Note 4 - Loans - Secured Loans Characteristics (Detail) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) Loan County MortgageLoan	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Loan County MortgageLoan	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Loans Details Secured Loan Transactions [Line Items]
Number of secured loans | Loan	56	53
Secured loans - principal (in Dollars)	$ 90,531	$ 62,740	$ 71,353	$ 71,017
Average secured loan - principal (in Dollars)	$ 1,617	$ 1,184
Average principal as percent of total principal	1.80%	1.90%
Average principal as percent of partners' capital	0.90%	0.60%
Average principal as percent of total assets	0.80%	0.60%
Largest secured loan - principal (in Dollars)	$ 14,000	$ 14,000
Largest principal as percent of total principal	15.50%	22.30%
Largest principal as percent of partners' capital	7.90%	7.50%
Largest principal as percent of total assets	7.10%	6.70%
Smallest secured loan - principal (in Dollars)	$ 94	$ 95
Smallest principal as percent of total principal	0.10%	0.20%
Smallest principal as percent of partners' capital	0.10%	0.10%
Smallest principal as percent of total assets	0.10%	0.10%
Number of counties where security is located (all California) | County	18	20
Largest percentage of principal in one county	25.50%	23.70%
Number of secured loans in foreclosure status | MortgageLoan	56	53
Secured loans in foreclosure - principal (in Dollars)		$ 345
Minimum [Member]
Loans Details Secured Loan Transactions [Line Items]
Secured loans – interest rate (fixed)	5.00%	5.00%
Maximum [Member]
Loans Details Secured Loan Transactions [Line Items]
Secured loans – interest rate (fixed)	11.00%	11.00%
In Foreclosure [Member]
Loans Details Secured Loan Transactions [Line Items]
Number of secured loans in foreclosure status | MortgageLoan		1