CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	$ 18,101,000	$ 12,767,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	494,000
Provision for credit losses	1,208,000	338,000
Unrealized losses (gains) on trading securities	71,000
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	(631,000)	(1,261,000)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	1,510,000
Gain on sale of loans and investment securities, net	(188,000)
Deferred income tax provision	1,069,000
Equity-based compensation issued	404,000
Trading securities purchases and sales, net	(442,000)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities	(4,980,000)
Net cash provided by operating activities	113,880,000	45,143,000
Capital expenditures	(42,000)
Investments in unconsolidated real estate entities	(79,000)
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO	136,561,000
Decrease in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO	(12,849,000)
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE	(25,013,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(119,801,000)	41,775,000
Principal payments on borrowings	(117,000)
Net borrowings (repayments) of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	16,209,000
Dividends paid	(980,000)
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE - RSO	(24,964,000)
Other	(56,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	3,278,000	(82,950,000)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease)	(2,643,000)	3,473,000
Cash	17,210,000	15,372,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	97,292,000
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	(615,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0
Unrealized losses (gains) on trading securities	(24,000)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	0	0
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	0
Gain on sale of loans and investment securities, net	95,000
Deferred income tax provision	0
Equity-based compensation issued	0
Trading securities purchases and sales, net	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities	0
Net cash provided by operating activities	(572,000)
Capital expenditures	0
Investments in unconsolidated real estate entities	0
Purchase of loans and investments	0
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Decrease in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE	(391,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(391,000)
Principal payments on borrowings	391,000
Net borrowings (repayments) of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Dividends paid	0
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE - RSO	572,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0
Other	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	963,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease)	0
Cash	0
RAI [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	494,000	456,000
Provision for credit losses	1,208,000	338,000
Unrealized losses (gains) on trading securities	71,000	(745,000)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	(631,000)	(1,261,000)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	1,510,000	716,000
Gain on sale of loans and investment securities, net	(188,000)	(517,000)
Deferred income tax provision	1,069,000	(146,000)
Equity-based compensation issued	404,000	293,000
Trading securities purchases and sales, net	(442,000)	2,831,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities	(4,980,000)	4,168,000
Capital expenditures	(42,000)	(171,000)
Payments received on real estate loans and real estate	0	2,049,000
Investments in unconsolidated real estate entities	(79,000)	(509,000)
Purchase of loans and investments	(678,000)	(1,526,000)
Increase in borrowings	0	2,000,000
Principal payments on borrowings	(117,000)	(2,111,000)
Dividends paid	(980,000)	(589,000)
Other	(56,000)	95,000
Cash	17,210,000
RAI [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	1,256,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	494,000
Provision for credit losses	1,208,000	338,000
Unrealized losses (gains) on trading securities	95,000
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	(631,000)	(1,261,000)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	1,510,000
Gain on sale of loans and investment securities, net	(283,000)
Deferred income tax provision	1,069,000
Equity-based compensation issued	404,000
Trading securities purchases and sales, net	(442,000)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities	(4,980,000)
Net cash provided by operating activities	(300,000)
Capital expenditures	(42,000)
Investments in unconsolidated real estate entities	(79,000)
Purchase of loans and investments	(678,000)
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Decrease in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(799,000)
Principal payments on borrowings	(508,000)
Net borrowings (repayments) of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Dividends paid	(980,000)
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE - RSO	0
Other	(56,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(1,544,000)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease)	(2,643,000)
Cash	17,210,000
RAI [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Cash	0
RSO [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	97,264,000
Purchase of loans and investments	(217,701,000)	(209,991,000)
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO	136,561,000	275,199,000
Decrease in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO	(12,849,000)	(19,241,000)
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE	(25,013,000)	(4,035,000)
Net borrowings (repayments) of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	16,209,000	(104,196,000)
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE - RSO	(24,964,000)	(20,422,000)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	15,660,000	44,862,000
Other	(2,474,000)	(2,535,000)
RSO [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	17,460,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0
Unrealized losses (gains) on trading securities	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities	0	0
Distributions from unconsolidated entities	0
Gain on sale of loans and investment securities, net	0
Deferred income tax provision	0
Equity-based compensation issued	0
Trading securities purchases and sales, net	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities	0
Net cash provided by operating activities	114,752,000
Capital expenditures	0
Investments in unconsolidated real estate entities	0
Purchase of loans and investments	(217,701,000)
Principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO	136,561,000
Decrease in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO	(12,849,000)
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE	(24,622,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(118,611,000)
Principal payments on borrowings	0
Net borrowings (repayments) of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO	16,209,000
Dividends paid	0
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE - RSO	(25,536,000)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	15,660,000
Other	(2,474,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	3,859,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease)	0
Cash	0
RSO [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ (28,000)