OPERATING SEGMENTS (Summarized Operating Segment) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	$ 49,789,000	$ 41,641,000	$ 149,877,000	$ 117,309,000
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	620,000	1,384,000	2,298,000	2,528,000
Total revenues	50,409,000	43,025,000	152,175,000	119,837,000
Segment operating expenses	(27,505,000)	(25,493,000)	(79,341,000)	(70,116,000)
General and administrative expenses	(2,426,000)	(2,505,000)	(8,309,000)	(6,807,000)
Reversal of (provision for) credit losses	(559,000)	(1,808,000)	(3,342,000)	(3,793,000)
Depreciation and amortization	(453,000)	(413,000)	(1,369,000)	(1,318,000)
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments				(214,000)
Gain on sale of investment securities, net	69,000		439,000
Interest expense	(467,000)	(530,000)	(1,447,000)	(1,525,000)
Other income (expense), net	(1,856,000)	16,897,000	(466,000)	17,231,000
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(2,243,000)	16,367,000	(1,474,000)
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(14,223,000)	(23,720,000)	(48,812,000)	(44,417,000)
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interests	2,989,000	5,453,000	9,528,000	8,878,000
Total assets	2,763,102,000	2,443,511,000	2,763,102,000	2,443,511,000	2,318,451,000
RAI [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities			2,298,000	2,528,000
Total revenues	19,829,000	24,422,000	61,627,000	54,434,000
General and administrative expenses	(2,426,000)	(2,505,000)	(8,309,000)	(6,807,000)
Reversal of (provision for) credit losses	(559,000)	(1,808,000)	(3,342,000)	(3,793,000)
Depreciation and amortization	(453,000)	(413,000)	(1,369,000)	(1,318,000)
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments	0	0	0	(214,000)
Interest expense	(467,000)	(530,000)	(1,447,000)	(1,525,000)
Other income (expense), net	80,000	128,000	263,000
RSO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	34,716,000	23,786,000	100,604,000	76,011,000
Other income (expense), net	(1,936,000)	16,607,000	(758,000)
Total assets	2,589,013,000	2,271,468,000	2,589,013,000	2,271,468,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Real Estate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	14,377,000	15,973,000	41,681,000	39,777,000
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	(88,000)	(23,000)	(669,000)	(334,000)
Total revenues	14,289,000	15,950,000	41,012,000	39,443,000
Segment operating expenses	(9,384,000)	(11,178,000)	(27,364,000)	(29,514,000)
General and administrative expenses	(804,000)	(674,000)	(2,631,000)	(2,893,000)
Reversal of (provision for) credit losses	(8,000)	(29,000)	2,000	2,523,000
Depreciation and amortization	(309,000)	(258,000)	(927,000)	(805,000)
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments				0
Gain on sale of investment securities, net	0		0
Interest expense	(190,000)	(209,000)	(577,000)	(613,000)
Other income (expense), net	280,000	249,000	647,000	719,000
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(9,000)	(12,000)	(53,000)	(23,000)
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interests	3,865,000	3,839,000	10,109,000	8,837,000
Total assets	187,668,000	177,314,000	187,668,000	177,314,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Fund Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	4,320,000	7,065,000	17,136,000	12,129,000
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	1,237,000	1,437,000	3,637,000	3,105,000
Total revenues	5,557,000	8,502,000	20,773,000	15,234,000
Segment operating expenses	(2,812,000)	(3,547,000)	(9,980,000)	(7,769,000)
General and administrative expenses	(416,000)	(282,000)	(1,314,000)	(604,000)
Reversal of (provision for) credit losses	0	0	0	(199,000)
Depreciation and amortization	(16,000)	(13,000)	(47,000)	(49,000)
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments				(214,000)
Gain on sale of investment securities, net	69,000		439,000
Interest expense	0	(7,000)	0	(7,000)
Other income (expense), net	533,000	557,000	1,659,000	1,704,000
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interests	2,915,000	5,210,000	11,530,000	8,096,000
Total assets	58,689,000	60,105,000	58,689,000	60,105,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Commercial Finance [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	21,000	0	21,000	0
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	(38,000)	(30,000)	(179,000)	(243,000)
Total revenues	(17,000)	(30,000)	(158,000)	(243,000)
Segment operating expenses	(125,000)	(75,000)	(351,000)	99,000
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Reversal of (provision for) credit losses	(551,000)	(1,779,000)	(3,344,000)	(6,117,000)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments				0
