Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositionsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for more than 12 months, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124269663&loc=SL82922890-210455

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27337-111563

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590138&loc=SL82922954-210456

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLonger
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for 12 months or longer, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAccumulatedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Number of investments in debt securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for 12 months or longer, without an allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(3)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124269663&loc=SL82922888-210455

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerNumberOfPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for less than 12 months, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27337-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124269663&loc=SL82922890-210455

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590138&loc=SL82922954-210456

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12Months
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for less than 12 months, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAccumulatedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Number of investments in debt securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for less than 12 months, without an allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsNumberOfPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in unrealized loss position without allowance for credit loss.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27290-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124269663&loc=SL82922888-210455

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590138&loc=SL82922954-210456

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleUnrealizedLossPosition
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in unrealized loss position, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleUnrealizedLossPositionAccumulatedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Number of investments in debt securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in unrealized loss position, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleUnrealizedLossPositionNumberOfPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

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
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=wmc_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=wmc_AgencyRMBSInterestOnlyStripsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByPrivateEnterprisesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=wmc_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByPrivateEnterprisesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=wmc_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByPrivateEnterprisesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=wmc_NonAgencyRMBSInterestOnlyStripsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: