VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES BORROWINGS (Schedule of Debt) (Details) RSO (RSO [Member], USD $)	12 Months Ended																		12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013 RREF CDO 2006-1 Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 RREF CDO 2006-1 Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 RREF CDO 2007-1 Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 RREF CDO 2007-1 Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 CRE Notes 2013 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Apidos CDO I Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Apidos CDO I Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Apidos CDO III Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Apidos CDO III Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Apidos Cinco CDO Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Apidos Cinco CDO Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Apidos CLO VIII Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Apidos CLO VIII Securitized Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Whitney CLO I Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Whitney CLO I Securitized Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Whitney CLO I Securitized Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Unsecured Junior Subordinated Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Unsecured Junior Subordinated Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Convertible Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Repurchase Agreements Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Repurchase Agreements Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgages [Member]	Aug. 01, 2011 Mortgages [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 CMBS - Term Repurchase Facilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 CMBS - Term Repurchase Facilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Residential Mortgage [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding Borrowings	$ 1,319,810,000	$ 1,785,600,000	$ 94,004,000	$ 145,664,000	$ 177,837,000	$ 225,983,000	$ 256,571,000	$ 87,131,000	$ 202,969,000	$ 133,209,000	$ 221,304,000	$ 321,147,000	$ 320,550,000	$ 300,951,000	$ 20,047,000	$ 171,555,000	$ 5,860,000	$ 440,000	$ 51,005,000	$ 50,814,000	$ 106,535,000	$ 29,703,000	$ 58,834,000	$ 13,600,000		$ 47,601,000	$ 47,469,000	$ 14,627,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	16,216,000	24,924,000	205,000	755,000	719,000	1,485,000	4,269,000	0	273,000	117,000	659,000	853,000	1,450,000	16,649,000	0	2,548,000	0	0	543,000	734,000	8,465,000	1,033,000	348,000	0		12,000	23,000	0
Principal outstanding	1,336,026,000	1,810,524,000	94,209,000	146,419,000	178,556,000	227,468,000	260,840,000	87,131,000	203,242,000	133,326,000	221,963,000	322,000,000	322,000,000	317,600,000	20,047,000	174,103,000	5,860,000	440,000	51,548,000	51,548,000	115,000,000	30,736,000	59,182,000	13,600,000	13,600,000	47,613,000	47,492,000	14,627,000
Weighted-average borrowing rate	1.87%	1.62%	1.87%	1.42%	0.84%	0.81%	2.03%	1.68%	1.07%	0.88%	0.80%	0.74%	0.82%	2.16%	15.27%	1.82%	9.50%	0.00%	4.19%	4.26%	6.00%	2.67%	2.89%	4.17%		1.38%	1.52%	4.24%
Weighted Average Remaining Maturity	13 years 1 month	12 years 6 months	32 years 7 months	33 years 7 months	32 years 9 months	33 years 9 months	15 years 0 months	3 years 7 months	4 years 7 months	6 years 8 months	7 years 6 months	6 years 5 months	7 years 5 months	8 years 9 months	8 years 9 months	4 years 2 months	4 years 2 months		22 years 10 months	23 years 8 months	4 years 11 months	21 days	18 days	5 years 7 months		21 days	18 days	56 days
Value of Collateral	$ 1,508,603,000	$ 2,089,297,000	$ 169,115,000	$ 295,759,000	$ 318,933,000	$ 292,980,000	$ 305,586,000	$ 103,736,000	$ 217,745,000	$ 145,930,000	$ 232,655,000	$ 342,796,000	$ 344,105,000	$ 351,014,000	$ 0	$ 191,704,000	$ 0	$ 885,000	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 48,186,000	$ 85,390,000	$ 18,100,000		$ 56,949,000	$ 59,845,000	$ 16,487,000