VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES RSO Cash Flow Detail (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 2,718,000	$ 1,113,000	$ 3,708,000	$ 1,609,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments				214,000
Equity in net (earnings) losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries	(1,047,000)	117,000	(1,678,000)	(1,144,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans and investments			(1,318,000)
Capital expenditures			(176,000)
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid			(1,964,000)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			1,550,000
(Decrease) increase in cash			(7,995,000)	274,000
Cash, beginning of year			19,853,000	11,899,000	11,899,000
Cash, end of period	11,858,000	12,173,000	11,858,000	12,173,000
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE:
Interest expense paid in cash			828,000	840,000
Income taxes paid in cash			916,000	916,000
RSO [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	17,702,000	8,542,000	35,162,000	21,170,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Provision for loan losses	782,000	(1,242,000)	(3,178,000)	(200,000)
Depreciation of investments in real estate and other			1,635,000	1,202,000
Amortization of intangible assets			1,024,000	996,000
Amortization of term facilities			0	495,000
Accretion of net discounts on loans held for investment			(1,310,000)	(6,930,000)
Accretion of net discounts on securities available-for-sale			(1,637,000)	(1,430,000)
Amortization of discounts on convertible notes			659,000	0
Amortization of discount on notes securitization			41,000	1,772,000
Amortization of debt issuance costs on notes securitization			1,510,000	1,965,000
Amortization of stock-based compensation			3,698,000	5,746,000
Amortization of terminated derivative instruments			142,000	193,000
Accretion of interest-only available-for-sales securities			(339,000)	(485,000)
Deferred income tax benefits			(689,000)	(115,000)
Change in mortgage loans held for sale, net			(12,162,000)	0
Purchase of securities, trading			0	(10,044,000)
Principal payments on securities, trading			50,000	3,272,000
Proceeds from sales of securities, trading			379,000	18,713,000
Net realized and unrealized loss on investment securities, trading			2,210,000	635,000
Net realized gains on sales of investment securities available-for-sale and loans			(2,148,000)	(2,785,000)
Loss on reissuance of debt			602,000	0
Gain on sale of real estate	(3,000,000)		(3,042,000)	0	(16,600,000)
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments			0	548,000
Linked transactions fair value adjustments			(5,923,000)	6,385,000
Equity in net (earnings) losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries	(1,762,000)	(72,000)	(3,776,000)	353,000
Change in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions			980,000	5,283,000
Subtotal - consolidated VIE - RSO operating activity			(21,274,000)	25,569,000
Change in consolidated VIE - RSO cash for the period			39,957,000	(83,124,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net income and operating cash flows to net income of consolidated VIE - RSO			18,629,000	(58,209,000)
Net cash provided by operating activities (excluding eliminations)			13,888,000	46,739,000
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans			(489,800,000)	(377,679,000)
Purchase of securities available-for-sale			(107,339,000)	(96,031,000)
Principal payments received on loans			196,973,000	386,686,000
Proceeds from sale of loans			44,024,000	170,450,000
Principal payments on securities available-for-sale			25,774,000	20,040,000
Proceeds from sale of securities available-for-sale			99,151,000	7,025,000
Increase (decrease) in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO			10,543,000	(5,926,000)
Proceeds from (investment in) unconsolidated entity			8,911,000	(15,534,000)
Acquisition of Moselle CLO S.A.			(30,433,000)	0
Proceeds from sale of real estate held-for-sale			31,202,000	0
Improvement of real estate held-for-sale			0	(404,000)
Distributions from investments in real estate			0	522,000
Improvements in investments in real estate			252,000	(365,000)
Investment in loans - related parties			(244,000)	0
Principal payments received on loans – related parties			1,759,000	362,000
Purchase of furniture and fixtures			(69,000)	0
Capital expenditures			(332,000)	0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			10,655,000	(15,419,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (excluding eliminations)			(209,628,000)	89,146,000
Proceeds from borrowings:
Repurchase agreements			175,738,000	104,325,000
Warehouse agreement			43,000,000	0
Reissuance of debt			16,502,000	0
Payments on borrowings:
Collateralized debt obligations			(152,556,000)	(286,962,000)
Warehouse agreement			(33,719,000)	0
Subtotal - net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO			48,965,000	(182,637,000)
Dividends paid			(50,313,000)	(42,542,000)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			0	114,018,000
Net proceeds from dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan (net of offering costs of $0 and $19)			14,554,000	18,164,000
Proceeds from issuance of redeemable preferred shares, net of offering costs			115,815,000	0
Subtotal - net proceeds from issuance of stock by consolidated VIE			163,319,000	179,826,000
Payment of debt issuance costs			(8,000)	(1,178,000)
Settlement of derivative instruments			442,000	0
Payment of equity to third party sub-note holders			(799,000)	(2,661,000)
Distributions paid on preferred stock			(4,679,000)	(2,446,000)
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity			(5,044,000)	(6,285,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (excluding eliminations)			155,783,000	(52,761,000)
(Decrease) increase in cash			(39,957,000)	83,124,000
Cash, beginning of year		168,402,000	262,270,000	85,278,000	85,278,000
Cash, end of period	222,313,000		222,313,000		262,270,000
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE:
Interest expense paid in cash			17,438,000	20,214,000
Income taxes paid in cash			3,249,000	9,113,000
RSO [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock Series A [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Proceeds from issuance of redeemable preferred shares, net of offering costs			7,697,000	0
RSO [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock Series B [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Proceeds from issuance of redeemable preferred shares, net of offering costs			25,253,000	47,644,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RSO [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Adjustments to reconcile net income and operating cash flows to net income of consolidated VIE - RSO			18,683,000	(57,555,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans and investments			(597,139,000)	(473,710,000)
Subtotal - principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO, before eliminations			365,922,000	584,201,000
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			11,046,000	(15,419,000)
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid			(51,457,000)	(43,665,000)
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity			(5,044,000)	(6,285,000)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	(14,928,000)	(7,160,000)	(30,350,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments				0
Equity in net (earnings) losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Change in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions			(54,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans and investments			0
Subtotal - principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE - RSO, before eliminations			0
Increase (decrease) in restricted cash of consolidated VIE - RSO			0
Capital expenditures			0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			(391,000)
Payments on borrowings:
Subtotal - net (repayments) borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE - RSO			0
Dividends paid			0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			0
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity			0
(Decrease) increase in cash			0
Cash, beginning of year			0
Cash, end of period	0		0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | RSO [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Adjustments to reconcile net income and operating cash flows to net income of consolidated VIE - RSO			(54,000)	(654,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			(391,000)	0
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid			1,144,000	1,123,000
Other consolidated VIE -RSO financing activity			$ 0	$ 0