VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES RSO Balance Sheets Detail (Details) - USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 23,760,000		$ 27,542,000	$ 11,858,000	$ 19,853,000
Trading securities	281,000		475,000
Total investment securities, at fair value	10,870,000		9,540,000
Direct financing leases	1,590,000		2,109,000
Total assets	2,942,705,000		2,900,382,000	2,723,446,000
LIABILITIES
Borrowings	21,029,000		20,412,000
Total liabilities	1,926,451,000		1,819,939,000
RSO [Member]
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	145,010,000		79,905,000	222,313,000	$ 262,270,000
Restricted cash	45,755,000		122,138,000
Subtotal - Cash and cash equivalents	190,765,000		202,043,000
Trading securities	32,680,000		20,786,000
Investment securities available-for-sale, pledged as collateral, at fair value	170,935,000		197,800,000
Investment securities available-for-sale, at fair value	82,493,000		77,920,000
Total investment securities, at fair value	286,108,000		296,506,000
Loans, pledged as collateral and net of allowances of $46.3 million and $4.6 million	2,042,885,000		1,925,980,000
Loans receivable–related party	0		558,000
Loans held for sale	111,122,000		113,675,000
Loans	2,154,007,000		2,039,655,000
Property held for sale	180,000		180,000
Investments in unconsolidated entities	56,150,000	$ 750,000	59,827,000
Subtotal, Investments in real estate and unconsolidated entities	56,330,000		60,007,000
Linked transactions, net at fair value	0		15,367,000
Derivatives, at fair value	4,289,000		5,304,000
Interest receivable	12,046,000		16,260,000
Deferred tax assets, net	12,828,000		12,634,000
Principal paydown receivable	11,525,000		40,920,000
Intangible assets	24,370,000		18,610,000
Prepaid expenses	3,913,000		4,196,000
Other assets	87,014,000		129,801,000
Total assets	2,774,224,000		2,728,012,000
LIABILITIES
Borrowings	1,827,793,000		1,717,076,000
Distribution payable	25,504,000		30,592,000
Accrued interest expense	5,467,000		2,123,000
Derivatives, at fair value	6,991,000		8,476,000
Accrued tax liability	6,383,000		9,219,000
Accounts payable and other liabilities	9,769,000		9,287,000
Other liabilities	51,640,000		57,251,000
Total liabilities	1,879,433,000		1,774,327,000
Assets of consolidated Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) included in the total assets above:
Cash and cash equivalents	189,000		25,000
Restricted cash	43,954,000		121,247,000
Investments securities available-for-sale, pledged as collateral, at fair value	84,858,000		119,203,000
Loans held for sale	6,027,000		282,000
Loans, pledged as collateral and net of allowances of $42.7 million and $3.3 million	1,352,546,000		1,261,137,000
Interest receivable	5,468,000		8,941,000
Prepaid expenses	182,000		221,000
Principal paydown receivable	0		25,767,000
Other assets	9,000		(12,000)
Total assets of consolidated VIE-RSO	1,493,233,000		1,536,811,000
Liabilities of consolidated VIEs included in the total liabilities above:
Borrowings	1,047,172,000		1,046,494,000
Accrued interest expense	852,000		1,000,000
Derivatives, at fair value	5,946,000		8,439,000
Unsettled loan purchases	(529,000)		(529,000)
Accounts payable and other liabilities	190,000		(386,000)
Total liabilities of consolidated VIE-RSO	1,053,631,000		1,055,018,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Assets:
Total assets	168,481,000			$ 165,278,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RSO [Member]
Assets:
Loans	2,154,007,000		2,040,213,000
Other assets	16,453,000		14,510,000
Other assets	87,014,000		129,910,000
Total assets	2,774,224,000		2,728,679,000
LIABILITIES
Borrowings	1,827,461,000		1,716,871,000
Other liabilities	54,114,000		59,697,000
Total liabilities	1,881,575,000		1,776,568,000
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Total assets	(32,581,000)
LIABILITIES
Total liabilities	(2,142,000)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | RSO [Member]
Assets:
Loans	0		(558,000)
Other assets	0		(109,000)
LIABILITIES
Borrowings	332,000		205,000
Other liabilities	$ (2,474,000)		$ (2,446,000)