Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Investment in mortgages and loans:
Commercial mortgages, mezzanine loans, and preferred equity interests		$ 1,588,097	$ 1,392,436
Allowance for losses		(14,646)	(9,218)
Total investment in mortgages and loans, at amortized cost		1,573,451	1,383,218
Investments in real estate, net of accumulated depreciation of $188,581 and $168,480, respectively	[1]	2,259,750	1,671,971
Investments in securities and security-related receivables, at fair value			31,412
Cash and cash equivalents		92,652	121,726
Restricted cash		159,200	124,220
Accrued interest receivable		56,249	51,640
Other assets		76,222	72,023
Deferred financing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $33,804 and $26,056, respectively		29,806	27,802
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $22,316 and $13,911, respectively		39,306	29,463
Total assets		4,286,636	3,513,475
Liabilities and Equity
Indebtedness		3,199,981	2,615,666
Accrued interest payable		13,748	10,269
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		42,219	54,962
Derivative liabilities		8,960	20,695
Deferred taxes, borrowers’ escrows and other liabilities		188,797	144,733
Total liabilities		3,453,705	2,846,325
Series D cumulative redeemable preferred shares, $0.01 par value per share, 4,000,000 shares authorized, 4,000,000 and 4,000,000 shares issued and outstanding, respectively		83,787	79,308
Shareholders’ equity:
Common shares, $0.03 par value per share, 200,000,000 shares authorized, 90,898,034 and 82,506,606 issued and outstanding, respectively, including 742,764 and 541,575 unvested restricted common share awards, respectively		2,727	2,473
Additional paid in capital		2,082,695	2,025,683
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		(8,022)	(20,788)
Retained earnings (deficit)		(1,674,412)	(1,633,911)
Total shareholders’ equity		403,081	373,545
Noncontrolling interests		346,063	214,297
Total equity		749,144	587,842
Total liabilities and equity		4,286,636	3,513,475
7.75% Series A cumulative redeemable preferred shares
Shareholders’ equity:
Preferred shares, $0.01 par value per share		53	48
Total equity		53	48
8.375% Series B cumulative redeemable preferred shares
Shareholders’ equity:
Preferred shares, $0.01 par value per share		23	23
Total equity		23	23
8.875% Series C cumulative redeemable preferred shares
Shareholders’ equity:
Preferred shares, $0.01 par value per share		17	17
Total equity		$ 17	$ 17
Series E cumulative redeemable preferred shares
Shareholders’ equity:
Preferred shares, $0.01 par value per share

[1] Investments in real estate includes one real estate asset held for sale by IRT as of September 30, 2015. This asset had a carrying amount of $3,283 and a fair value of $3,350.