VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES RSO Cash Flow Detail (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)	$ 1,652	$ (2,718)	$ 1,315	$ (3,708)
Items included in Change in cash attributable to consolidated VIE-RSO:
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	4,346		4,346
Equity in net (earnings) losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries	(2,897)	(1,047)	(4,741)	(1,678)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - Purchase of loans and securities by consolidated VIE-RSO, before eliminations			(2,687)
Acquisition of property and equipment			(352)
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid			(2,622)
Net proceeds from issuances of common stock, net of offering costs			1
Increase (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
Supplemental disclosures:
Interest expense paid in cash			948	828
Income taxes paid in cash			1,088	916
RSO [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	22,715	(17,702)	4,745	(35,162)
Items included in Change in cash attributable to consolidated VIE-RSO:
Provision (recovery of) for loan losses	38,810	782	42,800	(3,178)
Depreciation of investments in real estate and other			5,572	1,922
Amortization of stock-based compensation			1,786	3,699
Amortization of (accretion) of terminated derivative instruments			134	142
Accretion (amortization) of interest-only available-for-sales securities			1,868	(339)
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense			(194)	(689)
Sale (purchase) of residential mortgage loans held for sale, net			15,229	(12,162)
Capitalization of residential mortgage servicing rights			(7,848)	0
Sale (purchase) of securities, trading, net			(9,541)	429
Net realized and unrealized loss (gain) on investment securities, trading			(2,353)	2,210
Net realized (gain) loss on sales of investment securities available-for-sale and loans			(24,168)	(2,148)
Loss (gain) on reissuance (extinguishment) of debt			1,071	602
Loss (gain) on sales of real estate			0	(3,042)
Settlement of derivative instruments			12,405	442
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings			59	0
Linked transactions fair value adjustments			(235)	(5,923)
Equity in net (earnings) losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries	(662)	(1,762)	(1,368)	(3,776)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions			12,376	979
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			47,593	(20,832)
Change in consolidated VIE-RSO cash for the period			(65,105)	95,584
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) and operating cash flows to net income (loss) of consolidated VIE-RSO			(17,541)	74,724
Net cash provided by (used in ) operating activities of consolidated VIE-RSO (excluding eliminations)			42,848	14,330
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of loans			(436,440)	(489,800)
Purchase of securities available-for-sale			(11,320)	(107,339)
Principal payments received on loans			209,744	196,973
Proceeds from sale of loans			93,146	44,024
Principal payments on securities available-for-sale			49,819	25,774
Proceeds from sale of securities available-for-sale			37,221	99,151
Principal payments received on loans - related parties			558	1,759
Investment in loans - related parties			0	(244)
(Increase) decrease in restricted cash			57,089	10,543
Return of capital from (investment in) unconsolidated entity			5,000	8,911
Acquisition of controlling interest in Moselle CLO S.A.			0	(30,433)
Proceeds from sale of real estate held-for-sale			44	31,202
Improvements of investments in real estate			0	252
Purchase of furniture and fixtures			(10)	(69)
Acquisition of property and equipment			(228)	(332)
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE-RSO			3,985	9,140
Net cash used in investing activities of consolidated VIE-RSO (excluding eliminations)			4,623	(209,628)
Proceeds from borrowings:
Repurchase agreements, net of repayments			0	142,019
Senior secured revolving credit facility			99,500	0
Securitizations			282,127	43,000
Convertible senior notes			99,000	16,502
Convertible senior notes			12,229	0
Payments on borrowings:
Securitization			(290,190)	(152,556)
Senior secured revolving credit facility			(62,000)	0
Repurchase agreements, net of borrowings			(56,383)	0
Subtotal - net borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE-RSO			84,283	48,965
Dividends paid			(47,070)	(50,885)
Net proceeds from issuances of common stock and dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan, net of offering costs			129	14,554
Subtotal - net proceeds from issuance of stock by consolidated VIE-RSO			3,159	163,319
Payment of debt issuance costs			(7,986)	(8)
Distributions paid to non-controlling interests			(3,814)	0
Proceeds received from non-controlling interests			2,676	0
Payment of equity to third party sub-note holders			(519)	(799)
Distributions paid on preferred stock			(12,159)	(4,679)
Other financing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			(21,702)	(5,486)
Net cash provided by financing activities of consolidated VIE-RSO, excluding eliminations			17,634	155,341
Increase (decrease) in cash			65,105	(39,957)
Cash, beginning of year			79,905	262,270
Cash, end of period	145,010	222,313	145,010	222,313
Supplemental disclosures:
Interest expense paid in cash			21,402	17,438
Income taxes paid in cash			9,182	3,249
RSO [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock Series A [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Proceeds from issuance of preferred shares, net of offering costs			3,035	148,765
RSO [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock Series B [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Repurchase of common stock			(5)	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RSO [Member]
Items included in Change in cash attributable to consolidated VIE-RSO:
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) and operating cash flows to net income (loss) of consolidated VIE-RSO			(17,512)	74,752
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - Purchase of loans and securities by consolidated VIE-RSO, before eliminations			(447,760)	(597,139)
Subtotal - principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE-RSO, before eliminations			390,488	367,437
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE-RSO			4,806	9,531
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid			(48,006)	(51,457)
Other financing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			(21,802)	(5,486)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	(29,158)	14,928	(18,559)	30,350
Items included in Change in cash attributable to consolidated VIE-RSO:
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	0		0
Equity in net (earnings) losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries	734	$ 0	1,555	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions			(29)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - Purchase of loans and securities by consolidated VIE-RSO, before eliminations			0
Subtotal - principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE-RSO, before eliminations			0
(Increase) decrease in restricted cash			0
Acquisition of property and equipment			0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE-RSO			(821)
Payments on borrowings:
Subtotal - net borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE-RSO			0
Dividends paid			0
Net proceeds from issuances of common stock, net of offering costs			0
Other financing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			100
Increase (decrease) in cash			0
Cash, beginning of year			0
Cash, end of period	$ 0		0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | RSO [Member]
Items included in Change in cash attributable to consolidated VIE-RSO:
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) and operating cash flows to net income (loss) of consolidated VIE-RSO			(29)	(28)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE-RSO			(821)	(391)
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid			936	572
Other financing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			$ 100	$ 0