OPERATING SEGMENTS (Summarized Operating Segment) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	$ 14,680,000		$ 13,511,000		$ 43,372,000		$ 46,727,000
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	(117,000)		273,000		2,345,000		501,000
Total revenues	14,563,000		13,784,000		45,717,000		47,228,000
Segment operating expenses	(10,371,000)		(10,498,000)		(31,350,000)		(37,473,000)
Restructuring expenses	0		0		0		(365,000)
General and administrative expenses	(2,153,000)		(2,567,000)		(6,566,000)		(7,930,000)
Gain on sale of leases and loans	0		0		0		37,000
Provision for credit losses	(1,647,000)		(5,698,000)		(7,137,000)		(10,910,000)
Depreciation and amortization	(489,000)		(528,000)		(1,397,000)		(3,124,000)
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary	0		54,682,000		0		63,431,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0		0		(2,190,000)
Gain on sale of investment securities, net	0		0		0		63,000
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments			0		(214,000)		(74,000)
Interest expense	(501,000)		(578,000)		(1,517,000)		(4,197,000)
Other income (expense), net	635,000		362,000		1,963,000		1,546,000
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests (2)	(54,000)	[1]	(45,000)		(876,000)	[1]	(255,000)
Income (loss) excluding noncontrolling interest before intercompany interest expense and taxes							45,787,000
Intercompany interest (expense) income							0
Income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interest before taxes	(17,000)		48,914,000		(1,377,000)		45,787,000
Segment assets	191,292,000		192,836,000		191,292,000		192,836,000		196,743,000
Real Estate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	12,484,000		11,286,000		36,937,000		29,027,000
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	(331,000)		(365,000)		(290,000)		276,000
Total revenues	12,153,000		10,921,000		36,647,000		29,303,000
Segment operating expenses	(8,896,000)		(7,386,000)		(26,334,000)		(21,985,000)
Restructuring expenses							0
General and administrative expenses	(815,000)		(98,000)		(2,302,000)		(270,000)
Gain on sale of leases and loans							0
Provision for credit losses	30,000		(52,000)		2,362,000		(259,000)
Depreciation and amortization	(317,000)		(324,000)		(855,000)		(971,000)
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary			0				0
Loss on extinguishment of debt							0
Gain on sale of investment securities, net							0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments					0		0
Interest expense	(207,000)		(213,000)		(616,000)		(641,000)
Other income (expense), net	173,000		148,000		633,000		394,000
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests (2)	(54,000)	[1]	(45,000)	[1]	(876,000)	[1]	(31,000)	[1]
Income (loss) excluding noncontrolling interest before intercompany interest expense and taxes							5,540,000
Intercompany interest (expense) income							0
Income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interest before taxes	2,067,000		2,951,000		8,659,000		5,540,000
Segment assets	173,539,000		167,077,000		173,539,000		167,077,000
Financial Fund Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	2,196,000		2,223,000		6,435,000		13,564,000
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	249,000		768,000		2,972,000		2,310,000
Total revenues	2,445,000		2,991,000		9,407,000		15,874,000
Segment operating expenses	(1,694,000)		(2,994,000)		(5,239,000)		(13,177,000)
Restructuring expenses							0
General and administrative expenses	(331,000)		(608,000)		(900,000)		(2,081,000)
Gain on sale of leases and loans							0
Provision for credit losses	(199,000)		0		(656,000)		0
Depreciation and amortization	(16,000)		(29,000)		(58,000)		(103,000)
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary			54,682,000				54,682,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt							0
Gain on sale of investment securities, net							41,000
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments					(214,000)		(74,000)
Interest expense	0		0		0		0
Other income (expense), net	558,000		455,000		1,670,000		1,570,000
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests (2)	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Income (loss) excluding noncontrolling interest before intercompany interest expense and taxes							56,732,000
Intercompany interest (expense) income							0
Income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interest before taxes	763,000		54,497,000		4,010,000		56,732,000
Segment assets	77,580,000		79,447,000		77,580,000		79,447,000
Commercial Finance [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	0		2,000		0		4,136,000
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	(35,000)		(130,000)		(337,000)		(2,085,000)
Total revenues	(35,000)		(128,000)		(337,000)		2,051,000
Segment operating expenses	219,000		(118,000)		223,000		(2,311,000)
Restructuring expenses							0
General and administrative expenses	0		0		0		0
Gain on sale of leases and loans							37,000
Provision for credit losses	(1,478,000)		(5,646,000)		(8,843,000)		(10,651,000)
Depreciation and amortization	0		0		0		(1,556,000)
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary			0				8,749,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt							0
Gain on sale of investment securities, net							0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments					0		0
Interest expense	0		(7,000)		(1,000)		(1,734,000)
Other income (expense), net	1,000		0		7,000		0
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests (2)	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]	(224,000)	[1]
Income (loss) excluding noncontrolling interest before intercompany interest expense and taxes							(5,639,000)
Intercompany interest (expense) income							(29,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interest before taxes	(1,293,000)		(5,899,000)		(8,951,000)		(5,668,000)
Segment assets	9,062,000		20,990,000		9,062,000		20,990,000
All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	0	[2]	0	[2]	0	[2]	0	[2]
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	0	[2]	0	[2]	0	[2]	0	[2]
Total revenues	0	[2]	0		0	[2]	0
Segment operating expenses	0	[2]	0	[2]	0	[2]	0	[2]
Restructuring expenses							(365,000)
General and administrative expenses	(1,007,000)	[2]	(1,861,000)	[2]	(3,364,000)	[2]	(5,579,000)	[2]
Gain on sale of leases and loans							0	[2]
Provision for credit losses	0	[2]	0	[2]	0	[2]	0	[2]
Depreciation and amortization	(156,000)	[2]	(175,000)	[2]	(484,000)	[2]	(494,000)	[2]
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary			0	[2]			0	[2]
Loss on extinguishment of debt							(2,190,000)	[2]
Gain on sale of investment securities, net							22,000	[2]
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments					0		0	[2]
Interest expense	(294,000)	[2]	(358,000)	[2]	(900,000)	[2]	(1,822,000)	[2]
Other income (expense), net	(97,000)	[2]	(241,000)	[2]	(347,000)	[2]	(418,000)	[2]
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests (2)	0	[1],[2]	0	[1],[2]	0	[1],[2]	0	[1],[2]
Income (loss) excluding noncontrolling interest before intercompany interest expense and taxes							(10,846,000)	[2]
Intercompany interest (expense) income							29,000	[2]
Income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interest before taxes	(1,554,000)	[2]	(2,635,000)	[2]	(5,095,000)	[2]	(10,817,000)	[2]
Segment assets	$ (68,889,000)	[2]	$ (74,678,000)	[2]	$ (68,889,000)	[2]	$ (74,678,000)	[2]

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

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