Separate Financial Information of Subsidiary Guarantors of Indebtedness - Schedule of Condensed Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 320,175	$ 491,885	$ 442,054	$ 18,739
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	733,015	804,803
Residential loans at amortized cost, net	1,314,539	1,394,871
Residential loans at fair value	11,832,630	10,341,375
Receivables, net	215,629	319,195
Servicer and protective advances, net	1,761,082	1,381,434
Servicing Rights, Net	1,730,216	1,304,900
Goodwill	575,468	657,737	580,378
Intangible assets, net	103,503	122,406
Premises and equipment, net	124,926	155,847
Other assets	280,794	413,076
Due from affiliates, net	0	0
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities	0	0
Total assets	18,991,977	17,387,529
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Payables and accrued liabilities	663,829	494,139
Servicer payables	584,567	735,225
Servicing advance liabilities	1,365,885	971,286
Warehouse borrowings	1,176,956	1,085,563
Excess servicing spread liability at fair value	66,311	0
Corporate debt	2,267,799	2,272,085
Mortgage-backed debt	1,751,459	1,887,862
HMBS related obligations at fair value	9,951,895	8,652,746
Deferred tax liability, net	86,617	121,607
Obligation to fund non-guarantor VIEs	0	0
Due to affiliates, net	0	0
Total liabilities	17,915,318	16,220,513
Stockholders' equity:
Total stockholders' equity	1,076,659	1,167,016	894,928	533,532
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	18,991,977	17,387,529
Parent Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	3,162	100,009	366,393	550
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	10,507	14,753
Residential loans at amortized cost, net	13,302	6,341
Residential loans at fair value	0	0
Receivables, net	16,363	51,681
Servicer and protective advances, net	0	0
Servicing Rights, Net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Premises and equipment, net	157	277
Other assets	69,780	65,293
Due from affiliates, net	697,979	711,797
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities	2,641,527	2,621,934
Total assets	3,452,777	3,572,085
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Payables and accrued liabilities	42,076	57,187
Servicer payables	0	0
Servicing advance liabilities	0	0
Warehouse borrowings	0	0
Excess servicing spread liability at fair value	0
Corporate debt	2,265,668	2,267,979
Mortgage-backed debt	0	0
HMBS related obligations at fair value	0	0
Deferred tax liability, net	68,374	79,903
Obligation to fund non-guarantor VIEs	0	0
Due to affiliates, net	0	0
Total liabilities	2,376,118	2,405,069
Stockholders' equity:
Total stockholders' equity	1,076,659	1,167,016
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,452,777	3,572,085
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	311,810	388,644	73,993	15,834
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	617,774	732,582
Residential loans at amortized cost, net	8,456	10,819
Residential loans at fair value	11,246,197	9,754,110
Receivables, net	172,579	223,767
Servicer and protective advances, net	527,758	1,337,218
Servicing Rights, Net	1,730,216	1,304,900
Goodwill	575,468	657,737
Intangible assets, net	97,248	115,364
Premises and equipment, net	124,769	155,570
Other assets	164,815	291,529
Due from affiliates, net	0	0
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities	15,756	9,487
Total assets	15,592,846	14,981,727
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Payables and accrued liabilities	616,445	429,199
Servicer payables	584,567	735,225
Servicing advance liabilities	205,628	903,381
Warehouse borrowings	1,176,956	1,085,563
Excess servicing spread liability at fair value	66,311
Corporate debt	2,131	4,106
Mortgage-backed debt	0	0
HMBS related obligations at fair value	9,951,895	8,652,746
Deferred tax liability, net	15,353	38,846
Obligation to fund non-guarantor VIEs	32,902	45,194
Due to affiliates, net	583,331	703,170
Total liabilities	13,235,519	12,597,430
Stockholders' equity:
Total stockholders' equity	2,357,327	2,384,297
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	15,592,846	14,981,727
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries and VIEs [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	5,203	3,232	1,668	2,355
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	104,734	57,468
Residential loans at amortized cost, net	1,292,781	1,377,711
Residential loans at fair value	586,433	587,265
Receivables, net	26,687	43,747
Servicer and protective advances, net	1,192,473	62,647
Servicing Rights, Net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	6,255	7,042
Premises and equipment, net	0	0
Other assets	46,199	56,254
Due from affiliates, net	0	0
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities	0	0
Total assets	3,260,765	2,195,366
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Payables and accrued liabilities	14,294	32,205
Servicer payables	0	0
Servicing advance liabilities	1,160,257	67,905
Warehouse borrowings	0	0
Excess servicing spread liability at fair value	0
Corporate debt	0	0
Mortgage-backed debt	1,751,459	1,887,862
HMBS related obligations at fair value	0	0
Deferred tax liability, net	2,869	2,920
Obligation to fund non-guarantor VIEs	0	0
Due to affiliates, net	114,648	6,139
Total liabilities	3,043,527	1,997,031
Stockholders' equity:
Total stockholders' equity	217,238	198,335
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,260,765	2,195,366
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Residential loans at amortized cost, net	0	0
Residential loans at fair value	0	0
Receivables, net	0	0
Servicer and protective advances, net	40,851	(18,431)
Servicing Rights, Net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Premises and equipment, net	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Due from affiliates, net	(697,979)	(711,797)
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries and variable interest entities	(2,657,283)	(2,631,421)
Total assets	(3,314,411)	(3,361,649)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Payables and accrued liabilities	(8,986)	(24,452)
Servicer payables	0	0
Servicing advance liabilities	0	0
Warehouse borrowings	0	0
Excess servicing spread liability at fair value	0
Corporate debt	0	0
Mortgage-backed debt	0	0
HMBS related obligations at fair value	0	0
Deferred tax liability, net	21	(62)
Obligation to fund non-guarantor VIEs	(32,902)	(45,194)
Due to affiliates, net	(697,979)	(709,309)
Total liabilities	(739,846)	(779,017)
Stockholders' equity:
Total stockholders' equity	(2,574,565)	(2,582,632)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (3,314,411)	$ (3,361,649)