Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income	$ 492,426	$ 366,081	$ 536,935
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Amortization of deferred financing costs, premiums and discounts on secured borrowings	43,199	40,131	36,088
Amortization of discounts and deferred financing costs on unsecured senior notes	7,076	7,939	7,760
Accretion of net discount on investment securities	(13,513)	(12,818)	(11,791)
Accretion of net deferred loan fees and discounts	(57,948)	(42,199)	(35,387)
Share-based compensation	39,287	31,241	36,155
Manager fees paid in stock	17,040	36,046	11,915
Change in fair value of investment securities	387	(5,393)	(833)
Change in fair value of consolidated VIEs	(20,070)	58,160	(67,798)
Change in fair value of servicing rights	(3,578)	3,715	3,640
Change in fair value of loans	(69,050)	(133,124)	(71,601)
Change in fair value of affordable housing fund investments	(402)	0	0
Change in fair value of derivatives	(90,126)	88,544	11,441
Foreign currency loss (gain), net	36,292	(42,395)	(17,582)
Gain on sale of investments and other assets	(38,984)	(7,310)	(188,028)
Impairment charges on properties and related intangibles	0	0	1,494
Credit loss provision, net	8,335	43,153	7,126
Depreciation and amortization	84,591	94,154	113,394
(Earnings) loss from unconsolidated entities	(8,752)	(37,317)	101,354
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated entities	4,708	2,978	11,631
Loss on extinguishment of debt	7,428	3,654	19,270
Origination and purchase of loans held-for-sale, net of principal collections	(5,172,721)	(2,074,678)	(3,543,503)
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale	3,831,712	2,802,118	3,177,640
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Related-party payable, net	37,201	(1,755)	(3,118)
Accrued and capitalized interest receivable, less purchased interest	(136,772)	(175,287)	(114,156)
Other assets	(28,437)	282	(29,787)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	40,696	(372)	(5,458)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(989,975)	1,045,548	(13,199)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Origination, purchase and funding of loans held-for-investment	(8,637,213)	(3,133,196)	(5,473,399)
Proceeds from principal collections on loans	4,024,958	1,696,244	3,132,368
Proceeds from loans sold	344,221	504,231	1,141,411
Purchase and funding of investment securities	(198,358)	(22,408)	(98,258)
Proceeds from sales of investment securities	0	7,940	7,326
Proceeds from principal collections on investment securities	87,450	83,533	205,660
Proceeds from sales of real estate and related businesses, net of cash transferred	98,210	24,541	343,896
Purchases and additions to properties and other assets	(26,272)	(25,164)	(30,865)
Investments in unconsolidated entities	(1,312)	(3,133)	(18,055)
Proceeds from sale of interest in unconsolidated entities	0	10,313	0
Distribution of capital from unconsolidated entities	30,448	3,422	18,127
Cash reclassified to investments of affordable housing fund	(28,094)	0	0
Payments for purchase or termination of derivatives	(33,902)	(74,801)	(42,835)
Proceeds from termination of derivatives	58,210	16,673	38,756
Net cash used in investing activities	(4,281,654)	(911,805)	(775,868)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from borrowings	17,436,866	7,100,563	10,167,339
Principal repayments on and repurchases of borrowings	(11,929,179)	(6,137,778)	(8,671,085)
Payment of deferred financing costs	(71,858)	(27,122)	(72,438)
Proceeds from common stock issuances	394,086	1,098	767
Payment of equity offering costs	(720)	(95)	(27)
Payment of dividends	(553,930)	(546,885)	(538,424)
Contributions from non-controlling interests	219,757	11,775	183,520
Distributions to non-controlling interests	(43,950)	(99,512)	(49,958)
Purchase of treasury stock	0	(33,828)	0
Issuance of debt of consolidated VIEs	69,398	187,494	184,540
Repayment of debt of consolidated VIEs	(767,427)	(522,348)	(373,155)
Distributions of cash from consolidated VIEs	120,060	79,921	45,642
Net cash provided by financing activities	4,873,103	13,283	876,721
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(398,526)	147,026	87,654
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period	722,162	574,031	487,865
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(1,722)	1,105	(1,488)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	321,914	722,162	574,031
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest	386,918	379,949	481,483
Income taxes paid	7,793	11,369	11,284
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Dividends declared, but not yet paid	148,527	138,075	136,715
Consolidation of VIEs (VIE asset/liability additions)	5,332,754	4,665,636	10,368,817
Deconsolidation of VIEs (VIE asset/liability reductions)	935,855	32,270	377,071
Reclassification of loans held-for-investment to loans held-for-sale	267,557	749,995	0
Reclassification of loans held-for-sale to loans held-for-investment	155,548	104,327	340,948
Transfer of loans from VIE assets to residential loans upon redemption of consolidated RMBS trusts	526,679	176,614	0
Loan principal collections temporarily held at master servicer	31,681	34,601	44,426
Net assets acquired through foreclosure, control or conversion to equity interest	36,308	71,488	53,278
Redemption of Class A Units for common stock	17,738	8,538	21,070
Lease liabilities arising from obtaining right-of-use assets	1,430	0	9,626
Contribution of Woodstar II Portfolio net assets from non-controlling interests	0	1,576	2,877
Assets of Ireland real estate subsidiary sold, net of cash	0	0	440,966
Liabilities of Ireland real estate subsidiary sold	0	0	360,049
Settlement of Convertible Notes in shares	0	0	75,525
Settlement of loans transferred as secured borrowings	0	0	74,692
Net assets acquired from consolidated VIEs	$ 0	$ 0	$ 8,613