VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES FINANCING RECEIVABLES (Loan Portfolio Troubled-debt Restructurings) (Details) RSO (RSO [Member], USD $)														12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 Loan	Dec. 31, 2011 Loan	Dec. 31, 2012 Whole Loans [Member] Loan	Dec. 31, 2011 Whole Loans [Member] Loan	Dec. 31, 2012 B Notes [Member] Loan	Dec. 31, 2011 B Notes [Member] Loan	Dec. 31, 2012 Mezzanine Loans [Member] Loan	Dec. 31, 2011 Mezzanine Loans [Member] Loan	Dec. 31, 2012 Bank Loans [Member] Loan	Dec. 31, 2011 Bank Loans [Member] Loan	Dec. 31, 2011 Loans Receivable [Member] Loan	Dec. 31, 2012 Loans Receivable - Related Party [Member] Loan	Dec. 31, 2011 Loans Receivable - Related Party [Member] Loan	Dec. 31, 2012 Loan Converted to Real Estate Owned [Member] Whole Loans [Member]
Troubled debt restructuring [Abstract]
Number of Loans	9	3	7	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	1
Pre-Modification Outstanding Recorded Balance	$ 221,577,000	$ 42,720,000	$ 175,708,000	$ 34,739,000	$ 0	$ 0	$ 38,072,000	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 7,797,000	$ 7,981,000
Post-Modification Outstanding Recorded Balance	204,291,000	41,054,000	158,422,000	33,073,000	0	0	38,072,000	0	0	0	0	7,797,000	7,981,000
Pre-Modification Outstanding Recorded Balance														21,800,000
Post-Modification Outstanding Recorded Balance														21,800,000
Outstanding loan balance												$ 6,800,000