OPERATING SEGMENTS (Summarized Operating Segment) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers																	$ 60,997,000		$ 75,639,000		$ 83,858,000
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities																	3,439,000		10,377,000		4,870,000
Revenues	17,208,000	[1]	13,784,000	[1]	14,780,000	[1]	18,664,000	[1]	21,400,000	[2]	27,589,000	[2]	20,347,000	[2]	16,680,000	[2]	64,436,000		86,016,000		88,728,000
Segment operating expenses																	(49,169,000)		(60,234,000)		(59,972,000)
Restructuring expenses																	(365,000)		0		0
General and administrative expenses																	(10,460,000)		(11,522,000)		(12,972,000)
Gain on sale of leases and loans																	37,000		659,000		(8,097,000)
Impairment charges	(2,200,000)																(2,280,000)		0		(2,828,000)
Provision for credit losses																	(17,246,000)		(10,661,000)		(5,209,000)
Depreciation and amortization																	(3,653,000)		(10,739,000)		(7,842,000)
Gain on sale of management contract																	0		6,520,000		0
Gain on sale and deconsolidation of subsidiaries																	63,291,000		0		0
Loss on extinguishment of debt							2,200,000										(2,190,000)		0		0
Gain on extinguishment of servicing and repurchase liabilities																	0		4,426,000		0
(Loss) gain on sale of investment securities, net																	63,000		(1,198,000)		(451,000)
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments																	(74,000)		0		(809,000)
Interest expense																	(4,741,000)		(15,343,000)		(13,086,000)
Other income (expense), net																	2,103,000		2,242,000		2,591,000
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests																	(219,000)	[3]	151,000	[3]	4,923,000	[3]
Income (loss) including noncontrolling interests before intercompany interest expense and taxes																	39,533,000		(9,683,000)		(15,024,000)
Intercompany interest (expense) income																	0		0		0
Income (loss) from continuing operations including noncontrolling interests before taxes																	39,533,000		(9,683,000)		(15,024,000)
Segment assets	196,743,000								422,506,000								196,743,000		422,506,000		233,842,000
Real Estate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers																	38,162,000		30,275,000		31,042,000
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities																	2,433,000		8,105,000		869,000
Revenues																	40,595,000		38,380,000		31,911,000
Segment operating expenses																	(29,669,000)		(24,465,000)		(20,780,000)
Restructuring expenses																	0
General and administrative expenses																	(356,000)		(327,000)		(316,000)
Gain on sale of leases and loans																	0		0		0
Impairment charges																	(2,280,000)				0
Provision for credit losses																	(342,000)		(2,193,000)		(49,000)
Depreciation and amortization																	(1,303,000)		(1,279,000)		(1,304,000)
Gain on sale of management contract																			0
Gain on sale and deconsolidation of subsidiaries																	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt																	0
Gain on extinguishment of servicing and repurchase liabilities																			0
(Loss) gain on sale of investment securities, net																	0		0		0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments																	0				0
Interest expense																	(856,000)		(1,109,000)		(1,074,000)
Other income (expense), net																	522,000		544,000		387,000
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests																	5,000	[3]	52,000	[3]	61,000	[3]
Income (loss) including noncontrolling interests before intercompany interest expense and taxes																	6,316,000		9,603,000		8,836,000
Intercompany interest (expense) income																	0		0		0
Income (loss) from continuing operations including noncontrolling interests before taxes																	6,316,000		9,603,000		8,836,000
Segment assets	169,727,000								162,950,000								169,727,000		162,950,000		155,434,000
Financial Fund Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers																	18,700,000		22,904,000		27,243,000
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities																	3,257,000		2,937,000		5,897,000
Revenues																	21,957,000		25,841,000		33,140,000
Segment operating expenses																	(17,086,000)		(20,562,000)		(21,028,000)
Restructuring expenses																	0
General and administrative expenses																	(2,683,000)		(3,176,000)		(3,668,000)
Gain on sale of leases and loans																	0		0		0
Impairment charges																	0				0
Provision for credit losses																	0		0		(1,000)
Depreciation and amortization																	(126,000)		(164,000)		(196,000)
Gain on sale of management contract																			6,520,000
Gain on sale and deconsolidation of subsidiaries																	54,542,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt																	0
Gain on extinguishment of servicing and repurchase liabilities																			0
(Loss) gain on sale of investment securities, net																	41,000		(1,384,000)		(451,000)
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments																	(74,000)				(480,000)
Interest expense																	0		0		(3,000)
Other income (expense), net																	2,104,000		2,590,000		2,429,000
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests																	0	[3]	0	[3]	8,000	[3]
Income (loss) including noncontrolling interests before intercompany interest expense and taxes																	58,675,000		9,665,000		9,750,000
Intercompany interest (expense) income																	0		0		0
Income (loss) from continuing operations including noncontrolling interests before taxes																	58,675,000		9,665,000		9,750,000
Segment assets	82,862,000								39,246,000								82,862,000		39,246,000		36,647,000
Commercial Finance [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers																	4,135,000		22,460,000		25,573,000
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities																	(2,251,000)		(665,000)		(1,896,000)
Revenues																	1,884,000		21,795,000		23,677,000
Segment operating expenses																	(2,414,000)		(15,207,000)		(18,164,000)
Restructuring expenses																	0
General and administrative expenses																	0		0		(428,000)
Gain on sale of leases and loans																	37,000		659,000		(8,097,000)
Impairment charges																	0				(2,828,000)
Provision for credit losses																	(16,904,000)		(8,468,000)		(5,159,000)
Depreciation and amortization																	(1,556,000)		(8,766,000)		(5,693,000)
Gain on sale of management contract																			0
Gain on sale and deconsolidation of subsidiaries																	8,749,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt																	0
Gain on extinguishment of servicing and repurchase liabilities																			4,426,000
(Loss) gain on sale of investment securities, net																	0		0		0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments																	0				0
Interest expense																	(1,749,000)		(8,563,000)		(6,271,000)
Other income (expense), net																	0		13,000		1,000
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests																	(224,000)	[3]	99,000	[3]	4,854,000	[3]
Income (loss) including noncontrolling interests before intercompany interest expense and taxes																	(12,177,000)		(14,012,000)		(18,108,000)
Intercompany interest (expense) income																	(29,000)		(1,678,000)		(6,115,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations including noncontrolling interests before taxes																	(12,206,000)		(15,690,000)		(24,223,000)
Segment assets	15,497,000								260,808,000								15,497,000		260,808,000		81,053,000
All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers																	0	[4]	0	[4]	0	[4]
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities																	0	[4]	0	[4]	0	[4]
Revenues																	0	[4]	0	[4]	0	[4]
Segment operating expenses																	0	[4]	0	[4]	0	[4]
Restructuring expenses																	(365,000)	[4]
General and administrative expenses																	(7,421,000)	[4]	(8,019,000)	[4]	(8,560,000)	[4]
Gain on sale of leases and loans																	0	[4]	0	[4]	0	[4]
Impairment charges																	0				0
Provision for credit losses																	0	[4]	0	[4]	0	[4]
Depreciation and amortization																	(668,000)	[4]	(530,000)	[4]	(649,000)	[4]
Gain on sale of management contract																			0	[4]
Gain on sale and deconsolidation of subsidiaries																	0	[4]
Loss on extinguishment of debt																	(2,190,000)	[4]
Gain on extinguishment of servicing and repurchase liabilities																			0	[4]
(Loss) gain on sale of investment securities, net																	22,000	[4]	186,000	[4]	0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments																	0	[4]			(329,000)	[4]
Interest expense																	(2,136,000)	[4]	(5,671,000)	[4]	(5,738,000)	[4]
Other income (expense), net																	(523,000)	[4]	(905,000)	[4]	(226,000)	[4]
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests																	0	[3],[4]	0	[3],[4]	0	[3],[4]
Income (loss) including noncontrolling interests before intercompany interest expense and taxes																	(13,281,000)	[4]	(14,939,000)	[4]	(15,502,000)	[4]
Intercompany interest (expense) income																	29,000	[4]	1,678,000	[4]	6,115,000	[4]
Income (loss) from continuing operations including noncontrolling interests before taxes																	(13,252,000)	[4]	(13,261,000)	[4]	(9,387,000)	[4]
Segment assets	$ (71,343,000)	[4]							$ (40,498,000)	[4]							$ (71,343,000)	[4]	$ (40,498,000)	[4]	$ (39,292,000)	[4]

