CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents (including cash pledged as collateral of $620,681 and $1,584,686, respectively)	[2]	$ 706,589	[1]	$ 1,539,746
Investments, at fair value:
Credit risk transfer securities (including pledged assets of $363,944 and $608,707, respectively)		651,764	[1]	724,722
Residential mortgage loans (including pledged assets of$1,169,496 and $314,746, respectively)	[3]	1,438,322	[1]	342,289
Mortgage servicing rights (including pledged assets of $5,224 and $5,464, respectively)		580,860	[1]	652,216
Commercial real estate debt investments (including pledged assets of $3,079,993 and $4,321,739, respectively)	[4]	3,089,108	[1]	4,321,739
Commercial real estate debt and preferred equity, held for investment (including pledged assets of $520,329 and $506,997, respectively)		1,029,327	[1]	970,505
Commercial loans held for sale, net		0	[1]	114,425
Investments in commercial real estate		485,953	[1]	474,567
Corporate debt (including pledged assets of $600,049 and $592,871, respectively)		1,011,275	[1]	773,274
Interest rate swaps, at fair value		30,272	[1]	68,194
Other derivatives, at fair value		283,613	[1]	171,266
Receivable for investments sold		1,232	[1]	51,461
Accrued interest and dividends receivable		323,526	[1]	270,400
Other assets		384,117	[1]	333,063
Goodwill		71,815	[1]	71,815
Intangible assets, net		23,220	[1]	34,184
Total assets		101,760,050	[1]	87,905,046
Liabilities:
Repurchase agreements		77,696,343	[1]	65,215,810
Other secured financing		3,837,528	[1]	3,884,708
Securitized debt of consolidated VIEs	[5]	2,971,771	[1]	3,655,802
Participation sold		0	[1]	12,869
Mortgages payable		309,686	[1]	311,636
Interest rate swaps, at fair value		569,129	[1]	1,443,765
Other derivatives, at fair value		38,725	[1]	86,437
Dividends payable		347,876	[1]	305,674
Payable for investments purchased		656,581	[1]	65,041
Accrued interest payable		253,068	[1]	163,013
Accounts payable and other liabilities		207,770	[1]	184,319
Total liabilities		86,888,477	[1]	75,329,074
Stockholders’ Equity:
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share, 1,929,300,000 and 1,945,437,500 authorized, 1,159,585,078 and 1,018,913,249 issued and outstanding, respectively		11,596	[1]	10,189
Additional paid-in capital		17,221,265	[1]	15,579,342
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		(1,126,020)	[1]	(1,085,893)
Accumulated deficit		(2,961,749)	[1]	(3,136,017)
Total stockholders’ equity		14,865,473	[1]	12,568,180
Noncontrolling interest		6,100	[1]	7,792
Total equity		14,871,573	[1]	12,575,972
Total liabilities and equity		101,760,050	[1]	87,905,046
Senior securitized commercial mortgage loans		2,800,000		3,900,000
Securitized debt of consolidated VIEs		2,971,771		3,655,802
7.875% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Stockholders’ Equity:
Cumulative redeemable preferred stock		0	[1]	177,088
7.625% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Stockholders’ Equity:
Cumulative redeemable preferred stock		290,514	[1]	290,514
7.50% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Stockholders’ Equity:
Cumulative redeemable preferred stock		445,457	[1]	445,457
7.625% Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Stockholders’ Equity:
Cumulative redeemable preferred stock		287,500	[1]	287,500
6.95% Series F Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Stockholders’ Equity:
Cumulative redeemable preferred stock		696,910	[1]	0
Non-Agency Mortgage-backed Securities
Investments, at fair value:
Mortgage-backed securities, including pledged assets	[6]	1,097,294	[1]	1,401,307
Agency mortgage-backed securities, at fair value
Investments, at fair value:
Mortgage-backed securities, including pledged assets		90,551,763	[1]	75,589,873
Liabilities:
Repurchase agreements		76,703,981		63,707,701
Consolidated VIEs
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents (including cash pledged as collateral of $620,681 and $1,584,686, respectively)		42,300		23,200
Investments, at fair value:
Residential mortgage loans (including pledged assets of$1,169,496 and $314,746, respectively)		478,800		165,900
Consolidated VIEs | Non-Agency Mortgage-backed Securities
Investments, at fair value:
Mortgage-backed securities, including pledged assets		$ 66,300		$ 88,600

[1] As a result of a change to a clearing organization’s rulebook effective January 3, 2017, beginning with the first quarter 2017 and in subsequent periods the Company is presenting the fair value of centrally cleared interest rate swaps net of variation margin pledged under such transactions. The variation margin was previously reported under cash and cash equivalents and is currently reported as a reduction to interest rate swaps, at fair value. Balances reported prior to the effective date will not be adjusted.

[2] Includes cash of consolidated VIEs of $42.3 million and $23.2 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

[3] Includes securitized residential mortgage loans of a consolidated VIE carried at fair value of $478.8 million and $165.9 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively

[4] Includes senior securitized commercial mortgage loans of consolidated VIEs carried at fair value of $2.8 billion and $3.9 billion at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

[5] Includes securitized debt of consolidated VIEs carried at fair value of $3.0 billion and $3.7 billion at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

[6] Includes $66.3 million and $88.6 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, of non-Agency mortgage-backed securities in a consolidated VIE pledged as collateral and eliminated from the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.