CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	$ (23,641)	$ 20,207	$ (5,517)	$ 38,308
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			1,004
Provision for credit losses	276	1,575	678	2,783
Unrealized (gains) losses on trading securities			(42)
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	(2,897)	(1,047)	(4,741)	(1,678)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities			4,998
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	4,346		4,346
(Gain) loss on trading securities			(15)
(Gain) loss on sales of leases and loans			(5)
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)			2,052
Equity-based compensation issued			1,604
Foreign currency adjustments			284
Trading securities purchases and sales, net			221
Changes in operating assets and liabilities			153
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(12,491)	49,853
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Capital expenditures			(352)
Principal payments on leases and loans			5
Investments in real estate and unconsolidated real estate entities			(3,295)
Purchase of loans and investments			(2,687)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(2,527)	(211,988)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Principal payments on borrowings			0
Dividends paid			(2,622)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			1
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			11,236	154,140
Decrease in cash			(3,782)	(7,995)
Cash, beginning of year			27,542	19,853
Cash, end of period	23,760	11,858	23,760	11,858
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	(1,190)	(548)	(2,562)	(1,163)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			0
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	734	0	1,555	0
Distributions from unconsolidated entities			0
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	0		0
(Gain) loss on sales of leases and loans			0
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)			0
Equity-based compensation issued			0
Trading securities purchases and sales, net			0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities			0
Adjustments to reconcile net income and operating cash flows to net income of consolidated VIE-RSO			(29)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(1,036)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Capital expenditures			0
Investments in real estate and unconsolidated real estate entities			0
Purchase of loans and investments			0
Principal payments and proceeds from sales of loans and securities by consolidated VIE-RSO			0
Increase (decrease) in restricted cash of consolidated VIE-RSO			0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE-RSO			(821)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(821)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Principal payments on borrowings			821
Net borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE-RSO			0
Dividends paid			0
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE-RSO			936
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			0
Other financing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			100
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			1,857
Decrease in cash			0
Cash, beginning of year			0
Cash, end of period	0		0
RAI [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			1,004	992
Provision for credit losses	276	1,575	678	2,783
Unrealized (gains) losses on trading securities	(22)	(192)	(42)	(120)
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities			(4,741)	(1,678)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities			4,998	3,805
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	4,346	0	4,346	0
(Gain) loss on trading securities			15	(832)
(Gain) loss on sales of leases and loans			5	0
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)			2,052	3,250
Equity-based compensation issued			1,604	845
Foreign currency adjustments			(284)	0
Trading securities purchases and sales, net			221	(3,154)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities			153	(12,605)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Capital expenditures			(352)	(176)
Principal payments on leases and loans			(5)	2
Investments in real estate and unconsolidated real estate entities			(3,295)	(1,194)
Purchase of loans and investments			(2,687)	(1,318)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Principal payments on borrowings			0	(2,706)
Dividends paid			(2,622)	(1,964)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			1	1,550
Cash, beginning of year			27,542
Cash, end of period	23,760		23,760
RAI [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	264	3,053	1,790	4,309
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			1,004
Provision for credit losses	276	1,575	678	2,783
Unrealized (gains) losses on trading securities			(42)
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	(3,631)	(1,047)	(6,296)	(1,678)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities			4,998
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	4,346		4,346	0
(Gain) loss on trading securities			(15)
(Gain) loss on sales of leases and loans			(5)
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)			2,052
Equity-based compensation issued			1,604
Foreign currency adjustments			284
Trading securities purchases and sales, net			221
Changes in operating assets and liabilities			153
Adjustments to reconcile net income and operating cash flows to net income of consolidated VIE-RSO			0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			10,802
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Capital expenditures			(352)
Principal payments on leases and loans			5
Investments in real estate and unconsolidated real estate entities			(3,295)
Purchase of loans and investments			(2,687)
Principal payments and proceeds from sales of loans and securities by consolidated VIE-RSO			0
Increase (decrease) in restricted cash of consolidated VIE-RSO			0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE-RSO			0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(6,329)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Principal payments on borrowings			(821)
Net borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE-RSO			0
Dividends paid			(2,622)
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE-RSO			0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			1
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(8,255)
Decrease in cash			(3,782)
Cash, beginning of year			27,542
Cash, end of period	23,760		23,760
RAI [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Cash, end of period	0		0
RSO [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Adjustments to reconcile net income and operating cash flows to net income of consolidated VIE-RSO			(17,541)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans and investments			(447,760)	(597,139)
Principal payments and proceeds from sales of loans and securities by consolidated VIE-RSO			390,488	367,437
Increase (decrease) in restricted cash of consolidated VIE-RSO			57,089	10,543
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE-RSO			3,985	9,140
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Net borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE-RSO			84,283	48,965
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE-RSO			(47,070)	(50,313)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			3,159	163,319
Other financing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			(21,702)	(5,044)
RSO [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	(22,715)	17,702	(4,745)	35,162
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			0
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Unrealized (gains) losses on trading securities			0
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	0	$ 0	0	$ 0
Distributions from unconsolidated entities			0
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	0		0
(Gain) loss on sales of leases and loans			0
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)			0
Equity-based compensation issued			0
Trading securities purchases and sales, net			0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities			0
Adjustments to reconcile net income and operating cash flows to net income of consolidated VIE-RSO			(17,512)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(22,257)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Capital expenditures			0
Investments in real estate and unconsolidated real estate entities			0
Purchase of loans and investments			(447,760)
Principal payments and proceeds from sales of loans and securities by consolidated VIE-RSO			390,488
Increase (decrease) in restricted cash of consolidated VIE-RSO			57,089
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE-RSO			4,806
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			4,623
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Principal payments on borrowings			0
Net borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE-RSO			84,283
Dividends paid			0
Dividends paid on common stock by consolidated VIE-RSO			(48,006)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			3,159
Other financing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			(21,802)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			17,634
Decrease in cash			0
Cash, beginning of year			0
Cash, end of period	$ 0		$ 0