Segment Information - Supplemental Information by Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2022		Dec. 31, 2021		Dec. 31, 2020
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Real estate securities	[1]	$ 240,475		$ 377,411
Home equity investments		403,462		192,740
Other investments	[1]	390,938		449,229
Goodwill		23,373	[1]	0	[1]	$ 0
Intangible assets		40,892		41,561
Total Assets	[1]	13,030,899		14,706,944
Residential loans
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		5,613,188		7,592,432
Business Purpose Loans
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		5,332,586		4,790,989
Multifamily securities
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		424,551		473,514
Operating Segments | Residential Mortgage Banking
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Real estate securities		0		4,927
Home equity investments		0		0
Other investments		0		0
Goodwill		0
Intangible assets		0		0
Total Assets		660,916		1,716,285
Operating Segments | Residential Mortgage Banking | Residential loans
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		628,160		1,673,235
Operating Segments | Residential Mortgage Banking | Business Purpose Loans
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		0		0
Operating Segments | Residential Mortgage Banking | Multifamily securities
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		0		0
Operating Segments | Business Purpose Mortgage Banking
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Real estate securities		0		0
Home equity investments		0		0
Other investments		0		0
Goodwill		23,373
Intangible assets		40,892		41,561
Total Assets		487,159		464,967
Operating Segments | Business Purpose Mortgage Banking | Residential loans
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		0		0
Operating Segments | Business Purpose Mortgage Banking | Business Purpose Loans
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		364,073		347,860
Operating Segments | Business Purpose Mortgage Banking | Multifamily securities
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		0		0
Operating Segments | Investment Portfolio
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Real estate securities		240,475		372,484
Home equity investments		403,462		192,740
Other investments		334,420		413,527
Goodwill		0
Intangible assets		0		0
Total Assets		11,303,991		11,770,486
Operating Segments | Investment Portfolio | Residential loans
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		4,800,096		5,688,742
Operating Segments | Investment Portfolio | Business Purpose Loans
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		4,968,513		4,443,129
Operating Segments | Investment Portfolio | Multifamily securities
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		424,551		473,514
Corporate/ Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Real estate securities		0		0
Home equity investments				0
Other investments		56,518		35,702
Goodwill		0
Intangible assets		0		0
Total Assets		578,833		755,206
Corporate/ Other | Residential loans
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		184,932		230,455
Corporate/ Other | Business Purpose Loans
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		0		0
Corporate/ Other | Multifamily securities
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fair value of loans		$ 0		$ 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 December 31, 2022 and 2021, assets of consolidated VIEs totaled $9,257,291 and $10,661,081, respectively. At December 31, 2022 and 2021, liabilities of consolidated VIEs totaled $8,270,276 and $9,619,347, respectively. See Note 4 for further discussion.