Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Interest income
Mortgage loans held for investment	$ 26,140,679	$ 10,470,435
Mortgage loans held for sale	594,217
Real estate securities	14,313,293	15,947,892	9,398,319
Other investment securities	544,558
Total interest income	41,592,747	26,418,327	9,398,319
Interest expense
Warehouse lines of credit	121,194
Loan repurchase facilities	8,906,849	3,612,167
Securities repurchase agreements	2,544,838	2,918,813	1,387,451
Exchangeable Senior Notes	5,686,664	563,539
Total interest expense	17,259,545	7,094,519	1,387,451
Net interest income	24,333,202	19,323,808	8,010,868
Non-interest income
Mortgage banking activities, net	5,439,006
Loan servicing fee income, net of direct costs	929,718
Change in fair value of mortgage servicing rights	(1,684,373)
Other income	45,861
Other gains/(losses)
Change in unrealized gain or loss	19,090,520
Realized gain/(loss) on investments	5,762,254
(Loss)/gain on derivative instruments related to investment portfolio	(5,921,725)	5,614,815	(1,171,219)
Total other gains/(losses)	18,931,049	(2,166,254)	16,435,633
Expenses
Advisory fee - related party	2,853,896	2,629,815	877,825
Salaries, commissions and benefits	3,765,784
Operating expenses	7,862,308	5,473,915	1,475,729
Other expenses	4,511,741	1,500,359	1,827,350
Total expenses	18,993,729	9,604,089	4,180,904
Net income/(loss) before income taxes	29,000,734	7,553,465	20,265,597
Income tax benefit	(850,996)
Net income/(loss) after income taxes	29,851,730	7,553,465	20,265,597
Net income allocated to non controlling interests	3,109,760	880,358	362,324
Preferred dividends		15,379	15,424
Net income attributable to ZAIS Financial Corp. common stockholders and common stock repurchase liability	26,741,970	6,657,728	19,887,849
Income allocated to common stock repurchase liability			454,047
Net income attributable to ZAIS Financial Corp. common stockholders	26,741,970	6,657,728	19,433,802
Net income per share applicable to common stockholders - basic	$ 3.35	$ 0.92	$ 7.13
Net income per share applicable to common stockholders - diluted	$ 3.08	$ 0.92	$ 7.13
Weighted average number of shares of common stock:
Basic	7,970,886	7,273,366	2,724,252
Diluted	10,677,360	8,200,280	2,773,845
Mortgage Loans [Member]
Other gains/(losses)
Change in unrealized gain or loss	22,814,340	7,136,482
Realized gain/(loss) on investments	1,838,800	1,298,844
Real Estate Securities [Member]
Other gains/(losses)
Change in unrealized gain or loss	(2,993,640)	(7,170,706)	17,793,339
Realized gain/(loss) on investments	3,694,256	(9,045,689)	(186,487)
Other Investment Securities [Member]
Other gains/(losses)
Change in unrealized gain or loss	(226,224)
Realized gain/(loss) on investments	226,743
Real Estate Owned [Member]
Other gains/(losses)
Change in unrealized gain or loss	(503,956)
Realized gain/(loss) on investments	$ 2,455