Name:	mfa_RepurchaseAgreementCounterpartyRiskAsPercentageOfStockholdersEquity
Namespace Prefix:	mfa_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Period Type:	instant

Represents the carrying value as of the balance sheet date of repurchase financing agreements related to MBS purchases, which are accounted for as forward purchase agreements and are netted against the carrying value of the associated MBS.

No definition available.

Name:	mfa_RepurchaseAgreementsMBSLinkedTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	mfa_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Represents the number of parties with whom the entity had repurchase agreements on the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	mfa_RepurchaseAgreementsNumberOfCounterparties
Namespace Prefix:	mfa_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Securities Sold under Agreements to Repurchase, Amounts Not Included in Offsetting Disclosure

No definition available.

Name:	mfa_SecuritiesSoldunderAgreementstoRepurchaseAmountsNotIncludedinOffsettingDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	mfa_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Interest rate on the amount to be repaid to the counterparty to the repurchase agreement when the carrying amount (or market value, if higher than the carrying amount) of securities or other assets sold under the repurchase agreement exceeds 10 percent of total assets.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(m)(1)(i)(A)(ii))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsSoldUnderAgreementsToRepurchaseInterestRate
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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount, after the effects of master netting arrangements, of funds outstanding borrowed in the form of a security repurchase agreement between the entity and another party for the sale and repurchase of identical or substantially the same securities at a date certain for a specified price. Includes liabilities not subject to a master netting arrangement and not elected to be offset.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(m)(1)(a)(i))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.13(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 20

-Section 55

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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51825145&loc=SL20226008-175313

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Section 45

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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49176635&loc=d3e9760-107771

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Repurchase Agreement Accounted for as a Collateralized Borrowing

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49203159

Name:	us-gaap_SecuritiesSoldUnderAgreementsToRepurchase
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount, before effects of master netting arrangements, of funds outstanding borrowed in the form of a security repurchase agreement between the entity and another party for the sale and repurchase of identical or substantially the same securities at a date certain for a specified price. Includes liabilities elected not to be offset. Excludes liabilities not subject to a master netting arrangement.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 20

-Section 55

-Paragraph 7

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51825145&loc=SL20226000-175313

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Repurchase Agreement Accounted for as a Collateralized Borrowing

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49203159

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312