VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES INVESTMENTS IN REAL ESTATE (Details) RSO - RSO [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Real Estate Line Items [Line Items]
Investment securities available-for-sale, pledged as collateral, at fair value	$ 118,797		$ 197,800
Property held for sale	180
Gain on sale of properties	$ (19)	$ 2,973
Commercial Real Estate Loans [Member] \| ARIZONA
Real Estate Line Items [Line Items]
Concentration of loan portfolio risk (in hundredths)	5.90%		7.30%

The percentage of the loan portfolio credit concentration risk.

No definition available.

Name:	rexi_ConcentrationOfLoanRiskPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	rexi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

-- None. No documentation exists for this element. --

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rexi_RealEstateLineItemsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	rexi_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The fair value of available-for-sale securities that serve as collateral for borrowings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49124121&loc=d3e5086-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesPledgedAsCollateral
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The net gain (loss) resulting from sales and other disposals of real estate owned for investment purposes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.14(d))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainsLossesOnSalesOfInvestmentRealEstate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of investments in land and buildings held for sale, excluding real estate considered to be inventory of the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(f))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateHeldforsale
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=rexi_ResourceCapitalCorpMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	rexi_ClassOfLoansWithImputedInterestAxis=rexi_CommercialRealEstateLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	rexi_ConcentrationOfCreditRiskAxis=stpr_AZ
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: