RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOAN SECURITIZATION TRUSTS - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($)		Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Assets
Residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts	[1]	$ 1,215,157,038	$ 1,222,905,433
Total assets	[1]	2,445,946,439	2,299,601,203
Liabilities and Equity
Residential securitized debt obligations	[1]	1,195,536,818	1,204,583,678
Total liabilities	[1]	2,301,073,619	2,157,134,338
Equity	[1]	144,872,820	142,466,865
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	[1]	2,445,946,439	2,299,601,203
Residential mortgage loans
Assets
Residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts		132,454,523	141,126,720
Receivables		443,790	471,146
Total assets		132,898,313	141,597,866
Liabilities and Equity
Residential securitized debt obligations		126,535,978	134,846,348
Payables		355,857	376,697
Total liabilities		126,891,835	135,223,045
Equity		6,006,478	6,374,821
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity		$ 132,898,313	$ 141,597,866

[1] Our consolidated balance sheets include assets and liabilities of consolidated variable interest entities ("VIEs") as the Company is the primary beneficiary of these VIEs. As of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, assets of consolidated VIEs totaled $1,352,801,814 and $1,369,120,941 respectively, and the liabilities of consolidated VIEs totaled $1,327,153,665 and $1,344,404,080 respectively