RSO LOANS HELD FOR INVESTMENT (Details) (Resource Capital Corp [Member], USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Receivables with Imputed Interest [Line Items]
Allowance for loan loss	$ 16,976,000	$ 17,691,000
Bank Loans [Member]
Receivables with Imputed Interest [Line Items]
Loans held for sale, net	1,100,000,000	1,200,000,000
Allowance for loan loss	7,821,000	9,705,000
Whole Loans [Member]
Receivables with Imputed Interest [Line Items]
Loans held for sale, net		34,000,000
Allowance for loan loss	8,022,000	6,920,000
Number of loans impaired	1
Increase (decrease) in allowance for loan losses	1,100,000
Commercial Real Estate Loans [Member]
Receivables with Imputed Interest [Line Items]
Allowance for loan loss	9,200,000	8,000,000
Number of loans impaired	1	4
Commercial Real Estate Loans [Member] \| California [Member]
Receivables with Imputed Interest [Line Items]
Concentration of loan portfolio risk (in hundredths)	48.10%	47.70%
Commercial Real Estate Loans [Member] \| Arizona [Member]
Receivables with Imputed Interest [Line Items]
Concentration of loan portfolio risk (in hundredths)	8.10%	7.90%
Commercial Real Estate Loans [Member] \| Texas [Member]
Receivables with Imputed Interest [Line Items]
Concentration of loan portfolio risk (in hundredths)	11.00%	11.10%
Commercial Real Estate Loans [Member] \| Industry Grouping of Healthcare, Education and Childcare [Member]
Receivables with Imputed Interest [Line Items]
Concentration of loan portfolio risk (in hundredths)	14.20%	13.20%
Bank Loans [Member]
Receivables with Imputed Interest [Line Items]
Allowance for loan loss	$ 7,800,000	$ 9,700,000
Number of loans impaired	5	1
Bank Loans [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Receivables with Imputed Interest [Line Items]
Variable rate basis	three month London Interbank Offered Rate	three month LIBOR
Basis spread on variable rate		1.50%
Bank Loans [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Receivables with Imputed Interest [Line Items]
Variable rate basis		three month LIBOR
Basis spread on variable rate	10.50%	8.80%

The percentage of the loan portfolio credit concentration risk.

No definition available.

Name:	rexi_ConcentrationOfLoanRiskPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	rexi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of loans impaired in the period causing fluctuation in the allowance for loans.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rexi_NumberOfLoansImpaired
Namespace Prefix:	rexi_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) of allowance reserve for credit loss.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28368275&loc=d3e5212-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(d))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 7

-Subparagraph d

-Article 9

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The reserve to cover probable credit losses related to specifically identified fixed maturity real estate loans as well as probable credit losses inherent in the remainder of that loan portfolio.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 310

-Section 45

-Paragraph 4

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6873192&loc=d3e21338-158488

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage points (also referred to as 'margin') added to the reference rate as stated in the loan agreement and used to compute the variable rate on the loans receivable. For instance, the loan agreement might state that the interest rate the borrower is obligated to pay is the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus three quarters (3/4) of a percentage point adjusted quarterly (each three months). LIBOR in this example is the index or reference rate, 3/4 percentage point is the margin, the reference rate plus the margin is the fully indexed rate. This element would be used to report separately the margin.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The reference rate for the variable rate of the loans receivable, such as LIBOR or the US Treasury rate and the maturity of the reference rate used, such as three months or six months LIBOR.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansReceivableDescriptionOfVariableRateBasis
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of loans held for sale, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements and loans classified as debt securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28367877&loc=d3e4428-111522

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 7

-Subparagraph a

-Article 9

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(a))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 35

-Paragraph 49

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25442802&loc=d3e3084-111518

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 948

-SubTopic 310

-Section 30

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6490209&loc=d3e48214-111002

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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