CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 41,656,000		$ 34,802,000
Portfolio Assets	66,694,000		123,946,000
Loans receivable	35,694,000		45,696,000
Equity investments	101,035,000		109,393,000
Other assets	30,552,000		25,593,000
Total assets	282,469,000	[1]	356,346,000	[1]
Total liabilities	143,574,000	[2]	218,943,000	[2]
Loan portfolios, allowance for loan losses (in dollars)	785,000		781,000
Service fees receivable, affiliates (in dollars)	1,198,000		834,000
Optional preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01		$ 0.01
Optional preferred stock, shares authorized	98,000,000		98,000,000
Optional preferred stock, shares issued	0		0
Optional preferred stock, shares outstanding	0		0
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01		$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	100,000,000		100,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	12,056,197		11,890,590
Common stock, shares outstanding	10,556,197		10,390,590
Treasury stock, shares	1,500,000		1,500,000
Loans and Leases Receivable Loans And Leases Small Business Administration Held for Investment
Loans receivable	19,563,000		19,151,000
Loans receivable - allowance for loan losses (in dollars)	546,000		333,000
Loans Receivable Other
Loans receivable	6,584,000		12,212,000
Loans receivable - allowance for loan losses (in dollars)	1,083,000		1,083,000
Consolidated VIE's
Cash and cash equivalents	20,800,000		20,400,000
Portfolio Assets	51,924,000		98,400,000
Loans receivable	35,700,000		45,700,000
Equity investments	43,632,000		51,700,000
Other assets	31,319,000		35,900,000
Total assets	183,400,000		252,200,000
Notes payable	35,900,000		70,200,000
Other liabilities	14,300,000		19,000,000
Total liabilities	$ 50,200,000		$ 89,200,000

[1] Our consolidated assets at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 include the following assets of certain variable interest entities ("VIEs") that can only be used to settle the liabilities of those VIEs: Cash and cash equivalents, $20.8 million and $20.4 million; Portfolio Assets, $51.9 million and $98.4 million; Loans receivable, $35.7 million and $45.7 million; Equity investments, $43.6 million and $51.7 million; various other assets, $31.3 million and $35.9 million; and Total assets, $183.4 million and $252.2 million, respectively.

[2] Our consolidated liabilities at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 include the following VIE liabilities for which the VIE creditors do not have recourse to FirstCity: Notes payable, $35.9 million and $70.2 million; Other liabilities, $14.3 million and $19.0 million; and Total liabilities, $50.2 million and $89.2 million, respectively.