Investments in Unconsolidated Entities Schedule of Ownership of Investments in Unconsolidated Entities (Details)	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Longbridge Financial LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	49.60%	49.60%
LendSure Mortgage Corp [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	49.90%	49.90%
LendSure Mortgage Corp [Member] | Nonvoting Common Stock [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	13.80%	15.00%
Jepson Holdings Limited
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	19.60%	30.10%
Elizon TCG SBC 2017-1
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	0.00%	36.00%
Elizon DB 2015-1 LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	3.40%	8.90%
Effective Ownership Percentage	47.50%	58.20%
Other Equity Method Investments [Member] | Nonvoting Common Stock [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	16.40%
Elizon NM CRE 2020-1 LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	20.50%	0.00%
Effective Ownership Percentage	31.00%
Elizon CH CRE 2020-1 LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	30.50%	0.00%
Effective Ownership Percentage	44.80%
Loan Originator - Other
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		29.50%
Co-investments with Ellington affiliate(s) - Other
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	16.80%	13.40%
Equity investments in securitization-related risk retention vehicles
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	56.30%
Minimum | Other Equity Method Investments [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	8.00%	7.40%
Minimum | Loan Originator - Other
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	31.50%
Minimum | Equity investments in securitization-related risk retention vehicles
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		51.00%
Maximum | Other Equity Method Investments [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	56.30%	56.30%
Maximum | Loan Originator - Other
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	80.00%
Maximum | Equity investments in securitization-related risk retention vehicles
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		56.30%