Gain on sale of investment securities, net	0		0
Interest expense	(2,000)	1,000	(11,000)	0
Other income (expense), net	19,000	0	17,000	7,000
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interests	(676,000)	(1,883,000)	(3,847,000)	(6,254,000)
Total assets	4,301,000	8,747,000	4,301,000	8,747,000
Operating Segments [Member] | All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	0	0	0	0
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Segment operating expenses	0	0	0	0
General and administrative expenses	(1,206,000)	(1,549,000)	(4,364,000)	(3,310,000)
Reversal of (provision for) credit losses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	(128,000)	(142,000)	(395,000)	(464,000)
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments				0
Gain on sale of investment securities, net	0		0
Interest expense	(275,000)	(315,000)	(859,000)	(905,000)
Other income (expense), net	(180,000)	(122,000)	(344,000)	(361,000)
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interests	(1,789,000)	(2,128,000)	(5,962,000)	(5,040,000)
Total assets	(76,569,000)	(74,123,000)	(76,569,000)	(74,123,000)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	174,089,000	172,043,000	174,089,000	172,043,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RAI [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	18,718,000	23,038,000	58,838,000	51,906,000
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	1,111,000	1,384,000	2,789,000	2,528,000
Total revenues	19,829,000	24,422,000	61,627,000	54,434,000
Segment operating expenses	(12,321,000)	(14,800,000)	(37,695,000)	(37,184,000)
General and administrative expenses	(2,426,000)	(2,505,000)	(8,309,000)	(6,807,000)
Reversal of (provision for) credit losses	(559,000)	(1,808,000)	(3,342,000)	(3,793,000)
Depreciation and amortization	(453,000)	(413,000)	(1,369,000)	(1,318,000)
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments				(214,000)
Gain on sale of investment securities, net	69,000		439,000
Interest expense	(467,000)	(530,000)	(1,447,000)	(1,525,000)
Other income (expense), net	652,000	684,000	1,979,000	2,069,000
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	254,000	154,000	971,000
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(9,000)	(12,000)	(53,000)	(23,000)
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interests	4,315,000	5,038,000	11,830,000	5,639,000
Total assets	206,482,000		206,482,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RSO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	34,716,000	23,786,000	100,604,000	76,011,000
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	34,716,000	23,786,000	100,604,000	76,011,000
Segment operating expenses	(18,686,000)	(15,554,000)	(51,020,000)	(43,110,000)
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Reversal of (provision for) credit losses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments				0
Gain on sale of investment securities, net	0		0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense), net	(1,936,000)	16,607,000	(758,000)	16,607,000
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(1,936,000)	16,607,000	(758,000)
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(14,214,000)	(23,708,000)	(48,759,000)	(44,394,000)
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interests	(120,000)	1,131,000	67,000	5,114,000
Total assets	2,592,381,000		2,592,381,000
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	(3,645,000)	(5,183,000)	(9,565,000)	(10,608,000)
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	(491,000)	0	(491,000)	0
Total revenues	(4,136,000)	(5,183,000)	(10,056,000)	(10,608,000)
Segment operating expenses	3,502,000	4,861,000	9,374,000	10,178,000
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Reversal of (provision for) credit losses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments				0
Gain on sale of investment securities, net	0		0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense), net	(572,000)	(394,000)	(1,687,000)	(1,445,000)
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(561,000)	(394,000)	(1,687,000)
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interests	(1,206,000)	(716,000)	(2,369,000)	(1,875,000)
Total assets	(35,761,000)		(35,761,000)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | RAI [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest expense		0
Other income (expense), net	(572,000)	(556,000)	(1,716,000)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | RSO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	$ (3,368,000)		$ (3,368,000)