Note 7 - Real Estate Held for Investment (Detail) - Acquisition of Certain Real Estate Properties Through Foreclosure, Non-cash Activity (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Real estate held for sale and investment	$ 1,662,889	$ 65,007,119
Noncontrolling interests		(16,257,427)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		(2,980,871)
Loans secured by trust deeds, net of allowance for loan losses	(2,000,000)	(41,112,373)
Interest and other receivables	(306,896)	(4,656,448)
Deferred gain	$ 644,007