RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOAN SECURITIZATION TRUSTS - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($)		Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Assets
Residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts	[1]	$ 1,106,592,612	$ 1,130,874,274
Total assets	[1]	2,541,970,671	2,612,541,116
Liabilities and Equity
Residential securitized debt obligations	[1]	1,086,279,589	1,109,204,743
Total liabilities	[1]	2,391,609,548	2,466,749,839
Equity	[1]	150,361,123	145,791,277
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	[1]	2,541,970,671	2,612,541,116
Residential mortgage loans
Assets
Residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts		111,764,070	119,756,455
Receivables		376,241	396,000
Total assets		112,140,311	120,152,455
Liabilities and Equity
Residential securitized debt obligations		106,676,747	114,418,318
Payables		305,246	320,417
Total liabilities		106,981,993	114,738,735
Equity		5,158,318	5,413,720
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity		$ 112,140,311	$ 120,152,455

[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, 2018 and December 31, 2017, assets of consolidated VIEs totaled $1,223,232,702 and $1,255,404,335 respectively, and the liabilities of consolidated VIEs totaled $1,197,735,060 and $1,228,295,517 respectively