FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Investments in preferred stock, Carrying Amount	$ 31,371	$ 31,371
Investments in preferred stock, Fair Value	36,600	35,807
Loans receivable, Carrying Amount	1,174	1,072
Loans receivable, Fair Value		383
Long Term Debt, Carrying Amount	461,126	1,042,959
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Investments in preferred stock, Fair Value	0
Loans receivable, Fair Value	0
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Investments in preferred stock, Fair Value	0
Loans receivable, Fair Value	0
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Investments in preferred stock, Fair Value	36,613
Loans receivable, Fair Value	302
Senior Interest in and Debt Owed to Securitization Trusts [Member]
Long Term Debt, Carrying Amount	0	589,592
Long Term Debt, Fair Value		589,778
Senior Interest in and Debt Owed to Securitization Trusts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Senior Interest in and Debt Owed to Securitization Trusts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Senior Interest in and Debt Owed to Securitization Trusts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]
Long Term Debt, Carrying Amount	0	88,720
Long Term Debt, Fair Value		91,517
Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Notes Payable and Other Debt [Member] | Bond Related Debt [Member]
Long Term Debt, Carrying Amount	146,304	57,729
Long Term Debt, Fair Value		59,001
Notes Payable and Other Debt [Member] | Bond Related Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Notes Payable and Other Debt [Member] | Bond Related Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Notes Payable and Other Debt [Member] | Bond Related Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	145,091
Notes Payable and Other Debt [Member] | Non Bond Related Debt [Member]
Long Term Debt, Carrying Amount	75,781	56,985
Long Term Debt, Fair Value		48,696
Notes Payable and Other Debt [Member] | Non Bond Related Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Notes Payable and Other Debt [Member] | Non Bond Related Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Notes Payable and Other Debt [Member] | Non Bond Related Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	67,851
Subordinated Debt [Member]
Long Term Debt, Carrying Amount	142,899
Subordinated Debt [Member] | Mma Financial Holdings, Inc [Member]
Long Term Debt, Carrying Amount	113,248	164,500
Long Term Debt, Fair Value		47,219
Subordinated Debt [Member] | MMA Financial Inc [Member]
Long Term Debt, Carrying Amount	29,651	30,000
Long Term Debt, Fair Value		30,000
Subordinated Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Mma Financial Holdings, Inc [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Subordinated Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | MMA Financial Inc [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Subordinated Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Mma Financial Holdings, Inc [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Subordinated Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | MMA Financial Inc [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Subordinated Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Mma Financial Holdings, Inc [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	42,869
Subordinated Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | MMA Financial Inc [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	29,651
Liabilities of consolidated funds and ventures, Notes payable [Member]
Long Term Debt, Carrying Amount	96,142	55,433
Long Term Debt, Fair Value		55,580
Liabilities of consolidated funds and ventures, Notes payable [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	0
Liabilities of consolidated funds and ventures, Notes payable [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	49,745
Liabilities of consolidated funds and ventures, Notes payable [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Long Term Debt, Fair Value	$ 44,977