CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Fees From Unconsolidated Investment Entities) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Commercial Finance, Four Investment Entities [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount waived of the fund management fees from commercial finance investment entities	$ 618	$ 1,200
Real Estate Investment Entities [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities	4,194	4,689
Discounts recorded	133	52
Financial Fund Management Investment Entities [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities	748	853
Commercial Finance Investment Entities [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Fees from unconsolidated investment entities	0	0
CVC Credit Partners, L.P. [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Reimbursement of costs and expenses	377	0
Resource Real Estate Opportunity REIT Inc [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Reimbursement of costs and expenses	204	530
Dividends paid	33	0
LEAF [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Reimbursement of costs and expenses	57	82
Payment for sub-servicing the commercial finance investment partnerships	(199)	(184)
Payment for rent and related expenses	(303)	(706)
1845 Walnut Associates Ltd. [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Payment for rent and related expenses	(157)	(208)
Property management fees	42	0
Brandywine Construction & Management, Inc. (BCMI) [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Payments for property management	(43)	(39)
Atlas Energy, L.P. [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Reimbursement of costs and expenses	141	149
Ledgewood P.C. [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Ledgewood P.C. – payment for legal services	(61)	(114)
Graphic Images, LLC [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Graphic Images, LLC – payment for printing services	(24)	(94)
The Bancorp, Inc. [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Reimbursement of costs and expenses	28	29
9 Henmar LLC [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
9 Henmar, LLC – payment of broker/consulting fees	$ (3)	$ (4)