Other Investments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011
Equity method investments
Carrying value	$ 416,519,000								$ 416,519,000								$ 445,835,000
Equity in earnings	18,420,000				19,131,000				53,206,000				44,064,000
Other, carrying value	10,982,000								10,982,000								12,000,000
Total other investments, carrying value	427,501,000								427,501,000								457,835,000
LNR and certain commercial mortgage backed securities and collateralized debt obligation trusts that are considered VIEs
Balance Sheet
Total VIE trust assets			85,190,000,000								85,190,000,000								126,660,000,000
Total VIE trust liabilities			84,920,000,000								84,920,000,000								126,640,000,000
Servicing fee revenue			16,300,000				30,800,000
LNR Property LLC ("LNR")
Equity method investments
Carrying value	176,600,000		176,600,000	[1],[2]					176,600,000		176,600,000	[1],[2]					159,764,000		159,764,000	[1],[2]
Equity in earnings	8,674,000		8,674,000	[1],[2]	10,079,000		10,079,000	[1],[2]	20,811,000		20,811,000	[1],[2]	24,064,000		24,064,000	[1],[2]
Income Statement
Total revenue			71,337,000	[1],[2]			77,394,000	[1],[2]			148,696,000	[1],[2]			156,413,000	[1],[2]
Income tax expense (benefit)			1,805,000	[1],[2],[3]			2,025,000	[1],[2],[3]			3,642,000	[1],[2],[3]			(32,333,000)	[1],[2],[3]
Net income attributable to LNR			36,178,000	[1],[2]			42,036,000	[1],[2]			86,799,000	[1],[2]			100,366,000	[1],[2]
iStar's ownership percentage			24.00%	[1],[2]			24.00%	[1],[2]			24.00%	[1],[2]			24.00%	[1],[2]			24.00%	[1],[2]
Balance Sheet
Total assets			1,329,460,000	[1],[2]							1,329,460,000	[1],[2]							1,288,923,000	[1],[2]
Total debt			477,055,000	[1],[2]							477,055,000	[1],[2]							469,631,000	[1],[2]
Total liabilities			564,352,000	[1],[2]							564,352,000	[1],[2]							576,835,000	[1],[2]
Noncontrolling interests			6,943,000	[1],[2]							6,943,000	[1],[2]							39,940,000	[1],[2]
LNR Property LLC equity			758,165,000	[1],[2]							758,165,000	[1],[2]							672,147,000	[1],[2]
Madison Funds
Equity method investments
Carrying value	82,683,000								82,683,000								103,305,000
Equity in earnings	(767,000)				5,754,000				8,731,000				7,956,000
Balance Sheet
Income from sales of investment									13,700,000
Oak Hill Funds [Member]
Equity method investments
Carrying value	48,368,000								48,368,000								56,817,000
Equity in earnings	508,000				572,000				3,883,000				6,078,000
Included within earnings from equity method investments					6,400,000								7,500,000
OREO/REHI Investments
Equity method investments
Carrying value	39,251,000								39,251,000								52,803,000
Equity in earnings	8,070,000				(5,450,000)				14,195,000				(5,450,000)
Balance Sheet
Income from sales of residential property	10,200,000								18,200,000
Other Equity Method Investments
Equity method investments
Carrying value	69,617,000	[4]							69,617,000	[4]							73,146,000	[4]
Equity in earnings	$ 1,935,000	[4]			$ 8,176,000	[4]			$ 5,586,000	[4]			$ 11,416,000	[4]

[1] The Company records its investment in LNR on a one quarter lag, therefore, amounts in the Company's financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 are based on balances and results from LNR for the three and six months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

[2] LNR consolidates certain commercial mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligation trusts that are considered VIEs (and for which it is the primary beneficiary), that have been excluded from the amounts presented above. As of March 31, 2012 and September 30, 2011, the assets of these trusts, which aggregate approximately $85.19 billion and $126.66 billion, respectively, are the sole source of repayment of the related liabilities, which aggregate approximately $84.92 billion and $126.64 billion, respectively, and are non-recourse to LNR and its equity holders, including the Company. In addition, total revenue presented above includes $16.3 million and $30.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, of servicing fee revenue that is eliminated upon consolidation of the VIE's at the LNR level. This income is then added back through consolidation at the LNR level as an adjustment to income allocable to noncontrolling entities and has no net impact on net income attributable to LNR.

[3] During the six months ended March 31, 2011, LNR recorded an income tax benefit from the settlement of certain tax liabilities.

[4] For the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, amounts include $6.4 million and $7.5 million, respectively, of earnings related to Oak Hill Advisors, L.P. and related entities which were sold during in October 2011.