VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES RSO Cash Flow Detail (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 1,375,000	$ 3,442,000	$ 1,113,000	$ 496,000	$ (1,534,000)	$ (2,267,000)	$ 30,211,000	$ (2,382,000)	$ 6,426,000	$ 24,028,000	$ (13,064,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Provision for loan losses				1,000,000	4,500,000	6,300,000	5,700,000
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments									214,000	74,000
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities									(5,389,000)	(4,083,000)	(9,507,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO, before eliminations									1,348,597,000
Increase in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO									22,248,000
Capital expenditures									(2,730,000)
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO									(30,446,000)
Payments on borrowings:
Subtotal - net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO									(420,107,000)
Dividends paid									(1,988,000)
Net proceeds from issuances of common stock (net of offering costs of $3,837, $2,165 and $1,263)									1,252,000
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity									67,000
Increase (decrease) in cash									7,954,000	(904,000)	(1,727,000)
Cash, beginning of year				11,899,000				12,803,000	11,899,000	12,803,000	14,530,000
Cash, end of year	19,853,000				11,899,000				19,853,000	11,899,000	12,803,000
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE:
Interest expense paid in cash									1,690,000	1,980,000	10,745,000
Income taxes paid in cash									1,651,000	1,367,000	1,063,000
RSO [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income									46,453,000	64,443,000	37,716,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Provision for loan losses									3,020,000	16,818,000	13,896,000
Depreciation of investments in real estate and other									1,946,000	1,838,000	729,000
Amortization of intangible assets									1,970,000	4,047,000	3,890,000
Amortization of term facilities									1,395,000	957,000	570,000
Accretion of net discounts on loans held for investment									(9,521,000)	(17,817,000)	(15,588,000)
Accretion of net discounts on securities available-for-sale									(2,712,000)	(3,177,000)	(3,698,000)
Amortization of discount on notes of securitizations									14,524,000	2,470,000	274,000
Amortization of debt issuance costs on notes of securitizations									7,426,000	4,700,000	3,341,000
Amortization of stock-based compensation									10,472,000	4,636,000	2,526,000
Amortization of terminated derivative instruments									339,000	227,000	227,000
Accretion of interest-only available-for-sales securities									(1,005,000)	(719,000)	0
Distribution accrued to preferred stockholders									(7,221,000)	(1,244,000)	0
Deferred income tax benefits									(6,710,000)	2,329,000	(399,000)
Purchase of mortgage loans held for sale									(60,514,000)	0	0
Payments on mortgage loans held for sale									3,000	0	0
Proceeds from sale of mortgage loans held for sale									60,365,000	0	0
Purchase of securities, trading									(11,044,000)	(8,348,000)	(38,904,000)
Principal payments on securities, trading									4,309,000	1,027,000	643,000
Proceeds from sales of securities, trading									19,696,000	33,579,000	18,131,000
Net realized and unrealized loss (gain) on investment securities, trading									324,000	(12,435,000)	(837,000)
Net realized gains on sales of investment securities available-for-sale and loans									(10,986,000)	(4,106,000)	(2,643,000)
Gain on early extinguishment of debt									0	(16,699,000)	(3,875,000)
Gain on sale of real estate									(16,616,000)	0	0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments									855,000	180,000	6,898,000
Gain on consolidation									0	(2,498,000)	0
Linked Transactions fair value adjustments									6,018,000	(168,000)	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities									(949,000)	2,709,000	(112,000)
Adjust for impact of imputed interest on VIE accounting									0	1,879,000	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Decrease (increase) in restricted cash									8,445,000	(2,062,000)	(5,628,000)
(Increase) decrease in interest receivable, net of purchased interest									(1,108,000)	987,000	(2,513,000)
Decrease (increase) in principal paydowns receivable									18,749,000	(25,465,000)	363,000
(Decrease) increase in management fee payable									(6,357,000)	3,929,000	974,000
(Decrease) increase in security deposits									(337,000)	25,000	80,000
(Decrease) increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities									(9,106,000)	7,573,000	15,370,000
(Decrease) increase in accrued interest expense									(1,445,000)	(193,000)	1,696,000
Decrease (increase) in other assets									7,259,000	(20,007,000)	(520,000)
Subtotal - consolidated VIE - RSO operating activity									21,484,000	(25,028,000)	(5,109,000)
Change in consolidated VIE - RSO cash for the period									(176,992,000)	(42,162,000)	(13,628,000)
Change in cash attributable to operations of consolidated VIE - RSO									(156,220,000)	(66,258,000)	(16,558,000)
Non-cash incentive compensation to RAI									0	0	0
Net cash provided by operating activities (excluding eliminations)									68,421,000	40,883,000	33,037,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans									(725,657,000)	(649,983,000)	(970,309,000)
Purchase of securities available-for-sale									(136,282,000)	(119,779,000)	(117,044,000)
Purchase of loans and investments									(861,939,000)	(769,762,000)	(1,072,132,000)
Principal payments received on loans									571,914,000	570,276,000	424,600,000
