Investments in Unconsolidated Subsidiaries (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Combined Balance Sheets
Assets	$ 499,549		$ 482,852
Liabilities	76,922		37,601
Net equity	422,627		445,251
Total liabilities and equity	499,549		482,852
Equity investments	67,219		77,466
Condensed Combined Summary of Operations
Revenues	21,465	53,013
Net earnings (loss)	2,735	25,997
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated subsidiaries	799	4,467
Acquisition Partnerships
Condensed Combined Balance Sheets
Assets	467,574		437,176
Liabilities	54,622		14,783
Net equity	412,952		422,393
Total liabilities and equity	467,574		437,176
Equity investments	60,543		60,581
Condensed Combined Summary of Operations
Revenues	11,471	26,954
Costs and expenses	8,416	5,703
Net earnings (loss)	3,055	21,251
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated subsidiaries	935	2,328
Carrying value of loans accounted for under non-accrual methods of accounting	380,900		350,300
Acquisition Partnerships | Domestic
Condensed Combined Balance Sheets
Assets	382,589		352,123
Net equity	335,725		344,045
Equity investments	57,323		57,802
Acquisition Partnerships | Latin America
Condensed Combined Balance Sheets
Assets	84,985		85,053
Net equity	77,227		78,348
Equity investments	3,220		2,779
Condensed Combined Summary of Operations
Revenues	1,852	4,328
Net earnings (loss)	(260)	8,450
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated subsidiaries	546	209
Combined Varde Acquisition Partnerships | Domestic
Condensed Combined Summary of Operations
Revenues	9,407	22,597
Net earnings (loss)	3,233	13,628
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated subsidiaries	344	2,524
Other Acquisition Partnerships | Domestic
Condensed Combined Summary of Operations
Revenues	212	29
Net earnings (loss)	82	(827)
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated subsidiaries	45	(405)
Servicing and operating entities
Condensed Combined Balance Sheets
Assets	31,975		45,676
Liabilities	22,300		22,818
Net equity	9,675		22,858
Total liabilities and equity	31,975		45,676
Equity investments	6,676		16,885
Condensed Combined Summary of Operations
Revenues	9,994	26,059
Costs and expenses	10,314	21,313
Net earnings (loss)	(320)	4,746
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated subsidiaries	(136)	2,139
Servicing entities | Latin America
Condensed Combined Balance Sheets
Assets	1,830		2,057
Net equity	909		828
Equity investments	3,087		3,008
Condensed Combined Summary of Operations
Revenues	2,227	2,273
Net earnings (loss)	69	175
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated subsidiaries	34	87
Servicing entities | Europe
Condensed Combined Balance Sheets
Assets	2,857		3,088
Net equity	2,408		2,519
Equity investments	650		678
Operating entities | Domestic
Condensed Combined Balance Sheets
Assets	27,288		40,531
Net equity	6,358		19,511
Equity investments	2,939		13,199
Other operating entities | Domestic
Condensed Combined Summary of Operations
Revenues	6,698	5,718
Net earnings (loss)	(409)	(635)
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated subsidiaries	(188)	(378)
MCS et Associes (servicing entity) | Europe
Condensed Combined Summary of Operations
Revenues		15,117
Net earnings (loss)		4,370
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated subsidiaries		2,069
Other servicing entities | Europe
Condensed Combined Summary of Operations
Revenues	1,013	1,240
Net earnings (loss)	(36)	196
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated subsidiaries	(9)	48
FC Crestone Oak LLC (operating entity) | Domestic
Condensed Combined Summary of Operations
Revenues	56	1,711
Net earnings (loss)	56	640
Equity income (loss) from unconsolidated subsidiaries	$ 27	$ 313