Investments in Unconsolidated Subsidiaries (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			1 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 Europe	Sep. 30, 2012 Acquisition Partnerships	Sep. 30, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships	Sep. 30, 2012 Acquisition Partnerships	Sep. 30, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships	Dec. 31, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships	Sep. 30, 2012 Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Dec. 31, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Sep. 30, 2012 Acquisition Partnerships Latin America	Sep. 30, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships Latin America	Sep. 30, 2012 Acquisition Partnerships Latin America	Sep. 30, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships Latin America	Dec. 31, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships Latin America	Sep. 30, 2011 Acquisition Partnerships Europe	Sep. 30, 2012 Combined Varde Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Sep. 30, 2011 Combined Varde Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Sep. 30, 2012 Combined Varde Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Sep. 30, 2011 Combined Varde Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Sep. 30, 2012 Other Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Sep. 30, 2011 Other Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Sep. 30, 2012 Other Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Sep. 30, 2011 Other Acquisition Partnerships Domestic	Sep. 30, 2012 Servicing and operating entities	Sep. 30, 2011 Servicing and operating entities	Sep. 30, 2012 Servicing and operating entities	Sep. 30, 2011 Servicing and operating entities	Dec. 31, 2011 Servicing and operating entities	Sep. 30, 2012 Servicing entities Latin America	Sep. 30, 2011 Servicing entities Latin America	Sep. 30, 2012 Servicing entities Latin America	Sep. 30, 2011 Servicing entities Latin America	Dec. 31, 2011 Servicing entities Latin America	Jun. 30, 2012 Servicing entities Europe	Sep. 30, 2012 Servicing entities Europe	Dec. 31, 2011 Servicing entities Europe	Sep. 30, 2012 Operating entities Domestic	Dec. 31, 2011 Operating entities Domestic	Sep. 30, 2012 Other operating entities Domestic	Sep. 30, 2011 Other operating entities Domestic	Sep. 30, 2012 Other operating entities Domestic	Sep. 30, 2011 Other operating entities Domestic	Sep. 30, 2012 MCS et Associes (servicing entity) Europe	Sep. 30, 2011 MCS et Associes (servicing entity) Europe	Sep. 30, 2012 MCS et Associes (servicing entity) Europe	Sep. 30, 2011 MCS et Associes (servicing entity) Europe	Sep. 30, 2012 Other servicing entities Europe	Sep. 30, 2011 Other servicing entities Europe	Sep. 30, 2012 Other servicing entities Europe	Sep. 30, 2011 Other servicing entities Europe
Condensed Combined Balance Sheets
Assets	$ 643,211,000		$ 643,211,000		$ 613,836,000		$ 453,889,000		$ 453,889,000		$ 450,189,000	$ 356,547,000	$ 349,529,000	$ 97,342,000		$ 97,342,000		$ 100,660,000										$ 189,322,000		$ 189,322,000		$ 163,647,000	$ 2,047,000		$ 2,047,000		$ 1,857,000		$ 124,104,000	$ 108,534,000	$ 63,171,000	$ 53,256,000
Liabilities	129,387,000		129,387,000		125,670,000		28,976,000		28,976,000		39,401,000																	100,411,000		100,411,000		86,269,000
Net equity	513,824,000		513,824,000		488,166,000		424,913,000		424,913,000		410,788,000	336,612,000	325,557,000	88,301,000		88,301,000		85,231,000										88,911,000		88,911,000		77,378,000	829,000		829,000		763,000		66,965,000	56,100,000	21,117,000	20,515,000
Total liabilities and equity	643,211,000		643,211,000		613,836,000		453,889,000		453,889,000		450,189,000																	189,322,000		189,322,000		163,647,000
Equity investments	101,035,000		101,035,000		109,393,000		58,034,000		58,034,000		59,952,000	53,054,000	55,612,000	4,980,000		4,980,000		4,340,000										43,001,000		43,001,000		49,441,000	3,006,000		3,006,000		2,758,000		26,682,000	34,175,000	13,313,000	12,508,000
Non-cash decrease to investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries																																						6,100,000
Condensed Combined Summary of Operations
Revenues	50,073,000	41,238,000	145,118,000	116,021,000			22,802,000	12,531,000	68,154,000	37,891,000				3,646,000	5,298,000	11,255,000	14,004,000		291,000	18,772,000	7,183,000	56,440,000	23,251,000	384,000	50,000	459,000	345,000	27,271,000	28,707,000	76,964,000	78,130,000		2,481,000	2,666,000	7,277,000	8,139,000							11,814,000	11,577,000	27,050,000	31,012,000	12,108,000	13,360,000	39,466,000	35,730,000	868,000	1,104,000	3,171,000	3,249,000
Costs and expenses							8,994,000	19,136,000	34,505,000	32,282,000																		21,808,000	22,077,000	64,587,000	62,553,000
Net earnings (loss)	19,271,000	25,000	46,026,000	21,186,000			13,808,000	(6,605,000)	33,649,000	5,609,000				3,333,000	(9,455,000)	2,251,000	(3,211,000)		36,000	10,509,000	3,014,000	32,431,000	9,409,000	(34,000)	(164,000)	(1,033,000)	(625,000)	5,463,000	6,630,000	12,377,000	15,577,000		286,000	260,000	768,000	1,119,000							3,245,000	3,291,000	3,809,000	6,928,000	1,958,000	3,056,000	7,565,000	7,401,000	(26,000)	23,000	235,000	129,000
Equity income from unconsolidated subsidiaries	4,249,000	2,777,000	10,797,000	7,931,000			1,900,000	(180,000)	5,089,000	397,000				563,000	(880,000)	472,000	(1,152,000)		29,000	1,337,000	773,000	5,100,000	1,801,000		73,000	(483,000)	(281,000)	2,349,000	2,957,000	5,708,000	7,534,000		143,000	129,000	384,000	559,000							1,482,000	1,376,000	1,708,000	3,150,000	731,000	1,447,000	3,559,000	3,794,000	(7,000)	5,000	57,000	31,000
Carrying value of loans accounted for under non-accrual methods of accounting							364,400,000		364,400,000		377,700,000
Euro-denominated debt, for hedging a portion of net equity investments in foreign country						$ 9,900,000