VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES FINANCING RECEIVABLES (Impaired Loans) (Details) RSO (RSO [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Net Balance	$ 189,249	$ 123,551
Unpaid Principal Balance	189,249	123,551
Specific Allowance	(5,378)	(18,658)
Average Investment in Impaired Loans	175,330	114,564
Interest Income Recognized	5,455	4,714
Whole Loans [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Recorded balance	115,841	75,273
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Recorded balance	23,142	37,765
Net Balance	138,983	113,038
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	115,841	75,273
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	23,142	37,765
Unpaid Principal Balance	138,983	113,038
Specific Allowance	(2,142)	(17,065)
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Average Investment in Impaired Loans	114,682	75,263
Loans with specific valuation allowance, Average Investment in Impaired Loans	22,576	36,608
Average Investment in Impaired Loans	137,258	111,871
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Interest Income Recognized	3,436	2,682
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Interest Income Recognized	801	920
Interest Income Recognized	4,237	3,602
B Notes [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Recorded balance	0	0
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Recorded balance	0	0
Net Balance	0	0
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	0	0
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	0	0
Unpaid Principal Balance	0	0
Specific Allowance	0	0
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Average Investment in Impaired Loans	0	0
Loans with specific valuation allowance, Average Investment in Impaired Loans	0	0
Average Investment in Impaired Loans	0	0
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Interest Income Recognized	0	0
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Interest Income Recognized	0	0
Interest Income Recognized	0	0
Mezzanine Loans [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Recorded balance	38,072	0
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Recorded balance	0	0
Net Balance	38,072	0
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	38,072	0
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	0	0
Unpaid Principal Balance	38,072	0
Specific Allowance	0	0
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Average Investment in Impaired Loans	38,072	0
Loans with specific valuation allowance, Average Investment in Impaired Loans	0	0
Average Investment in Impaired Loans	38,072	0
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Interest Income Recognized	367	0
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Interest Income Recognized	0	0
Interest Income Recognized	367	0
Bank Loans [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Recorded balance	0	0
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Recorded balance	5,440	2,693
Net Balance	5,440	2,693
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	0	0
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	5,440	2,693
Unpaid Principal Balance	5,440	2,693
Specific Allowance	(3,236)	(1,593)
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Average Investment in Impaired Loans	0	0
Loans with specific valuation allowance, Average Investment in Impaired Loans	0	2,693
Average Investment in Impaired Loans	0	2,693
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Interest Income Recognized	0	0
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Interest Income Recognized	0	0
Interest Income Recognized	0	0
Loans Receivable - Related Party [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Recorded balance	6,754	7,820
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Recorded balance	0	0
Net Balance	6,754	7,820
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	6,754	7,820
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Unpaid Principal Balance	0	0
Unpaid Principal Balance	6,754	7,820
Specific Allowance	0	0
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Average Investment in Impaired Loans	0	0
Loans with specific valuation allowance, Average Investment in Impaired Loans	0	0
Average Investment in Impaired Loans	0	0
Loans without a specific valuation allowance, Interest Income Recognized	851	1,112
Loans with a specific valuation allowance, Interest Income Recognized	0	0
Interest Income Recognized	$ 851	$ 1,112