Organization and basis of presentation (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			0 Months Ended			15 Months Ended	3 Months Ended												0 Months Ended
	Mar. 18, 2014	Dec. 21, 2012	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Jan. 22, 2014 Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Oct. 02, 2013 Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	May 01, 2013 Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Secured debt [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Secured debt [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Secured debt [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Mar. 22, 2013 Secured debt [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Secured debt [Member] Master repurchase agreement one [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Secured debt [Member] Master repurchase agreement one [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Mar. 22, 2013 Secured debt [Member] Master repurchase agreement one [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Secured debt [Member] Master repurchase agreement two [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Secured debt [Member] Master repurchase agreement two [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Sep. 12, 2013 Secured debt [Member] Master repurchase agreement two [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Secured debt [Member] Master repurchase agreement three [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Secured debt [Member] Master repurchase agreement three [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Oct. 17, 2013 Common Stock [Member] NewSource Reinsurance Company Ltd. [Member]	Oct. 17, 2013 Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] Preferred Stock [Member] NewSource Reinsurance Company Ltd. [Member] Residential Corporation [Member]	Apr. 21, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member] Secured debt [Member] Master repurchase agreement one [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Organization and Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Other Investments																						$ 2,000,000	$ 18,000,000
Percent Owned Common Stock Of Other Investments																						100.00%
Term of contract		15 years
Maximum borrowing capacity											750,000,000	750,000,000	100,000,000	100,000,000	100,000,000	100,000,000	250,000,000	250,000,000	250,000,000	400,000,000	400,000,000			200,000,000
Secured Debt, Repurchase Agreements			699,950,000		602,382,000							602,382,000			85,364,000			118,416,000		699,950,000	398,602,000
Sale of Stock, Number of Shares Issued in Transaction						14,200,000	17,187,000	17,250,000
Sale of Stock, Price Per Share						$ 34	$ 21	$ 18.75
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			2,732,000	0		467,600,000	349,400,000	309,500,000	1,100,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Increase (Decrease), Net										325,000,000
Redeemable Convertible Preferred Shares, Shares Issued	250,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock	250,000,000
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount			$ 300,000,000
Temporary Equity, Redemption Price Per Share	$ 1,000
Preferred Stock Conversion Price Per Share	$ 1,250