Proceeds from sale of loans									674,977,000	173,378,000	212,042,000
Principal payments on securities available-for-sale									52,812,000	47,284,000	11,810,000
Proceeds from sale of securities available-for-sale									11,893,000	28,652,000	13,747,000
Proceeds from sale of real estate held-for-sale									37,001,000	2,886,000	1,464,000
Increase in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO									22,248,000	50,756,000	31,014,000
Acquisition of Primary Capital Advisors, LC									(7,613,000)	0	0
Investment in unconsolidated entity									(28,034,000)	474,000	(4,762,000)
Equity contribution to VIE									0	(710,000)	0
Minority interest equity									5,531,000	114,000	0
Improvement of real estate held-for-sale									(404,000)	(138,000)	0
Purchase of investments in real estate									0	0	(19,299,000)
Distributions from investments in real estate									1,094,000	1,152,000	0
Improvements in investments in real estate									(365,000)	(3,878,000)	0
Purchase of intangible asset									0	0	(21,213,000)
Investment in loans - related parties									(1,241,000)	0	(10,000,000)
Principal payments received on loans – related parties									1,685,000	1,251,000	10,430,000
Purchase of furniture and fixtures									(133,000)	0	0
Capital expenditures									(373,000)	0	0
Investments in real estate assets									0	0	(689,000)
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO									(30,446,000)	(1,782,000)	(45,795,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities (excluding eliminations)									479,053,000	101,735,000	(438,209,000)
Proceeds from borrowings:
Repurchase agreements									15,226,000	71,121,000	55,852,000
Collateralized debt obligations									0	0	323,244,000
CRE Securitization									260,840,000	0	0
6.0% Convertible senior notes									115,000,000	0	0
Mortgage payable									0	0	13,600,000
Payments on borrowings:
Collateralized debt obligations									(797,573,000)	(243,539,000)	(21,428,000)
Mortgage payable									(13,600,000)	0	0
Repurchase of issued bonds									0	0	(6,125,000)
Retirement of debt									0	(20,365,000)	0
Subtotal - net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO									(420,107,000)	(192,783,000)	365,143,000
Dividends paid									(91,255,000)	(71,876,000)	(67,415,000)
Net proceeds from issuances of common stock (net of offering costs of $3,837, $2,165 and $1,263)									114,454,000	55,502,000	46,347,000
Net proceeds from dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan (net of offering costs of $0, $19 and $11)									19,211,000	73,044,000	83,564,000
Subtotal - net proceeds from issuance of stock by consolidated VIE									189,991,000	171,056,000	129,911,000
Payment of debt issuance costs									(9,786,000)	(586,000)	(6,385,000)
Payment of equity to third party sub-note holders									(30,709,000)	(3,480,000)	0
Distributions paid on preferred stock									(6,413,000)	(613,000)	0
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity									(46,703,000)	(4,679,000)	(6,385,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (excluding eliminations)									(370,482,000)	(100,456,000)	418,800,000
Increase (decrease) in cash									176,992,000	42,162,000	13,628,000
Cash, beginning of year				85,278,000				43,116,000	85,278,000	43,116,000	29,488,000
Cash, end of year	262,270,000				85,278,000				262,270,000	85,278,000	43,116,000
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE:
Interest expense paid in cash									41,453,000	41,369,000	32,596,000
Income taxes paid in cash									10,710,000	22,758,000	0
RSO [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock Series A [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Proceeds from issuance of redeemable preferred shares, net of offering costs									112,000	16,411,000	0
RSO [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock Series B [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Proceeds from issuance of redeemable preferred shares, net of offering costs									56,214,000	26,099,000	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RSO [Member]
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Change in cash attributable to operations of consolidated VIE - RSO									(155,508,000)	(67,190,000)	(18,737,000)
Non-cash incentive compensation to RAI									484,000	1,468,000	430,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans and investments									(861,939,000)	(769,762,000)	(1,087,353,000)
Subtotal - principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO, before eliminations									1,348,597,000	822,476,000	663,663,000
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO									(29,853,000)	(1,735,000)	(45,533,000)
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid									(93,458,000)	(74,050,000)	(69,869,000)
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity									(46,908,000)	(4,679,000)	(6,385,000)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments									0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities									0	0	0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | RSO [Member]
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Change in cash attributable to operations of consolidated VIE - RSO									(712,000)	932,000	2,179,000
Non-cash incentive compensation to RAI									(484,000)	(1,468,000)	(430,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans and investments									0	0	15,221,000
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO									(593,000)	(47,000)	(262,000)
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid									2,203,000	2,174,000	2,454,000
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity									$ 205,000	$ 0	$ 0