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments		$ 23,022