VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES RSO - Balance Sheet Parenthetical (Details) (Resource Capital Corp [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Allowance for loan loss	$ 16,976	$ 17,691
VIE, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Allowance for loan loss	$ 13,300	$ 15,200

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.

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

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