Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013 segment	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments									2
Revenues	$ 30,017	$ 5,658	$ 6,148	$ 6,835	$ 8,975	$ 5,851	$ 8,741	$ 9,718	$ 48,658	$ 33,285	$ 45,682
Costs and expenses	(23,231)	(10,632)	(9,290)	(10,443)	(14,766)	(14,849)	(16,904)	(21,650)	(53,596)	(68,169)	(72,134)
Recoveries from (provision for) loan losses	40,363	4,433	(172)	(759)	(3,540)	(257)	627	765	43,865	(2,405)	(37,874)
Asset impairments									(4,708)	(9,931)	(14,666)
Equity earnings in Woodbridge Holdings, LLC									13,461
Segments loss before income taxes	49,346	7,715	(2,849)	(6,532)	(14,784)	(10,904)	(8,360)	(13,172)	47,680	(47,220)	(78,992)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes									20	(18,744)	(19,480)
Income (loss) from continuing operations					(8,552)	1,608	(8,360)	(13,172)	47,660	(28,476)	(59,512)
Total assets	431,147				470,703				431,147	470,703
Equity method investments included in total assets									78,573
Expenditures for segment assets									265	823
Depreciation and amortization									1,055	315
BBX Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									22,062	28,268
Costs and expenses									(28,906)	(63,093)
Recoveries from (provision for) loan losses									34,128	2,163
Asset impairments									(219)	(8,635)
Equity earnings in Woodbridge Holdings, LLC									13,461
Segments loss before income taxes									40,526	(41,297)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes										(16,393)
Income (loss) from continuing operations									40,526	(24,904)
Total assets	476,947				412,734				476,947	412,734
Equity method investments included in total assets									78,573
Expenditures for segment assets									33	823
Depreciation and amortization									462	315
Florida Asset Resolution Group, LLC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									16,539	5,135
Costs and expenses									(13,654)	(5,194)
Recoveries from (provision for) loan losses									9,737	(4,568)
Asset impairments									(4,489)	(1,296)
Segments loss before income taxes									8,133	(5,923)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes									20	(2,351)
Income (loss) from continuing operations									8,113	(3,572)
Total assets	166,114				296,012				166,114	296,012
Expenditures for segment assets									232
Depreciation and amortization									476
Other Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									10,266
Costs and expenses									(11,245)
Segments loss before income taxes									(979)
Income (loss) from continuing operations									(979)
Total assets	29,192								29,192
Depreciation and amortization									117
Adjusting And Elimination Entries [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues									(209)	(118)
Costs and expenses									209	118
Total assets	$ (241,106)				$ (238,043)				$ (241,106)	$ (238,043)