COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			5 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Aug. 10, 2014	Jan. 28, 2014	Aug. 31, 2014
Commitments and contingencies
Outstanding loan commitments and approvals to fund loans	$ 22,910,000
Future obligations under leases to fund tenant improvements and in other future construction obligation	19,721,000
Liability related to the settlement of a 421a tax abatement dispute	4,475,000
Future noncancelable minimum lease payments
2015	616,000
2016	743,000
2017	749,000
2018	607,000
2019	503,000
Thereafter	128,528,000
Total	131,746,000
Ground lease for one of the project
Commitments and contingencies
Current annual rent	437,000
Period after which the annual rental payment will be increased by greater of 15% or 50% of the increase in the Consumer Price Index	5 years
Increase in annual rental payment after every 5 years, option one (as a percent)	15.00%
Increase in annual rental payment after every 5 years, option two (as a percent)	50.00%
Adjustment period used to calculate increase in the Consumer Price Index	5 years
Increase in rent payable during the balance of the lease term expressed as a percentage of rent payable during the immediately preceding lease year commencing on June 1, 2040 and 2065	10.00%
Rent expense	1,752,000	1,752,000	1,752,000
Straight line rent liability	11,038,000	9,863,000
Office space in Dallas, Texas
Commitments and contingencies
Office space rent expense	175,000
REIT Redux, L.P. et al v. PMC Commercial Trust, et al | Manager
Commitments and contingencies
Number of common shares acquired as a part of litigation settlement				254,000
REIT Redux, L.P. et al v. PMC Commercial Trust, et al | Manager | Maximum
Commitments and contingencies
Number of common stock agreed to be purchased as a part of litigation settlement					550,000
Common stock market price (in dollars per share)					$ 25.00
Attorney's fees and counselor expenses					772,000
Number of common shares agreed to be purchase which are owned by REIT Redux						100,000
Restricted share awards
Commitments and contingencies
Unrecognized compensation expense	48,000
Executive officers | Restricted share awards
Commitments and contingencies
Stock-based compensation expense	29,000
Employment agreements | Executive officers
Commitments and contingencies
Number of employees covered under employment agreement	2
Multiplier used for the calculation of severance compensation or change in control payments	2.99
Period of annual compensation paid to employee used to calculate severance compensation or change in control payments	3 years
Multiplier used for the calculation of payments in the event of death of employee	2
Multiplier used for the calculation of payments in the event of disability to employee	1
Employment agreements | Executive officers | Restricted share awards
Commitments and contingencies
Share awards to be granted as retention bonus under employment agreement	105,000
Stock-based compensation expense	947,000
Unrecognized compensation expense	$ 1,263,000