CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents (including cash pledged as collateral of $689,290 and $1,428,475, respectively)	[1]	$ 984,275	$ 706,589	[2]
Investments, at fair value:
Credit risk transfer securities (including pledged assets of $411,780 and $363,944, respectively)		628,942	651,764	[2]
Residential mortgage loans (including pledged assets of $723,705 and $314,746, respectively)	[3]	1,535,685	1,438,322	[2]
Mortgage servicing rights (including pledged assets of $5,153 and $5,224, respectively)		596,378	580,860	[2]
Commercial real estate debt investments (including pledged assets of $3,866,629 and $4,321,739, respectively)	[4]	2,960,323	3,089,108	[2]
Commercial real estate debt and preferred equity, held for investment (including pledged assets of $529,324 and $520,329, respectively)		1,081,295	1,029,327	[2]
Investments in commercial real estate		480,063	485,953	[2]
Corporate debt (including pledged assets of $666,682 and $600,049, respectively)		1,152,745	1,011,275	[2]
Interest rate swaps, at fair value		69,109	30,272	[2]
Other derivatives, at fair value		161,193	283,613	[2]
Reverse repurchase agreements		200,459	0	[2]
Receivable for investments sold		45,126	1,232	[2]
Accrued interest and dividends receivable		326,989	323,526	[2]
Other assets		421,448	384,117	[2]
Goodwill		71,815	71,815	[2]
Intangible assets, net		20,948	23,220	[2]
Total assets		100,382,233	101,760,050	[2]
Liabilities:
Repurchase agreements		78,015,431	77,696,343	[2]
Other secured financing		3,830,075	3,837,528	[2]
Securitized debt of consolidated VIEs	[5]	2,904,873	2,971,771	[2]
Mortgages payable		309,794	309,686	[2]
Interest rate swaps, at fair value		427,838	569,129	[2]
Other derivatives, at fair value		153,103	38,725	[2]
Dividends payable		347,897	347,876	[2]
Payable for investments purchased		91,327	656,581	[2]
Accrued interest payable		284,696	253,068	[2]
Accounts payable and other liabilities		74,264	207,770	[2]
Total liabilities		86,439,298	86,888,477	[2]
Stockholders’ Equity:
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share, 1,909,750,000 and 1,929,300,000 authorized, 1,159,657,350 and 1,159,585,078 issued and outstanding, respectively		11,597	11,596	[2]
Additional paid-in capital		17,218,191	17,221,265	[2]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		(3,000,080)	(1,126,020)	[2]
Accumulated deficit		(2,015,612)	(2,961,749)	[2]
Total stockholders’ equity		13,937,264	14,865,473	[2]
Noncontrolling interest		5,671	6,100	[2]
Total equity		13,942,935	14,871,573	[2]
Total liabilities and equity		100,382,233	101,760,050	[2]
Senior Secured mortgages of Consolidated VIE, fair value		2,700,000	2,800,000
Securitized debt of a consolidated VIE		2,904,873	2,971,771
Consolidated VIEs
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents (including cash pledged as collateral of $689,290 and $1,428,475, respectively)		43,200	42,300
Investments, at fair value:
Residential mortgage loans (including pledged assets of $723,705 and $314,746, respectively)		560,200	478,800
7.625% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Stockholders’ Equity:
Cumulative redeemable preferred stock		169,466	290,514	[2]
7.50% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Stockholders’ Equity:
Cumulative redeemable preferred stock		445,457	445,457	[2]
7.625% Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Stockholders’ Equity:
Cumulative redeemable preferred stock		0	287,500	[2]
6.95% Series F Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Stockholders’ Equity:
Cumulative redeemable preferred stock		696,910	696,910	[2]
6.50% Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Stockholders’ Equity:
Cumulative redeemable preferred stock		411,335	0	[2]
Non-Agency Mortgage-backed Securities
Investments, at fair value:
Mortgage-backed securities, including pledged assets	[6]	1,066,343	1,097,294	[2]
Non-Agency Mortgage-backed Securities | Consolidated VIEs
Investments, at fair value:
Mortgage-backed securities, including pledged assets		61,300	66,300
Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities
Investments, at fair value:
Mortgage-backed securities, including pledged assets		88,579,097	90,551,763	[2]
Liabilities:
Repurchase agreements		$ 76,963,498	$ 76,703,981

[1] Includes cash of consolidated Variable Interest Entities (“VIEs”) of $43.2 million and $42.3 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

[2] Derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at December 31, 2017.

[3] Includes securitized residential mortgage loans transferred or pledged to a consolidated VIE carried at fair value of $560.2 million and $478.8 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

[4] Includes senior securitized commercial mortgage loans of consolidated VIEs carried at fair value of $2.7 billion and $2.8 billion at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

[5] Includes securitized debt of consolidated VIEs carried at fair value of $2.9 billion and $3.0 billion at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

[6] Includes $61.3 million and $66.3 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, 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.