Loans Receivable (Details Textual) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Secured financings	$ 42,803,000	$ 52,920,000
Loan receivable	130,212,000	211,250,000
Loans Receivable (Textual) [Abstract]
Loans receivable accrued interest	832,000	1,016,000
Cumulative accretion of loans receivable	3,243,000	2,527,000
Loans receivable, exclusive of interest receivable	6,622,000	9,865,000
Weighted average coupon rate on loans receivable	7.59%	7.65%
Weighted average yield to maturity	11.84%	11.43%
Non recourse secured financings	29,150,000	29,150,000
Non performing loans	0	0
Past due payments	0	0
Provision for loan loss	0
Recourse Secured Financings [Member]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Secured financings	$ 13,653,000	$ 23,770,000
Whole Loan [Member] \| Hotel Wales [Member]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Libor floor	3.00%
Whole Loan [Member] \| Queensridge [Member]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Libor floor	0.50%
Mezzanine [Member] \| Renaissance Walk [Member]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Libor floor	2.00%
Mezzanine [Member] \| Playa Vista [Member]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Libor floor	0.50%

Loans receivable accrued interest.

No definition available.

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Loans receivable basis spread on variable floor rate.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	fur_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Loans receivable cumulative accretion.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	fur_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Loans receivable non recourse secured financings amount outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	fur_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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- Details

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- Definition

Non-recourse secured financing

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	fur_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average coupon rate on loans receivable.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	fur_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Recorded Investment in financing receivables that are past due at the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 7A

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7512638&loc=SL6953401-111524

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects the carrying amount of loans deemed to be questionable as to collection on which no interest is continuing to be recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 7

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7512638&loc=d3e5111-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Statement of Position (SOP)

-Number 01-6

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph g

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents loan receivable as presented on the statement of financial position which may include mortgage loans held for investment, finance receivables held for investment, policy loans on insurance contracts, or any other loans which are due the Company as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Glossary Loan

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6517073

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 114

-Paragraph 4

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

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- Definition

Total of loans held-for-sale and held-in-portfolio net of unearned income, allowance for loan and lease losses, if any, unamortized loan origination and other fees and costs, and purchased premiums or discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 7

-Subparagraph a

-Article 9

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(a))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

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- Details

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- Definition

Provision charged for the period based on estimated losses to be realized from loan transactions.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.11)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Audit and Accounting Guide (AAG)

-Number AAG-DEP

-Paragraph 17

-IssueDate 2006-05-01

-Chapter 5

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 11

-Article 9

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- Definition

Yield on the receivable, on which interest has been imputed, as calculated from its issuance value or purchase price. The calculated effective interest rate considers factors such as the issued face value or price paid for the receivable, the time period between payments, and the time until maturity [full receipt] of the receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 21

-Paragraph 16

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

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