Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements - Schedule of Restatements to Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net loss	$ 42,074	$ (213,267)	$ (489,963)	$ (172,702)	$ (117,135)	$ (76,928)	$ (38,119)	$ (31,008)	$ (833,858)	$ (263,190)	$ (110,328)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities
Net fair value gains on reverse loans and related HMBS obligations									(59,022)	(98,265)	(109,972)
Amortization of servicing rights									21,801	26,827	43,101
Change in fair value of servicing rights									480,476	401,992	273,502
Change in fair value of servicing rights related liabilities									(13,518)	(1,587)	(2,114)
Change in fair value of charged-off loans									(20,716)	(18,475)	(7,598)
Other net fair value (gains) losses									11,087	1,682	(8,530)
Accretion of discounts on residential loans and advances									(3,652)	(7,130)	(15,744)
Accretion of discounts on debt and amortization of deferred debt issuance costs									33,413	31,412	33,783
Provision for uncollectible advances									64,729	52,679	75,704
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment and intangible assets									59,426	69,128	72,721
Provision (benefit) for deferred income taxes									111,374	(196,326)	(35,408)
Share-based compensation									6,568	20,937	14,533
Purchases and originations of residential loans held for sale									(21,054,053)	(25,942,841)	(18,878,305)
Proceeds from sales of and payments on residential loans held for sale									21,410,118	25,896,204	19,042,387
Net gains on sales of loans									(409,448)	(453,840)	(462,172)
Goodwill and intangible assets impairment									326,286	207,557	82,269
Other									4,999	(3,188)	1,104
Changes in assets and liabilities
Decrease (increase) in receivables									(81,695)	(4,196)	67,416
Decrease in servicer and protective advances									380,298	135,831	(289,464)
Decrease in other assets									16,434	29,793	(17,332)
Increase (decrease) in payables and accrued liabilities									(24,429)	5,936	67,018
Increase in servicer payables, net of change in restricted cash									25,332	9,832	(40,841)
Cash flows provided by operating activities									451,950	(48,093)	(204,270)
Investing activities
Purchases and originations of reverse loans held for investment									(896,879)	(1,471,275)	(1,505,215)
Principal payments received on reverse loans held for investment									1,122,267	871,832	548,660
Principal payments received on mortgage loans held for investment									92,619	114,906	162,257
Payments received on charged-off loans held for investment									23,060	26,385	14,929
Payments received on receivables related to Non-Residual Trusts									8,110	7,481	9,471
Proceeds from sales of real estate owned, net									111,091	76,703	55,306
Purchases of premises and equipment									(32,866)	(27,761)	(21,573)
Decrease in restricted cash and cash equivalents									8,946	9,219	11,333
Payments for acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired									(3,066)	(5,095)	(197,061)
Acquisitions of servicing rights, net									(9,794)	(264,743)	(268,618)
Proceeds from sales of servicing rights, net									280,970	0	0
Other									(4,649)	3,511	10,948
Cash flows provided by investing activities									699,809	(454,948)	(1,244,111)
Financing activities
Payments on corporate debt									(480)	(12,901)	(17,220)
Extinguishments and settlement of debt									(31,037)	(79,877)	0
Proceeds from securitizations of reverse loans									960,157	1,622,481	1,617,399
Payments on HMBS related obligations									(1,371,375)	(1,025,458)	(637,272)
Issuances of servicing advance liabilities									2,179,488	2,073,227	2,299,930
Payments on servicing advance liabilities									(2,625,476)	(2,206,965)	(1,905,331)
Net change in warehouse borrowings related to mortgage loans									(151,172)	207,305	75,726
Net change in warehouse borrowings related to reverse loans									14,139	(43,873)	15,667
Proceeds from sales of excess servicing spreads and servicing rights									34,307	55,698	75,426
Payments on servicing rights related liabilities									(22,092)	(12,317)	(6,822)
Payments on mortgage-backed debt									(107,598)	(136,493)	(181,155)
Other debt issuance costs paid									(11,039)	(13,949)	(17,281)
Other									2,189	(13,119)	(42,396)
Cash flows used in financing activities									(1,129,989)	385,694	1,276,671
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents									21,770	(117,347)	(171,710)
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year				202,828				$ 320,175	202,828	320,175	491,885
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	224,598				202,828				224,598	202,828	$ 320,175
As Previously Reported [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net loss									(529,158)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities
Net fair value gains on reverse loans and related HMBS obligations									(59,022)
Amortization of servicing rights									21,801
Change in fair value of servicing rights									480,476
Change in fair value of servicing rights related liabilities									(13,518)
Change in fair value of charged-off loans									(20,716)
Other net fair value (gains) losses									11,087
Accretion of discounts on residential loans and advances									(3,652)
Accretion of discounts on debt and amortization of deferred debt issuance costs									33,413
Provision for uncollectible advances									64,729
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment and intangible assets									59,426
Provision (benefit) for deferred income taxes									(193,326)
Share-based compensation									6,568
Purchases and originations of residential loans held for sale									(21,054,053)
Proceeds from sales of and payments on residential loans held for sale									21,410,118
