VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES LOANS HELD FOR INVESTMENT (Weighted Average Life of Commercial Real Estate Loans, at Amortized Cost) (Details) RSO (RSO [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans held for investment, amortized cost	$ 676,872	$ 562,023
B Notes [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
2014	0	0
2015	0	0
2016 and Thereafter	16,107	16,205
Loans held for investment, amortized cost	16,107	16,205
Mezzanine Loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
2014	0	5,711
2015	0	0
2016 and Thereafter	67,305	58,606
Loans held for investment, amortized cost	67,305	64,317
Whole Loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
2014	0	0
2015	0	17,949
2016 and Thereafter	1,022,971	727,840
Loans held for investment, amortized cost	1,022,971	745,789
Commercial Real Estate Loans [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
2014	0	5,711
2015	0	17,949
2016 and Thereafter	1,106,383	802,651
Loans held for investment, amortized cost	$ 1,106,383	$ 826,311