Short-Term Debt - Remaining Maturities of Short Term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt	[1]	$ 1,117,405	$ 1,855,003
Within 30 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		210,228
31 to 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		503,662
Over 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		403,515
Held-for-sale residential loans
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		837,846
Held-for-sale residential loans | Within 30 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		0
Held-for-sale residential loans | 31 to 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		434,331
Held-for-sale residential loans | Over 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		403,515
Real estate securities
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		279,559
Real estate securities | Within 30 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		210,228
Real estate securities | 31 to 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		69,331
Real estate securities | Over 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		$ 0

[1] Our consolidated balance sheets include assets of consolidated variable interest entities (“VIEs”) that can only be used to settle obligations of these VIEs and liabilities of consolidated VIEs for which creditors do not have recourse to Redwood Trust, Inc. or its affiliates. At September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, assets of consolidated VIEs totaled $847,399 and $1,195,574, respectively. At September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, liabilities of consolidated VIEs totaled $820,391 and $1,050,861, respectively. See Note 4 for further discussion.