Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($)	Total		Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Cumulative Distributions to Stockholders	Accumulated Earnings (Deficit)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014			1,610,000	14,718,750
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 212,798,130		$ 37,156,972	$ 146,953	$ 189,332,874	$ 7,208,351	$ (32,406,541)	$ 11,359,521
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)				14,000
Issuance of common stock, net				$ 140	(140)
Issuance of treasury stock, net (in shares)				(68,356)
Purchase of treasury stock, net	(358,991)			$ (684)	(358,307)
Restricted stock compensation expense (in shares)				(8,000)
Restricted stock compensation expense	63,275				63,275
Net income (loss)	450,479							450,479
Increase (decrease) in net unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities, net	(14,776,266)					(14,776,266)
Reclassification adjustment for net gain (loss) included in net income (loss)	1,969,108					1,969,108
Reclassification cumulative adjustments for Linked Transactions						4,457,544		(4,457,544)
Reclassification adjustment for other-than-temporary impairments included in net income	745,492					745,492
Common dividends declared	(19,874,663)						(19,874,663)
Preferred dividends declared	(3,522,036)						(3,522,036)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015			1,610,000	14,656,394
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	177,494,528		$ 37,156,972	$ 146,409	189,037,702	(395,771)	(55,803,240)	7,352,456
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)				2,952,364
Issuance of common stock, net				$ 29,524	15,477,118		(15,506,642)
Cost of issuing common stock	(2,757)				(2,757)
Issuance of treasury stock, net (in shares)				(58,500)
Purchase of treasury stock, net	(283,565)			$ (585)	(282,980)
Restricted stock compensation expense (in shares)				(11,000)
Restricted stock compensation expense	35,785				35,785
Net income (loss)	(7,989,955)							(7,989,955)
Increase (decrease) in net unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities, net	(3,824,461)					(3,824,461)
Reclassification adjustment for net gain (loss) included in net income (loss)	(5,589,740)					(5,589,740)
Reclassification adjustment for other-than-temporary impairments included in net income	541,342					541,342
Common dividends declared	(14,392,276)						(14,392,276)
Preferred dividends declared	(3,522,036)						(3,522,036)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016			1,610,000	17,539,258
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	142,466,865	[1]	$ 37,156,972	$ 175,348	204,264,868	(9,268,630)	(89,224,194)	(637,499)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)				4,604,500
Issuance of common stock, net	21,186,865			$ 46,045	21,140,820
Cost of issuing common stock	(1,351,239)				(1,351,239)
Restricted stock compensation expense	6,280				6,280
Net income (loss)	4,706,961							4,706,961
Increase (decrease) in net unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities, net	(13,268,331)					(13,268,331)
Reclassification adjustment for net gain (loss) included in net income (loss)	7,482,477					7,482,477
Common dividends declared	(11,904,005)						(11,904,005)
Preferred dividends declared	(3,522,036)						(3,522,036)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017			1,610,000	22,143,758
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 145,791,277	[1]	$ 37,156,972	$ 221,393	$ 224,048,169	$ (15,054,484)	$ (104,650,235)	$ 4,069,462

[1] Our consolidated balance sheets include assets and liabilities of consolidated variable interest entities (“VIE's) as the Company is the primary beneficiary of these VIEs. As of December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, assets of consolidated VIEs totaled $1,255,404,335 and $1,369,120,941, respectively, and the liabilities of consolidated VIEs totaled $1,228,295,517 and $1,344,404,080, respectively