RSO BORROWINGS (CRE - Term Repurchase Facility) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		0 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013 Resource Capital Corp [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Resource Capital Corp [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 CRE - Term Repurchase Facility [Member] Resource Capital Corp [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CRE - Term Repurchase Facility [Member] Resource Capital Corp [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 CRE - Term Repurchase Facility [Member] Wells Fargo Bank, National Association [Member] RCC Real Estate [Member] option	Dec. 31, 2012 CRE - Term Repurchase Facility [Member] Wells Fargo Bank, National Association [Member] RCC Real Estate [Member]	Feb. 27, 2012 CRE - Term Repurchase Facility [Member] Wells Fargo Bank, National Association [Member] RCC Real Estate [Member]	Apr. 02, 2013 CRE - Term Repurchase Facility [Member] Wells Fargo Bank, National Association [Member] RCC Real Estate [Member] Subsequent Event [Member] extension	Feb. 27, 2012 CRE - Term Repurchase Facility [Member] Wells Fargo Bank, National Association [Member] RCC Real Estate [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jul. 19, 2013 CRE - Term Repurchase Facility [Member] Deutsche Bank AG [Member] RCC Real Estate [Member] Subsequent Event [Member] option	Jul. 19, 2013 CRE - Term Repurchase Facility [Member] Deutsche Bank AG [Member] RCC Real Estate [Member] Maximum [Member] Subsequent Event [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 CRE - Term Repurchase Facility [Member] Deutsche Bank AG [Member] Resource Capital Corp [Member]	Mar. 08, 2005 Repurchase Agreements [Member] Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc [Member] RCC Real Estate [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Repurchase Agreements [Member] Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc [Member] RCC Real Estate [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Repurchase Agreements [Member] Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc [Member] RCC Real Estate [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Repurchase Agreements [Member] Linked Transactions [Member] Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc [Member] RCC Real Estate [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Repurchase Agreements [Member] Linked Transactions [Member] Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc [Member] RCC Real Estate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity								$ 250,000,000.0	$ 150,000,000.0		$ 200,000,000
Debt instrument term					18 months					12 months				12 months
Debt instrument term, number of options to extend					2			2		2
Debt instrument term, option to extend					1 year			1 year		1 year
Debt Instrument, Structuring Fee, Amount								101,000
Loan origination fee							(0.375%)
Structuring fee										0.25%
Extension fee								938,000
Face amount of debt issued					64,100,000	58,800,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs			219,000	348,000	219,000	348,000
Debt instrument, fair value					93,100,000	85,400,000
Description of variable rate basis					one-month LIBOR	one-month LIBOR										one-month LIBOR	one-month LIBOR
Basis spread on variable rate (in hundredths)					2.50%	2.67%							3.25%			1.08%	1.25%
Weighted-average interest rate	1.66%	1.62%			2.70%	2.88%								1.28%	1.46%	1.28%	1.46%
Covenant requirement, maximum judgment allowed against subsidiary												100,000
Covenant requirement, maximum judgment allowed against company												5,000,000
Covenant requirement, maximum amount of failure to pay or acceleration of a monetary obligation for subsidiary												100,000
Covenant requirement, maximum amount of failure to pay or acceleration of a monetary obligation for company												5,000,000
Amount at Risk Under Facility [Abstract]
Amount at Risk					$ 28,831,000	$ 26,332,000								$ 5,360,000	$ 2,069,000
Weighted Average Maturity in Days	11 years 11 months	12 years 6 months			18 days	18 days								15 days	7 days
Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.66%	1.62%			2.70%	2.88%								1.28%	1.46%	1.28%	1.46%