Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income	$ 29,851,730	$ 7,553,465	$ 20,265,597
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash provided by operating activities
Change in unrealized gain or loss	(19,090,520)
Realized (gains) / loss on investments	(5,762,254)
Change in unrealized gain or loss on derivative instruments	5,306,841	(1,281,997)	890,442
Amortization of Exchangeable Senior Notes discount	935,690	88,457
Depreciation and amortization expense	154,010
Proceeds from sale and principal payments on mortgages held for sale	245,140,671
Originations and purchases of mortgage loans held for sale	(253,934,598)
Loss (gain) on sale of mortgages held for sale	3,615,357
Capitalization of originated mortgage servicing rights	(2,763,014)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
(Increase) decrease in other assets	559,791	(1,321,134)	(1,253,517)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other liabilities	2,818,360	1,302,727	1,226,282
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(4,689,880)	8,131,267	2,628,160
Cash flows from investing activities
Cash paid for the acquisition of GMFS, net of cash acquired	(49,542,840)
Acquisitions of mortgage loans	(85,579,169)	(334,162,044)
Proceeds from principal repayments on mortgage loans	31,519,288	13,871,059
Acquisitions of real estate securities, net of change in payable for real estate securities purchased	(47,034,327)	(406,263,789)	(104,299,838)
Proceeds from principal repayments on real estate securities	28,197,740	46,752,670	23,277,965
Proceeds from sales of real estate securities, net of changes in receivable for real estate securities sold	102,635,229	291,348,906	74,216,314
Acquisitions of other investment securities	(12,926,953)
Proceeds from sale of other investment securities	11,067,378
Purchase of swaption	(4,803,750)
Restricted cash provided by/(used) in investment activities	(5,014,842)	1,639,915	(2,052,940)
Net cash used in investing activities	(31,482,246)	(386,813,283)	(8,858,499)
Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from issuance of common stock upon exchange offer
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net		118,862,500	4,757,470
Proceeds from issuance of OP units, net			20,393,704
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock, net			115,499
Repurchase of common stock			(14,181,259)
Payment of common stock repurchase liability		(5,750,512)
Net borrowings under warehouse lines of credit	3,576,859
Net borrowings under loan repurchase facility	64,033,317	236,058,976
Borrowings from securities repurchase agreements	138,210,170	366,103,785	79,129,751
Repayments of securities repurchase agreements	(173,787,743)	(343,592,574)	(60,646,294)
Proceeds from issuance of Exchangeable Senior Notes		54,450,594
Allocation of proceeds to conversion option on Exchangeable Senior Notes		1,324,406
Dividends on common stock and distributions on OP Units (net of change in dividends and distributions payable)	(19,130,270)	(10,410,426)	(10,588,722)
Repurchase of preferred stock including dividend		(148,379)	(15,424)
Equity raise payments		(216,658)
Net cash provided by financing activities	12,902,333	416,681,712	18,964,725
Net (decrease)/increase in cash	(23,269,793)	37,999,696	12,734,386
Cash
Beginning of period	57,060,806	19,061,110	6,326,724
End of period	33,791,013	57,060,806	19,061,110
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information
Interest paid on warehouse line of credit, loan repurchase facility, securities repurchase agreements and Exchangeable Senior Notes	18,666,057	5,696,619	1,377,433
Taxes paid
Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities
Increase in dividends payable	3,559,120	8,452,910
Acquisition of GMFS - assets acquired and liabilities assumed (See Note 3)
Mortgage Loans [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash provided by operating activities
Net (accretion)/amortization of (discounts)/premiums related to investments	(7,497,341)	(3,059,231)
Change in unrealized gain or loss	(22,814,340)	(7,136,482)
Realized (gains) / loss on investments	(1,838,800)	(1,298,844)
Real Estate Securities [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash provided by operating activities
Net (accretion)/amortization of (discounts)/premiums related to investments	(5,528,538)	(2,932,089)	(893,792)
Change in unrealized gain or loss	2,993,640	7,170,706	(17,793,339)
Realized (gains) / loss on investments	(3,694,256)	9,045,689	186,487
Other Investment Securities [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash provided by operating activities
Net (accretion)/amortization of (discounts)/premiums related to investments	(180,438)
Change in unrealized gain or loss	226,224
Realized (gains) / loss on investments	(226,743)
Real Estate Owned [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash provided by operating activities
Change in unrealized gain or loss	503,956
Realized (gains) / loss on investments	(2,455)
Mortgage Servicing Rights [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash provided by operating activities
Change in unrealized gain or loss	$ 1,684,373