Short-Term Debt - Remaining Maturities of Short Term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt	[1],[2]	$ 1,424,275	$ 1,938,682
Within 30 Days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		582,930
31 to 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		356,604
Over 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		484,741
Facilities
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		1,424,275	1,688,412
Facilities | Residential loan warehouse
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		578,157	1,039,666
Facilities | Residential loan warehouse | Within 30 Days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		0
Facilities | Residential loan warehouse | 31 to 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		141,712
Facilities | Residential loan warehouse | Over 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		436,445
Facilities | Real estate securities repo
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		780,818	$ 648,746
Facilities | Real estate securities repo | Within 30 Days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		575,017
Facilities | Real estate securities repo | 31 to 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		205,801
Facilities | Real estate securities repo | Over 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		0
Facilities | Single-family rental loan warehouse
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		15,859
Facilities | Single-family rental loan warehouse | Within 30 Days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		0
Facilities | Single-family rental loan warehouse | 31 to 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		0
Facilities | Single-family rental loan warehouse | Over 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		15,859
Facilities | Fix and flip loan warehouse
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		49,441
Facilities | Fix and flip loan warehouse | Within 30 Days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		7,913
Facilities | Fix and flip loan warehouse | 31 to 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		9,091
Facilities | Fix and flip loan warehouse | Over 90 days
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		$ 32,437

[1] At December 31, 2017, balance includes $250 million of convertible notes, which matured in April 2018. See Note 12 for further discussion.

[2] 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, 2018 and December 31, 2017, assets of consolidated VIEs totaled $3,693,140 and $1,259,774, respectively. At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, liabilities of consolidated VIEs totaled $3,417,835 and $1,167,157, respectively. See Note 4 for further discussion.