Consolidated Statement of Stockholders' Deficiency - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ (20,680)	$ (50,605)	$ (89,070)
Net income	66,472	49,114	37,048
Change in net loss and prior service cost, net of income taxes	(2,610)	(2,160)	6,898
Forward contract adjustments, net of income taxes	36	37	37
Unrealized gain on long-term investment securities accounted for under the equity method, net of income taxes	1,658	(1,046)	58
Change in net unrealized gain on investment securities, net of income taxes	(7,060)	1,229	11,661
Net unrealized gains reclassified into net income, net of income taxes	1,006	6	(3,060)
Unrealized gain on investment securities, net of income taxes	(6,054)	1,235	8,601
Total other comprehensive income	(6,970)	(1,934)	15,594
Comprehensive income	59,502	47,180	52,642
Distributions and dividends on common stock	(189,838)	(166,898)	(146,056)
Restricted stock grant	120	100	0
Surrender of shares in connection with restricted stock vesting	(2,083)
Effect of stock dividend	0	0	0
Note conversion, net of income taxes	25,522	132,021	53,654
Beneficial conversion feature of notes payable, net of income taxes		14,648
Exercise of stock options	1,321	$ 5,051	$ 544
Cancellation of treasury shares	$ 0
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	115,531	442,740	44,293
Tax benefit of options exercised	$ 821	$ 1,178	$ 38
Stock based compensation	5,621	3,251	2,519
Deemed contribution (dividend) from subsidiary			0
Acquisition of Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC			85,703
Contributions to non-controlling interest	813	2,733	1,955
Distributions to non-controlling interest	(3,280)	(9,339)	(12,534)
Ending balance	(122,161)	(20,680)	(50,605)
Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 11,450	$ 9,748	$ 8,989
Beginning balance (in shares)	114,501,014	97,482,998	89,898,411
Restricted stock grant	$ 120	$ 100	$ 8
Restricted stock grant (in shares)	1,200,000	1,000,000	77,500
Surrender of shares in connection with restricted stock vesting	$ (8)
Surrender of shares in connection with restricted stock vesting (in shares)	(83,411)
Effect of stock dividend	$ 584	$ 520	$ 450
Effect of stock dividend (in shares)	5,837,144	5,195,856	4,498,579
Note conversion, net of income taxes	$ 223	$ 1,041	$ 297
Note conversion, net of income taxes (in shares)	2,227,552	10,417,384	2,970,168
Exercise of stock options	$ 10	$ 41	$ 4
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	110,030	404,776	38,340
Ending balance	$ 12,379	$ 11,450	$ 9,748
Ending balance (in shares)	123,792,329.000	114,501,014	97,482,998
Additional Paid-In Capital
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Distributions and dividends on common stock	(18,120)	(155,067)	(57,891)
Restricted stock grant			(8)
Surrender of shares in connection with restricted stock vesting	(2,075)
Note conversion, net of income taxes	25,299	130,980	53,357
Beneficial conversion feature of notes payable, net of income taxes		14,648
Exercise of stock options	1,311	5,010	540
Cancellation of treasury shares	(12,857)
Tax benefit of options exercised	821	1,178	38
Stock based compensation	5,621	3,251	2,519
Deemed contribution (dividend) from subsidiary			1,445
Ending balance	0	0	0
Accumulated Deficit
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(97,009)	(121,514)	(70,199)
Net income	59,198	36,856	37,300
Distributions and dividends on common stock	(171,718)	(11,831)	(88,165)
Effect of stock dividend	(584)	(520)	(450)
Ending balance	(210,113)	(97,009)	(121,514)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(1,343)	591	(15,003)
Change in net loss and prior service cost, net of income taxes	(2,610)	(2,160)	6,898
Forward contract adjustments, net of income taxes	36	37	37
Unrealized gain on long-term investment securities accounted for under the equity method, net of income taxes	1,658	(1,046)	58
Change in net unrealized gain on investment securities, net of income taxes	(7,060)	1,229	11,661
Net unrealized gains reclassified into net income, net of income taxes	1,006	6	(3,060)
Ending balance	(8,313)	(1,343)	591
Treasury Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(12,857)	(12,857)	(12,857)
Cancellation of treasury shares	12,857
Ending balance	0	(12,857)	(12,857)
Non-controlling Interest
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	79,079	73,427	0
Net income	7,274	12,258	(252)
Deemed contribution (dividend) from subsidiary			(1,445)
Acquisition of Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC			85,703
Contributions to non-controlling interest	813	2,733	1,955
Distributions to non-controlling interest	(3,280)	(9,339)	(12,534)
Ending balance	$ 83,886	$ 79,079	$ 73,427