[1] Fiscal 2012 – significant events by quarter:•December 31 – included a $8.7 million ($6.9 million net of tax) gain on the deconsolidation of LEAF ($0.35 per share-diluted) and a $2.2 million ($1.7 million net of tax, or $0.09 per share-diluted) loss on the extinguishment of debt in conjunction with the modification and partial redemption of the Company's Senior Notes in November 2011.•March 31 – included a restructuring charge of $365,000 ($233,000 net of tax, or $0.01 per share-diluted) which consisted of severance and benefits for terminated employees; the decrease in staffing levels reflected the Company's decreased overhead requirements as a result of the sale of Apidos and the recapitalization of LEAF.•June 30 – included a $54.7 million ($33.8 million net of tax, or $1.61 per share-diluted) gain on the sale of Apidos, offset, in part, by a $5.7 million ($3.5 million net of tax, or $0.17 per share diluted) provision for credit losses related to management fees owed from three of the commercial finance investment entities that, based on a change in estimated cash flows, were not expected to be collectible. •September 30 – included an additional $6.3 million ($2.3 million net of tax, or $0.11 per share-diluted) provision for credit losses related to management fees owed from three of the commercial finance investment entities and a $2.2 million ($812,000 net of tax, or $0.04 per share diluted) impairment charge on a legacy real estate investment.

[2] Fiscal 2011 – significant events by quarter:•December 31 – included a net gain of $5.1 million ($3.2 million net of tax, or $0.17 per share-diluted) on the sale of the Company’s management contract and equity investment in REM I.•March 31 – included a $3.4 million ($2.2 million net of tax, or $0.11 per share-diluted) loss from discontinued operations in connection with the March 2006 sale of a real estate loan in which the Company agreed to make payments under certain circumstances to the owner. In March 2011, a triggering event occurred.•June 30 – included a $7.6 million ($3.3 million net of tax, or $0.17 per share-diluted) equity gain based on the Company’s interest in an office building that was sold in Washington, DC.•September 30 – the gain related to the third quarter sale of the Washington, DC building increased by $800,000 ($361,000 net of tax, or $0.02 per share-diluted) based on the release of funds from escrow.

[3] In viewing its segment operations, management includes the pretax (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests. However, these interests are excluded from (loss) income from operations as computed in accordance with U.S. GAAP and should be deducted to compute (loss) income from operations as reflected in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.

[4] Includes general corporate expenses and assets not allocable to any particular segment.