CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	$ 52,027,000	$ 87,145,000	$ 21,627,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	2,140,000
Provision for credit losses	4,265,000	20,148,000	11,305,000
Unrealized loss (gain) on trading securities	1,054,000
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	(5,389,000)	(4,083,000)	(9,507,000)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	4,647,000
Impairment charge on loan investment	214,000
Gain on sale of loans and investment securities, net	(6,293,000)
Gain on sale of assets	(1,734,000)
Deferred income tax provision	25,000
Equity-based compensation issued	1,257,000
Equity-based compensation received	0
Trading securities purchases and sales, net	10,287,000
Loss from discontinued operations	2,000	44,000	2,222,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities	2,840,000
Net cash used in operating activities	(90,878,000)	(7,981,000)	17,065,000
Capital expenditures	(2,730,000)
Payments received on real estate loans and real estate	2,049,000
Investments in unconsolidated real estate entities	(1,545,000)
Principal payments received on leases and loans	17,000
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO	1,348,597,000
Increase in borrowings	2,001,000
Increase in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO	22,248,000
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO	(30,446,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	473,038,000	115,220,000	(485,988,000)
Principal payments on borrowings	(2,486,000)
Net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	(420,107,000)
Dividends paid	(1,988,000)
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE - RSO	(91,255,000)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	1,252,000
Repurchase of common stock	(4,607,000)
Other	67,000
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(373,835,000)	(106,866,000)	468,839,000
Operating activities	(371,000)	(1,277,000)	(1,643,000)
Net cash used in discontinued operations	(371,000)	(1,277,000)	(1,643,000)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease)	7,954,000	(904,000)	(1,727,000)
Cash	19,853,000	11,899,000	12,803,000
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	(2,616,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	0
Provision for credit losses	0
Unrealized loss (gain) on trading securities	33,000
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	0
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	0
Impairment charge on loan investment	0
Gain on sale of loans and investment securities, net	230,000
Gain on sale of assets	0
Deferred income tax provision	0
Equity-based compensation issued	0
Equity-based compensation received	1,138,000
Trading securities purchases and sales, net	(230,000)
Loss from discontinued operations	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities	205,000
Net cash used in operating activities	(2,436,000)
Capital expenditures	0
Payments received on real estate loans and real estate	0
Investments in unconsolidated real estate entities	0
Principal payments received on leases and loans	0
Purchase of loans and investments	0
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Increase in borrowings	0
Increase in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO	(593,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(593,000)
Principal payments on borrowings	621,000
Net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Dividends paid	0
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE - RSO	2,203,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0
Repurchase of common stock	0
Other	205,000
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	3,029,000
Operating activities	0
Net cash used in discontinued operations	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease)	0
Cash	0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Net cash used in operating activities	(155,024,000)
RAI [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	2,140,000	2,338,000	17,044,000
Provision for credit losses	4,265,000	20,148,000	12,104,000
Unrealized loss (gain) on trading securities	1,054,000	(1,272,000)	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	(5,389,000)	(4,083,000)	(9,507,000)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	4,647,000	3,311,000	5,022,000
Gain on sale of loans and investment securities, net	(6,293,000)	(1,221,000)	(321,000)
Gain on sale of assets	(1,734,000)	(915,000)	(196,000)
Deferred income tax provision	25,000	11,836,000	(3,211,000)
Equity-based compensation issued	1,257,000	993,000	2,242,000
Trading securities purchases and sales, net	10,287,000	(2,876,000)	0
Loss from discontinued operations	2,000	44,000	2,222,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities	2,840,000	(4,983,000)	(6,159,000)
Capital expenditures	(2,730,000)	(196,000)	(1,233,000)
Payments received on real estate loans and real estate	2,049,000	888,000	18,037,000
Investments in unconsolidated real estate entities	(1,545,000)	(2,493,000)	(2,215,000)
Principal payments received on leases and loans	17,000	15,000	38,087,000
Purchase of loans and investments	(3,213,000)	(2,597,000)	(600,000)
Increase in borrowings	2,001,000	0	233,888,000
Principal payments on borrowings	(2,486,000)	(5,715,000)	(177,431,000)
Dividends paid	(1,988,000)	(2,334,000)	(2,264,000)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	1,252,000	2,131,000	1,914,000
Repurchase of common stock	(4,607,000)	(2,463,000)	(1,180,000)
Other	67,000	(203,000)	(7,342,000)
Cash	19,853,000	11,899,000
RAI [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Cash	0
RAI [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	8,190,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	2,140,000
Provision for credit losses	4,265,000	20,148,000	11,305,000
Unrealized loss (gain) on trading securities	1,021,000
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	(5,389,000)	(4,083,000)	(9,507,000)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	4,647,000
Impairment charge on loan investment	214,000
Gain on sale of loans and investment securities, net	(6,523,000)
Gain on sale of assets	(1,734,000)
Deferred income tax provision	25,000
Equity-based compensation issued	1,257,000
Equity-based compensation received	(1,138,000)
Trading securities purchases and sales, net	10,517,000
Loss from discontinued operations	2,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities	2,635,000
Net cash used in operating activities	20,129,000
Capital expenditures	(2,730,000)
Payments received on real estate loans and real estate	2,049,000
Investments in unconsolidated real estate entities	(1,545,000)
Principal payments received on leases and loans	17,000
Purchase of loans and investments	(3,213,000)
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Increase in borrowings	2,001,000
Increase in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(5,422,000)
Principal payments on borrowings	(3,107,000)
Net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Dividends paid	(1,988,000)
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	1,252,000
Repurchase of common stock	(4,607,000)
Other	67,000
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(6,382,000)
Operating activities	(371,000)
Net cash used in discontinued operations	(371,000)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease)	7,954,000
Cash	19,853,000	11,899,000
RSO [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Net cash used in operating activities	(156,220,000)
Purchase of loans and investments	(861,939,000)	(769,762,000)	(1,072,132,000)
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO	1,348,597,000	822,476,000	663,663,000
Increase in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO	22,248,000	50,756,000	31,014,000
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO	(30,446,000)	(1,782,000)	(45,795,000)
Net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	(420,107,000)	(192,783,000)	365,143,000
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE - RSO	(91,255,000)	(71,876,000)	(67,415,000)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	189,991,000	171,056,000	129,911,000
Other	(46,703,000)	(4,679,000)	(6,385,000)
RSO [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Net cash used in operating activities	(1,196,000)
RSO [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	46,453,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0
Unrealized loss (gain) on trading securities	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	0	0	0
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	0
Impairment charge on loan investment	0
Gain on sale of loans and investment securities, net	0
Gain on sale of assets	0
Deferred income tax provision	0
Equity-based compensation issued	0
Equity-based compensation received	0
Trading securities purchases and sales, net	0
Loss from discontinued operations	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities	0
Net cash used in operating activities	(108,571,000)
Capital expenditures	0
Payments received on real estate loans and real estate	0
Investments in unconsolidated real estate entities	0
Principal payments received on leases and loans	0
Purchase of loans and investments	(861,939,000)
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO	1,348,597,000
Increase in borrowings	0
Increase in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO	22,248,000
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO	(29,853,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	479,053,000
Principal payments on borrowings	0
Net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	(420,107,000)
Dividends paid	0
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE - RSO	(93,458,000)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	189,991,000
Repurchase of common stock	0
Other	(46,908,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(370,482,000)
Operating activities	0
Net cash used in discontinued operations	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease)	0
Cash	$ 0	$ 0