Use of Special Purpose Entities and Variable Interest Entities (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended					1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011	Feb. 29, 2012 WFMLT Series 2012-RR1		Feb. 29, 2012 WFMLT Series 2012-RR1 Senior-support certificates		Jun. 30, 2011 CSMC Series 2011-7R		Jun. 30, 2011 CSMC Series 2011-7R Senior-support certificates		Feb. 28, 2011 CSMC Series 2011-1R		Feb. 28, 2011 CSMC Series 2011-1R Senior-support certificates		Oct. 31, 2010 DMSI Series 2010-RS2		Oct. 31, 2010 DMSI Series 2010-RS2 Senior-support certificates
Special purpose entities and variable interest entities
Principal value of Non-Agency MBS sold						$ 433,347,000				$ 1,283,422,000				$ 1,319,969,000				$ 985,228,000
Face amount of Senior Bonds issued by the VIE and purchased by 3rd party investors						186,691,000	[1]			474,866,000	[1]			488,389,000	[1]			373,577,000	[1]
Outstanding amount of Senior Bonds	366,205,000	[2]	646,816,000	[2]		93,556,000				61,711,000				99,943,000				110,995,000
Pass-through rate for Senior Bonds issued (as a percent)						2.85%
Pass-through rate for Senior Bonds issued										One-month LIBOR				One-month LIBOR				Weighted Average Coupon Rate
Interest rate added to base rate (as a percent)										1.25%				1.00%
Face amount of Senior Support Certificates received by the Company								222,921,000	[3]			774,618,000	[3]			790,563,000	[3]			494,721,000	[3]
Cash received	129,314,000		186,691,000		963,255,000	186,691,000				474,866,000				488,389,000				375,621,000
Notional amount acquired of non-rated, interest only senior certificates						186,691,000	[1]			474,866,000	[1]			488,389,000	[1]			0	[1]
Expenses incurred						805,000	[4]			428,000	[4]			934,000	[4]			362,000	[4]
Impairment of resecuritization related deferred costs	2,000,000
Non-Agency MBS transferred to consolidated variable interest entities (VIEs)	$ 2,282,371,000	[5]	$ 2,620,159,000	[5]

[1] Amount disclosed reflects principal balance on the DMSI 2010-RS A1, A2, and A3 bonds. The DMSI 2010-RS2 A2 and A3 bonds were sold to third party investors during the year ended December 31, 2013. The principal balance for the DMSI 2010-RS2 A1 Bond and associated interest only Senior certificate was paid off during the three months ended June 30, 2013.

[2] Securitized Debt represents third-party liabilities of consolidated VIEs and excludes liabilities of the VIEs acquired by the Company that eliminate on consolidation. The third-party beneficial interest holders in the VIEs have no recourse to the general credit of the Company. (See Notes 10 and 15 for further discussion.)

[3] Provides credit support for the sequential Senior Non-Agency MBS sold to third-party investors in resecuritization transactions (“Senior Bonds”).

[4] Amortized to interest expense based upon the actual repayments of the associated beneficial interests. During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company realized a $2.0 million charge related to the impairment of resecuritization related deferred costs.

[5] Non-Agency MBS transferred to consolidated VIEs represent assets of consolidated VIEs that can be used only to settle the obligations of each respective VIE.