VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES RSO Balance Sheets Detail (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 24,909	$ 27,542	$ 17,210	$ 19,853
Trading securities	266	475
Total investment securities, at fair value	9,785	9,540
Total assets	3,102,307	2,900,842	2,509,891
LIABILITIES
Borrowings	21,174	20,412
Total liabilities	2,027,109	1,820,399
RSO [Member]
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	217,361	79,905	166,686	262,270
Restricted cash	26,768	122,138
Subtotal - Cash and cash equivalents	244,129	202,043
Trading securities	29,770	20,786
Investment securities available-for-sale, pledged as collateral, at fair value	161,971	197,800
Investment securities available-for-sale, at fair value	122,099	77,920
Total investment securities, at fair value	313,840	296,506
Loans, pledged as collateral and net of allowances of $7.4 million and $4.6 million	1,960,250	1,925,980
Loans receivable–related party	1,229	1,277
Loans held for sale	248,254	111,736
Loans	2,209,175	2,038,435
Property held for sale	180	180
Investments in unconsolidated entities	55,488	59,827
Subtotal, Investments in real estate and unconsolidated entities	55,668	60,007
Linked transactions, net at fair value	0	15,367
Derivatives, at fair value	14,036	5,304
Interest receivable	18,111	16,260
Deferred tax assets, net	12,579	12,634
Principal paydown receivable	26,906	40,920
Direct financing leases	1,951	2,109
Intangible assets	9,229	9,736
Prepaid expenses	4,263	4,196
Other assets	109,834	131,021
Total assets	2,932,646	2,728,012
LIABILITIES
Borrowings	1,924,932	1,717,076
Distribution payable	25,521	30,592
Accrued interest expense	5,437	2,123
Derivatives, at fair value	8,860	8,476
Accrued tax liability	6,982	9,219
Accounts payable and other liabilities	13,091	9,287
Other liabilities	57,207	57,251
Total liabilities	1,982,139	1,774,327
Assets of consolidated Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) included in the total assets above:
Cash and cash equivalents	133	25
Restricted cash	25,262	121,247
Investments securities available-for-sale, pledged as collateral, at fair value	94,658	119,203
Loans held for sale	73,892	282
Loans, pledged as collateral and net of allowances of $4.2 million and $3.3 million	1,445,136	1,261,137
Interest receivable	9,895	8,941
Prepaid expenses	193	221
Principal paydown receivable	26,700	25,767
Other assets	(742)	(12)
Total assets of consolidated VIE-RSO	1,675,127	1,536,811
Liabilities of consolidated VIEs included in the total liabilities above:
Borrowings	1,170,687	1,046,494
Accrued interest expense	1,329	1,000
Derivatives, at fair value	7,305	8,439
Unsettled loan purchases	0	(529)
Accounts payable and other liabilities	56	(386)
Total liabilities of consolidated VIE-RSO	1,179,377	1,055,018
Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Assets:
Total assets	169,661		168,556
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RSO [Member]
Assets:
Loans	2,209,733	2,038,993
Other assets	22,761	24,604
Other assets	109,836	131,130
Total assets	2,933,206	2,728,679
LIABILITIES
Borrowings	1,924,598	1,716,871
Other liabilities	59,891	59,697
Total liabilities	1,984,489	1,776,568
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Total assets	(33,961)
LIABILITIES
Total liabilities	(2,910)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | RSO [Member]
Assets:
Loans	(558)	(558)
Other assets	(2)	(109)
LIABILITIES
Borrowings	334	205
Other liabilities	$ (2,684)	$ (2,446)