CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Paid-In Capital [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Total IMH Financial Corporation Stockholders’ Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Beginning Balances at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 36,674	$ 176	$ (5,948)	$ 718,911	$ (678,778)	$ 34,361	$ 2,313
Beginning Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		17,552,139	1,629,818
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(1,555)				(757)	(757)	(798)
Increase in non-controlling interest due to VIE consolidation (Note 6)	6,509						6,509
Contributions from Hotel Fund investors	725						725
Decrease in non-controlling interest due to profit participation	(1,537)						(1,537)
Decrease in non-controlling interest due to Lakeside JV member loans	(650)						(650)
Cash dividends on Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock	(2,140)			(2,140)		(2,140)
Deemed dividend on Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock	(2,716)			(2,716)		(2,716)
Stock-based compensation	723	$ 5		718		723
Stock-based compensation (in shares)		527,383
Treasury stock	(222)		$ (338)	116		(222)
Treasury stock (in shares)			196,278
Ending Balances at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 35,811	$ 181	$ (6,286)	714,889	(679,535)	29,249	6,562
Ending Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	24,453,426	18,079,522	1,826,096
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	$ (12,197)				(13,341)	(13,341)	1,144
Increase in non-controlling interest due to VIE consolidation (Note 6)	0
Contributions from Hotel Fund investors	14,257						14,257
Distributions to Hotel Fund investors	(408)						(408)
Contributions to Hotel Fund capital costs	(90)			(90)		(90)
Decrease in non-controlling interest due to profit participation	(1,939)						(1,939)
Issuance of common stock warrant, net of cost accretion	532			532		532
Cash dividends on Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock	(2,548)			(2,548)		(2,548)
Deemed dividend on Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock	(3,493)			(3,493)		(3,493)
Cash dividends on Series A redeemable preferred stock	(1,188)			(1,188)		(1,188)
Stock-based compensation	426	$ 5		421		426
Stock-based compensation (in shares)		517,252
Relinquishment of Class C common stock to treasury			44,068
Ending Balances at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 29,163	$ 186	$ (6,286)	$ 708,523	$ (692,876)	$ 9,547	$ 19,616
Ending Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	27,301,551	18,596,774	1,870,164