VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES RSO Balance Sheets Detail (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Sep. 30, 2009	Dec. 31, 2012 RSO [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 RSO [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 RSO [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Reportable Legal Entities [Member] RSO [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Reportable Legal Entities [Member] RSO [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] RSO [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] RSO [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 19,393	$ 24,455	$ 28,553	$ 16,495	$ 14,530	$ 11,243	$ 9,164	$ 7,324	$ 8,409	$ 26,197	$ 85,278	$ 43,116	$ 29,488
Restricted cash		20,257									94,112	142,806
Subtotal- Cash and cash equivalents											179,390	185,922
Investment securities, trading	3,064	240									24,843	38,673
Investment securities available-for-sale, pledged as collateral, at fair value											195,200	136,188
Available-for-sale securities	3,966	2,492									36,390	4,678
Total investment securities, at fair value	7,030	2,732									256,433	179,539
Loans, pledged as collateral and net of allowances of $17.7 million and $27.5 million											1,793,780	1,772,063
Loans receivable–related party											8,324	9,497
Loans held for sale											48,894	3,154
Loans											1,849,321	1,776,109		1,850,998	1,784,714				(1,677)	(8,605)
Property available-for-sale											0	2,980
Investment in real estate											75,386	48,027
Investments in unconsolidated entities											45,413	47,899
Investments in real estate and unconsolidated entities											120,706	60,056		120,799	98,906				(93)	(38,850)
Linked transactions, at fair value											6,835	2,275
Interest receivable											7,763	8,836
Deferred tax assets, net											2,766	626
Principal paydown receivable											25,570	0
Intangible assets											13,192	19,813
Prepaid expenses											10,396	648
Other assets														4,109	3,445
Other assets - RSO											70,600	35,609		70,631	35,643				(31)	(34)
Total assets	2,644,263	2,636,985	2,499,477	2,289,368	2,143,064	234,253					2,476,450	2,237,235		2,478,251	2,284,724	(30,731)	(70,245)	0
LIABILITIES
Borrowings											1,785,600	1,794,083
Distribution payable											21,655	19,979
Accrued interest expense											2,918	3,260
Derivatives, at fair value											14,687	13,210
Accrued tax liability											13,641	12,567
Deferred tax liability											8,376	5,624
Accounts payable and other liabilities											18,029	6,311
Other liabilities											72,673	58,253		79,306	60,951				(6,633)	(2,698)
Total liabilities	1,907,007	2,108,287	1,962,603	1,751,483	1,603,461						1,858,273	1,852,336		1,864,906	1,855,034
Stockholders equity	155,598	131,590	136,178	136,644	147,020									613,345	429,690				(31,895)	(31,313)
Noncontrolling interests											581,450	398,377
Assets of consolidated Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) included in the total assets above:
Restricted cash											90,108	138,120
Investments securities available-for-sale, pledged as collateral, at fair value											135,566	89,045
Loans held for sale											14,894	3,154
Property available-for-sale											0	2,980
Loans, pledged as collateral and net of allowances of $15.2 million and $17.2 million											1,678,719	1,730,950
Interest receivable											5,986	6,003
Prepaid expenses											328	212
Principal paydown receivable											25,570	0
Other assets											333	24
Total assets of consolidated VIE - RSO	727	944									1,951,504	1,970,488
Liabilities of consolidated VIEs included in the total liabilities above:
Borrowings											1,614,882	1,689,638
Accrued interest expense											2,666	2,943
Derivatives, at fair value											14,078	12,000
Accounts payable and other liabilities											698	442
Total liabilities of consolidated VIE - RSO	$ 189	$ 300	$ 1,962,603	$ 1,751,483							$ 1,632,324	$ 1,705,023