VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES RSO Cash Flow Detail (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	$ (1,100)	$ 1,516	$ (2,417)	$ 5,224
Items included in Change in cash attributable to consolidated VIE-RSO:
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	151		4,497
Equity in net (earnings) losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries	(827)	(620)	(5,149)	(2,298)
Net cash provided by (used in ) operating activities of consolidated VIE-RSO (excluding eliminations)			22,447	96,761
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - Purchase of loans and securities by consolidated VIE-RSO, before eliminations			(4,457)
Acquisition of property and equipment			(515)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(28,172)	(261,099)
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid			(3,909)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(3,715)	170,913
Increase (decrease) in cash			(9,440)	6,575
Cash, beginning of year			27,542	19,853
Cash, end of period	18,102	26,428	18,102	26,428
Supplemental disclosures:
Interest expense paid in cash			1,356	1,249
Income taxes paid in cash			1,270	952
RSO [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	14,722	14,331	9,977	49,493
Items included in Change in cash attributable to consolidated VIE-RSO:
Provision for (recovery of) loan losses	1,034	1,439	43,834	(1,739)
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion			10,122	2,463
Amortization of stock-based compensation			1,561	4,497
Amortization of (accretion) of terminated derivative instruments			1,219	212
Amortization (accretion)of interest-only available-for-sales securities			2,768	(573)
Sale (origination) of residential mortgage loans held for sale, net			(647)	(42,178)
Sale (purchase) of and principal payments of securities, trading, net			(3,120)	(3,571)
Net realized and unrealized loss (gain) on investment securities, trading			(1,773)	1,834
Net realized and unrealized (gain) loss on sales of investment securities available-for-sale and loans			(29,980)	(15,487)
Loss (gain) on the reissuance (extinguishment) of debt	332	1,867	1,403	2,469
Loss (gain) on sales of real estate			19	(2,973)
Settlement of derivative instruments			3,870	(23)
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings			59	0
Unrealized gain (loss) of unconsolidated subsidiaries			(235)	(5,713)
Equity in net (earnings) losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries	(334)	(887)	(1,702)	(4,663)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions			(3,225)	6,067
Change in consolidated VIE-RSO cash for the period			(24,830)	99,001
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) and operating cash flows to net income (loss) of consolidated VIE-RSO			(754)	42,337
Net cash provided by (used in ) operating activities of consolidated VIE-RSO (excluding eliminations)			24,173	(59,378)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase and originations of loans			(629,832)	(667,774)
Purchase of securities available-for-sale			(28,375)	(145,138)
Subtotal - Purchase of loans and securities by consolidated VIE-RSO, before eliminations			(658,207)	(812,912)
Principal payments received on loans			294,901	315,778
Proceeds from sale of loans			108,446	76,314
Principal payments on securities available-for-sale			59,819	40,748
Proceeds from sale of securities available-for-sale			60,752	117,367
Principal payments received on loans - related parties			558	2,706
Investment in loans - related parties			0	(849)
Subtotal - principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE-RSO, before eliminations			524,476	552,064
(Increase) decrease in restricted cash			96,887	18,328
Return of capital from (investment in) unconsolidated entity			5,625	8,911
Acquisition of controlling interest in Moselle CLO S.A.			0	(30,433)
Settlement of derivative instruments			8,028	(19,245)
Proceeds from sale of real estate held-for-sale			47	31,639
Improvements of investments in real estate			0	(225)
Purchase of furniture and fixtures			(10)	(69)
Acquisition of property and equipment			0	(362)
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE-RSO			12,700	(10,175)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(23,154)	(252,304)
Proceeds from borrowings:
Repurchase agreements, net of repayments			4,621	92,234
Senior secured revolving credit facility			110,500	35,500
Securitizations			505,862	235,344
Convertible senior notes			99,000	0
Convertible senior notes			16,597	39,635
Payments on borrowings:
Securitization			(374,778)	(301,040)
Senior secured revolving credit facility			(62,000)	0
Payment of debt issuance costs			(13,235)	(7,284)
Repurchase agreements, net of borrowings			(161,645)	(33,719)
Subtotal - net borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE-RSO			124,922	60,670
Dividends paid			(68,059)	(75,920)
Dividends paid			(68,059)	(75,920)
Net proceeds from issuances of common stock and dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan, net of offering costs			163	25,416
Subtotal - net proceeds from issuance of stock by consolidated VIE-RSO			(12,237)	177,568
Distributions to subordinated note holders			(14,050)	(1,384)
Proceeds received from non-controlling interests			3,424	12,676
Distributions to subordinated note holders			(518)	(799)
Distributions paid on preferred stock			(18,274)	(7,907)
Other financing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			(29,233)	2,761
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			13,834	163,188
Increase (decrease) in cash			24,830	(99,001)
Cash, beginning of year			79,905	262,270
Cash, end of period	104,735	163,269	104,735	163,269
Supplemental disclosures:
Interest expense paid in cash			33,971	26,782
Income taxes paid in cash			9,518	3,293
RSO [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock Series A [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Proceeds from issuance of preferred shares, net of offering costs			3,033	152,152
RSO [Member] | Redeemable Preferred Stock Series B [Member]
Payments on borrowings:
Repurchase of common stock			(15,433)	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RSO [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	6,778	7,328	(14,831)	37,121
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	0	0	0	0
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) and operating cash flows to net income (loss) of consolidated VIE-RSO			(657)	39,623
Net cash provided by (used in ) operating activities of consolidated VIE-RSO (excluding eliminations)			34,150	(9,885)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Subtotal - Purchase of loans and securities by consolidated VIE-RSO, before eliminations			(658,207)
Subtotal - principal payments and proceeds from sales received by consolidated VIE-RSO, before eliminations			524,476	552,064
(Increase) decrease in restricted cash			96,887
Acquisition of property and equipment			0
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE-RSO			13,690	(9,784)
Payments on borrowings:
Subtotal - net borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE-RSO			124,922
Dividends paid			(69,433)	(77,636)
Dividends paid			0
Other financing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			(29,418)	2,586
Increase (decrease) in cash			0
Cash, beginning of year			0
Cash, end of period	0		0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	(7,757)	(8,406)	10,800	(38,756)
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	603	$ 491	2,158	491
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions			(97)
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			(990)
Payments on borrowings:
Subtotal - net borrowings of debt by consolidated VIE-RSO			0
Dividends paid			1,374
Dividends paid			0
Other financing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			185
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			(97)	2,714
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Other investing activity of consolidated VIE-RSO			(990)	(391)
Payments on borrowings:
Dividends paid			1,374	1,716
Other financing activity of consolidated VIE - RSO			$ 185	$ 175