CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Fees From Unconsolidated Investment Entities) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010
Commercial Finance, Four Investment Entities [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Amount waived of the fund management fees from commercial finance investment entities	$ 4,700,000		$ 8,100,000		$ 3,800,000
Trapeza Entities [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Number of entities owned by entity and co-managing partner	2				2
Real Estate Investment Entities [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities	17,301,000	[1]	12,847,000	[1]	11,638,000	[1]
Discounts recorded	216,000		512,000		463,000
Financial Fund Management Investment Entities [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities	3,183,000	[2]	4,391,000	[2]	3,445,000	[2]
Financial Fund Management Investment Entities [Member] | Trapeza Entities [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Gain on repurchase of limited partner interest					2,300,000
Commercial Finance Investment Entities [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities	0	[3]	0	[3]	10,637,000	[3]
Resource Capital Corp [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Management, incentive and servicing fees	16,460,000		12,270,000		10,938,000
Dividends paid	2,174,000		2,455,000		2,278,000
Reimbursement of related party costs	3,597,000		2,688,000		1,794,000
CVC Credit Partners, L.P. [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Reimbursement of related party costs	1,866,000		0		0
Resource Real Estate Opportunity REIT Inc [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Dividends paid	14,000		0		0
Reimbursement of related party costs	874,000		1,843,000		1,824,000
LEAF [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Reimbursement of related party costs	288,000		0		0
Payment for sub-servicing the commercial finance investment partnerships	(2,172,000)		0		0
Payment for rent and related costs	(686,000)		0		0
1845 Walnut Associates Ltd. [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Payment for rent and operating expenses	(637,000)		(706,000)		(567,000)
Brandywine Construction & Management, Inc. (BCMI) [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Payment for property management of hotel property	(216,000)		(203,000)		(197,000)
Atlas Energy, L.P. [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Reimbursement of related party costs	634,000		1,070,000		871,000
Ledgewood P.C. [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Payment for legal services	(564,000)		(555,000)		(295,000)
Graphic Images, LLC [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Payment for printing services	(216,000)		(111,000)		(94,000)
The Bancorp, Inc. [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Reimbursement of related party costs	135,000		34,000		0
9 Henmar LLC [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Payment of broker/consulting fees	$ (46,000)		$ (50,000)		$ (55,000)
9 Henmar LLC [Member] | Trapeza Entities [Member]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities: [Abstract]
Number of entities owned by entity and co-managing partner	4

[1] Reflects discounts recorded by the Company of $216,000, $512,000 and $463,000 recorded in fiscal 2012, 2011 and 2010 in connection with management fees from its real estate investment entities that it expects to receive in future periods.

[2] For fiscal 2010, excludes a $2.3 million gain on the repurchase of limited partner interests in two of the Trapeza partnerships.

[3] During fiscal 2012, 2011 and 2010, the Company waived $4.7 million, $8.1 million and $3.8 million, respectively, of its fund management fees from its commercial finance investment entities.