Net gains on sales of loans									(409,448)
Goodwill and intangible assets impairment									326,286
Other									4,999
Changes in assets and liabilities
Decrease (increase) in receivables									(81,695)
Decrease in servicer and protective advances									380,298
Decrease in other assets									16,434
Increase (decrease) in payables and accrued liabilities									(24,429)
Increase in servicer payables, net of change in restricted cash									25,332
Cash flows provided by operating activities									451,950
Investing activities
Purchases and originations of reverse loans held for investment									(896,879)
Principal payments received on reverse loans held for investment									1,122,267
Principal payments received on mortgage loans held for investment									92,619
Payments received on charged-off loans held for investment									23,060
Payments received on receivables related to Non-Residual Trusts									8,110
Proceeds from sales of real estate owned, net									111,091
Purchases of premises and equipment									(32,866)
Decrease in restricted cash and cash equivalents									8,946
Payments for acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired									(3,066)
Acquisitions of servicing rights, net									(9,794)
Proceeds from sales of servicing rights, net									280,970
Other									(4,649)
Cash flows provided by investing activities									699,809
Financing activities
Payments on corporate debt									(480)
Extinguishments and settlement of debt									(31,037)
Proceeds from securitizations of reverse loans									960,157
Payments on HMBS related obligations									(1,371,375)
Issuances of servicing advance liabilities									2,179,488
Payments on servicing advance liabilities									(2,625,476)
Net change in warehouse borrowings related to mortgage loans									(151,172)
Net change in warehouse borrowings related to reverse loans									14,139
Proceeds from sales of excess servicing spreads and servicing rights									34,307
Payments on servicing rights related liabilities									(22,092)
Payments on mortgage-backed debt									(107,598)
Other debt issuance costs paid									(11,039)
Other									2,189
Cash flows used in financing activities									(1,129,989)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents									21,770
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year				202,828					202,828
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	224,598				202,828				224,598	202,828
Restatement Adjustments [Member] | Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance Adjustments [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net loss									(304,700)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities
Net fair value gains on reverse loans and related HMBS obligations									0
Amortization of servicing rights									0
Change in fair value of servicing rights									0
Change in fair value of servicing rights related liabilities									0
Change in fair value of charged-off loans									0
Other net fair value (gains) losses									0
Accretion of discounts on residential loans and advances									0
Accretion of discounts on debt and amortization of deferred debt issuance costs									0
Provision for uncollectible advances									0
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment and intangible assets									0
Provision (benefit) for deferred income taxes									304,700
Share-based compensation									0
Purchases and originations of residential loans held for sale									0
Proceeds from sales of and payments on residential loans held for sale									0
Net gains on sales of loans									0
Goodwill and intangible assets impairment									0
Other									0
Changes in assets and liabilities
Decrease (increase) in receivables									0
Decrease in servicer and protective advances									0
Decrease in other assets									0
Increase (decrease) in payables and accrued liabilities									0
Increase in servicer payables, net of change in restricted cash									0
Cash flows provided by operating activities									0
Investing activities
Purchases and originations of reverse loans held for investment									0
Principal payments received on reverse loans held for investment									0
Principal payments received on mortgage loans held for investment									0
Payments received on charged-off loans held for investment									0
Payments received on receivables related to Non-Residual Trusts									0
Proceeds from sales of real estate owned, net									0
Purchases of premises and equipment									0
Decrease in restricted cash and cash equivalents									0
Payments for acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired									0
Acquisitions of servicing rights, net									0
Proceeds from sales of servicing rights, net									0
Other									0
Cash flows provided by investing activities									0
Financing activities
Payments on corporate debt									0
Extinguishments and settlement of debt									0
Proceeds from securitizations of reverse loans									0
Payments on HMBS related obligations									0
Issuances of servicing advance liabilities									0
Payments on servicing advance liabilities									0
Net change in warehouse borrowings related to mortgage loans									0
Net change in warehouse borrowings related to reverse loans									0
Proceeds from sales of excess servicing spreads and servicing rights									0
Payments on servicing rights related liabilities									0
Payments on mortgage-backed debt									0
Other debt issuance costs paid									0
Other									0
Cash flows used in financing activities									0
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents									0
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year				$ 0					0
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	$ 0				$ 0				$ 0	$ 0