VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES RSO Balance Sheets Detail (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 18,102		$ 27,542	$ 26,428	$ 19,853
Trading securities	1,313		475
Total investment securities, at fair value	10,218		9,540
Total assets	2,943,994		2,900,382	2,763,102
LIABILITIES
Borrowings	20,896		20,412
Total liabilities	1,976,433		1,819,939
RSO [Member]
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	104,735		79,905	163,269	$ 262,270
Restricted cash	24,110		122,138
Subtotal - Cash and cash equivalents	128,845		202,043
Trading securities	25,715		20,786
Investment securities available-for-sale, pledged as collateral, at fair value	118,797		197,800
Investment securities available-for-sale, at fair value	115,803		77,920
Total investment securities, at fair value	260,315		296,506
Loans, pledged as collateral and net of allowances of $47.3 million and $4.6 million	2,118,978		1,925,980
Loans receivable–related party	0		558
Loans held for sale ($113.0 million and $113.4 million at fair value)	116,001		113,675
Loans	2,234,979		2,039,655
Property held for sale	180
Investments in unconsolidated entities	55,858	$ 750	59,827
Subtotal, Investments in real estate and unconsolidated entities	56,038		60,007
Linked transactions, net at fair value	0		15,367
Derivatives, at fair value	3,730		5,304
Interest receivable	13,923		16,260
Deferred tax assets, net	11,351		12,634
Principal paydown receivable	32,100		40,920
Intangible assets	25,806		18,610
Prepaid expenses	5,049		4,196
Other assets	105,865		129,801
Total assets	2,786,042		2,728,012	2,589,013
LIABILITIES
Borrowings	1,881,240		1,717,132
Distribution payable	24,744		30,592
Accrued interest expense	5,437		2,123
Derivatives, at fair value	7,466		8,476
Accrued tax liability	4,697		9,219
Accounts payable and other liabilities	9,531		9,287
Other liabilities	49,451		57,101
Total liabilities	1,930,691		1,774,233
Assets of consolidated Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) included in the total assets above:
Cash and cash equivalents	188		25
Restricted cash	22,206		121,247
Investments securities available-for-sale, pledged as collateral, at fair value	76,517		119,203
Loans held for sale	2,994		282
Loans, pledged as collateral and net of allowances of $43.0 million and $3.3 million	1,566,454		1,261,137
Interest receivable	7,848		8,941
Prepaid expenses	194		221
Principal paydown receivable	32,100		25,767
Other assets	882		(12)
Total assets of consolidated VIE-RSO	1,709,383		1,536,811
Liabilities of consolidated VIEs included in the total liabilities above:
Borrowings	1,189,092		1,046,494
Accrued interest expense	953		1,000
Derivatives, at fair value	4,774		8,439
Unsettled loan purchases	0		(529)
Accounts payable and other liabilities	208		(386)
Total liabilities of consolidated RSO VIEs	1,195,027		1,055,018
Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Assets:
Total assets	157,952			$ 174,089
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RSO [Member]
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Subtotal - Cash and cash equivalents	128,845
Total investment securities, at fair value	260,315
Loans	2,234,979		2,040,213
Subtotal, Investments in real estate and unconsolidated entities	56,038
Other assets	12,771		14,510
Other assets	105,865		129,910
Total assets	2,786,042		2,728,679
LIABILITIES
Borrowings	1,880,891		1,716,871
Other liabilities	51,875		59,697
Total liabilities	1,932,766		1,776,568
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Total assets	(29,700)
LIABILITIES
Total liabilities	(2,075)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | RSO [Member]
Assets:
Subtotal - Cash and cash equivalents	0
Total investment securities, at fair value	0
Loans	0		(558)
Subtotal, Investments in real estate and unconsolidated entities	0
Other assets	0		(109)
Total assets	0
LIABILITIES
Borrowings	349		261
Other liabilities	(2,424)		$ (2,596)
Total liabilities	$ (2,075)