STOCK BASED COMPENSATION PLANS (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended				0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Mar. 11, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 Executive officers item	Sep. 30, 2014 Independent directors	Sep. 30, 2014 Independent directors	Apr. 28, 2014 Independent directors	Apr. 28, 2014 PMC Commercial	Apr. 28, 2014 PMC Commercial 2005 Equity Incentive Plan	Mar. 11, 2014 PMC Commercial Board of directors	Sep. 30, 2014 Restricted share awards	May 06, 2014 Restricted share awards Executive officers item	Sep. 30, 2014 Restricted share awards Executive officers	Sep. 30, 2014 Restricted share awards Executive officers	Sep. 30, 2014 Restricted share awards Executive officers Employment Agreements	Sep. 30, 2014 Restricted share awards Executive officers Employment Agreements item	Apr. 28, 2014 Restricted share awards Maximum Executive officers	Jun. 12, 2014 Options	Sep. 30, 2014 Options	Sep. 30, 2014 Options	Sep. 30, 2013 Options	Jun. 12, 2014 Options
Share-based compensation plans
Options outstanding (in shares)		19,700
Exercise of stock options (in shares)																				14,500
Exercise of stock options	$ 201,000																			$ 201,000
Options granted (in shares)																		11,850
Weighted average exercise price of outstanding options (in dollars per share)																						$ 23.16
Assumptions
Expected term																					3 years
Risk-free interest rate (as a percent)																					0.94%
Expected dividend yield (as a percent)																					3.78%
Expected volatility (as a percent)																					9.37%
Expected forfeiture rate (as a percent)																					1.00%
Stock-based compensation expense					32,000	63,000							5,000	24,000	316,000	631,000			0	8,000
Common shares authorized before amendment (in shares)								100,000,000	100,000
Common shares, authorized shares	200,000,000	1,000,000,000	20,000,000					1,000,000,000	300,000
Increase in annual limitation (in shares)							100,000										4,000
Granted (in shares)										6,000		2,000
Award granted to each independent members of the board of directors										2,000
Number of executive officers												2
Award vesting period												2 years
Percentage of award vesting immediately and at the end of each of the next two years												33.00%
Number of employees covered under employment agreement				2												2
Share awards to be granted as retention bonus under employment agreement, adjusted for the reverse stock split																105,000
Unrecognized compensation expense											$ 1,664,000
Recognition period											15 months