VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES RSO Summarized Cash Flow (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 12,767,000	$ 11,609,000
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments	214,000	74,000
Equity in losses (earnings) of unconsolidated subsidiaries	(1,261,000)	329,000
Non-cash incentive compensation to RAI	293,000	319,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - purchase of loans and investment securities by consolidated VIE - RSO	(1,526,000)	(136,000)
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO	275,663,000
Decrease in restricted cash	95,000	0
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Distributions paid on common stock	(589,000)	(566,000)
Subtotal - Other consolidated VIE - RSO financing activity		(44,000)
Increase (decrease) in cash	3,473,000	(2,885,000)
Cash, beginning of year	11,899,000	12,803,000
Cash, end of period	15,372,000	9,918,000
Interest expense paid in cash	441,000	585,000
Resource Capital Corp [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	12,628,000	14,481,000
Provision for loan losses	1,042,000	2,178,000
Depreciation of investments in real estate and other	666,000	380,000
Amortization of intangible assets	532,000	982,000
Amortization of term facilities	221,000	140,000
Accretion of net discounts on loans held for investment	(4,079,000)	(5,519,000)
Accretion of net discounts on securities available-for-sale	(731,000)	(861,000)
Amortization of discount on notes of CDOs	876,000	308,000
Amortization of debt issuance costs on notes of CDOs	1,176,000	927,000
Amortization of stock-based compensation	3,591,000	868,000
Amortization of terminated derivative instruments	55,000	56,000
Distribution to subordinated debt holder	670,000	1,584,000
Accretion of interest-only available-for-sales securities	(247,000)	0
Deferred income tax benefit	(115,000)	0
Purchase of securities, trading	(10,044,000)	(8,348,000)
Principal payments on securities, trading	21,000	833,000
Proceeds from sales of securities, trading	3,089,000	5,025,000
Net realized and unrealized gains on investment securities, trading	(1,116,000)	(2,144,000)
Net realized gain on sales of investment securities available-for-sale and loans	(391,000)	(380,000)
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments	12,000	139,000
Linked transactions fair value adjustments	592,000	0
Equity in losses (earnings) of unconsolidated subsidiaries	425,000	(1,071,000)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities	14,426,000	(14,761,000)
Subtotal - net cash provided by operating activities (1)	10,671,000	(19,664,000)
Change in consolidated VIE - RSO cash for the period	17,617,000	5,554,000
Changes in cash attributable to operations of consolidated VIE- RSO	27,634,000	(14,109,000)
Non-cash incentive compensation to RAI	0	0
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans	(146,699,000)	(150,845,000)
Purchase of securities available-for-sale	(63,292,000)	(16,660,000)
Subtotal - purchase of loans and investment securities by consolidated VIE - RSO	(209,991,000)	(167,505,000)
Proceeds from sale of loans	58,148,000	40,120,000
Principal payments received on loans	209,107,000	116,848,000
Principal payments on securities available-for-sale	7,944,000	5,595,000
Principal payments received on loans – related parties	464,000	69,000
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO	275,663,000	162,632,000
Decrease in restricted cash	(19,241,000)	9,196,000
Investment in unconsolidated entity	(4,431,000)	934,000
Improvements in real estate held-for-sale	0	(138,000)
Proceeds from sale of real estate held-for-sale	0	907,000
Distributions from investments in real estate	253,000	448,000
Improvements in investments in real estate	(321,000)	(348,000)
Purchase of furniture and fixtures	0	(722,000)
Subtotal - other investing activities of consolidated VIE - RSO, before eliminations	(4,499,000)	1,101,000
Net cash provided by investing activities (excluding eliminations)	41,932,000	5,404,000
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Repurchase agreements	37,145,000	8,948,000
Collateralized debt obligations	(141,341,000)	(18,485,000)
Net borrowings (repayments) of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	(104,196,000)	(9,537,000)
Distributions paid on common stock	(20,422,000)	(19,474,000)
Net proceeds from dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan (net of offering costs of $0 and $19)	17,995,000	24,158,000
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock by consolidated VIE - RSO	44,862,000	24,158,000
Payment of debt issuance costs	(140,000)	(582,000)
Payment of equity to third party sub-note holders	(1,461,000)	0
Distributions paid on preferred stock	(934,000)	0
Subtotal - Other consolidated VIE - RSO financing activity	(2,535,000)	(582,000)
Net cash used in financing activities (excluding eliminations)	(82,847,000)	(5,940,000)
Increase (decrease) in cash	(17,617,000)	(5,554,000)
Cash, beginning of year	85,278,000	43,116,000
Cash, end of period	67,661,000	37,562,000
Interest expense paid in cash	10,188,000	8,401,000
Redeemable Preferred Stock Series B [Member] | Resource Capital Corp [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from issuance of preferred shares	26,867,000	0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments	0	0
Equity in losses (earnings) of unconsolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Resource Capital Corp [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Changes in cash attributable to operations of consolidated VIE- RSO	(654,000)	1,000
Non-cash incentive compensation to RAI	1,000	(165,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - other investing activities of consolidated VIE - RSO, before eliminations	0	20,000
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Distributions paid on common stock	556,000	505,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Resource Capital Corp [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - net cash provided by operating activities (1)	23,298,000	(5,018,000)
Changes in cash attributable to operations of consolidated VIE- RSO	28,288,000	(14,110,000)
Non-cash incentive compensation to RAI	(1,000)	165,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - other investing activities of consolidated VIE - RSO, before eliminations	(4,499,000)	1,081,000
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Distributions paid on common stock	$ (20,978,000)	$ (19,979,000)