Investments in Unconsolidated Subsidiaries (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			1 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 Europe	Jun. 30, 2012 Acquisition Partnerships	Jun. 30, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships	Jun. 30, 2012 Acquisition Partnerships	Jun. 30, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships	Dec. 31, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships	Jun. 30, 2012 Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Dec. 31, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Jun. 30, 2012 Acquisition Partnerships Latin America	Jun. 30, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships Latin America	Jun. 30, 2012 Acquisition Partnerships Latin America	Jun. 30, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships Latin America	Dec. 31, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships Latin America	Jun. 30, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships Europe	Jun. 30, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships Europe	Jun. 30, 2012 Combined Varde Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Jun. 30, 2011 Combined Varde Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Jun. 30, 2012 Combined Varde Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Jun. 30, 2011 Combined Varde Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Jun. 30, 2012 Other Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Jun. 30, 2011 Other Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Jun. 30, 2012 Other Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Jun. 30, 2011 Other Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Jun. 30, 2012 Servicing and operating entities	Jun. 30, 2011 Servicing and operating entities	Jun. 30, 2012 Servicing and operating entities	Jun. 30, 2011 Servicing and operating entities	Dec. 31, 2011 Servicing and operating entities	Jun. 30, 2012 Servicing entities Latin America	Jun. 30, 2011 Servicing entities Latin America	Jun. 30, 2012 Servicing entities Latin America	Jun. 30, 2011 Servicing entities Latin America	Dec. 31, 2011 Servicing entities Latin America	Jun. 30, 2012 Servicing entities Europe	Dec. 31, 2011 Servicing entities Europe	Jun. 30, 2012 Operating entities Domestic	Dec. 31, 2011 Operating entities Domestic	Jun. 30, 2012 Other operating entities Domestic	Jun. 30, 2011 Other operating entities Domestic	Jun. 30, 2012 Other operating entities Domestic	Jun. 30, 2011 Other operating entities Domestic	Jun. 30, 2012 MCS et Associes (servicing entity) Europe	Jun. 30, 2011 MCS et Associes (servicing entity) Europe	Jun. 30, 2012 MCS et Associes (servicing entity) Europe	Jun. 30, 2011 MCS et Associes (servicing entity) Europe	Jun. 30, 2012 Other servicing entities Europe	Jun. 30, 2011 Other servicing entities Europe	Jun. 30, 2012 Other servicing entities Europe	Jun. 30, 2011 Other servicing entities Europe
Condensed Combined Balance Sheets
Assets	$ 669,245,000		$ 669,245,000		$ 613,836,000		$ 494,389,000		$ 494,389,000		$ 450,189,000	$ 398,082,000	$ 349,529,000	$ 96,307,000		$ 96,307,000		$ 100,660,000											$ 174,856,000		$ 174,856,000		$ 163,647,000	$ 1,889,000		$ 1,889,000		$ 1,857,000	$ 114,854,000	$ 108,534,000	$ 58,113,000	$ 53,256,000
Liabilities	134,345,000		134,345,000		125,670,000		33,626,000		33,626,000		39,401,000																		100,719,000		100,719,000		86,269,000
Net equity	534,900,000		534,900,000		488,166,000		460,763,000		460,763,000		410,788,000	375,631,000	325,557,000	85,132,000		85,132,000		85,231,000											74,137,000		74,137,000		77,378,000	711,000		711,000		763,000	55,090,000	56,100,000	18,336,000	20,515,000
Total liabilities and equity	669,245,000		669,245,000		613,836,000		494,389,000		494,389,000		450,189,000																		174,856,000		174,856,000		163,647,000
Equity investments	103,864,000		103,864,000		109,393,000		62,898,000		62,898,000		59,952,000	58,489,000	55,612,000	4,409,000		4,409,000		4,340,000											40,966,000		40,966,000		49,441,000	2,760,000		2,760,000		2,758,000	26,374,000	34,175,000	11,832,000	12,508,000
Non-cash decrease to investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries																																							6,100,000
Condensed Combined Summary of Operations
Revenues	42,032,000	39,502,000	95,045,000	74,783,000			18,398,000	12,092,000	45,352,000	25,360,000				3,281,000	3,910,000	7,609,000	8,706,000		158,000	291,000	15,071,000	7,813,000	37,668,000	16,068,000	46,000	211,000	75,000	295,000	23,634,000	27,410,000	49,693,000	49,423,000		2,523,000	2,863,000	4,796,000	5,473,000						7,807,000	11,040,000	15,236,000	19,435,000	12,241,000	12,356,000	27,358,000	22,370,000	1,063,000	1,151,000	2,303,000	2,145,000
Costs and expenses							19,808,000	7,336,000	25,511,000	13,146,000																			21,466,000	20,568,000	42,779,000	40,476,000
Net earnings (loss)	758,000	11,598,000	26,755,000	21,161,000			(1,410,000)	4,756,000	19,841,000	12,214,000				(9,532,000)	4,581,000	(1,082,000)	6,244,000		43,000	36,000	8,294,000	466,000	21,922,000	6,395,000	(172,000)	(334,000)	(999,000)	(461,000)	2,168,000	6,842,000	6,914,000	8,947,000		307,000	539,000	482,000	859,000						559,000	3,327,000	564,000	3,637,000	1,237,000	2,932,000	5,607,000	4,345,000	65,000	44,000	261,000	106,000
Equity income from unconsolidated subsidiaries	2,081,000	3,283,000	6,548,000	5,154,000			861,000	(7,000)	3,189,000	577,000				(300,000)	84,000	(91,000)	(272,000)		21,000	29,000	1,239,000	46,000	3,763,000	1,028,000	(78,000)	(158,000)	(483,000)	(208,000)	1,220,000	3,290,000	3,359,000	4,577,000		154,000	270,000	241,000	430,000						291,000	1,622,000	226,000	1,774,000	759,000	1,387,000	2,828,000	2,347,000	16,000	11,000	64,000	26,000
Carrying value of loans accounted for under non-accrual methods of accounting							413,000,000		413,000,000		377,700,000
Euro-denominated debt, for hedging a portion of net equity investments in foreign country						$ 10,600,000