Fair value of financial instruments - Fair value inputs, quantitative information (Details) (Residential mortgage [Member], Loans receivable [Member], Fair value, inputs, level 3 [Member], USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Fair value inputs, assets, quantitative information [Line Items]
Discount rate	15.00%	15.00%
Minimum [Member]
Fair value inputs, assets, quantitative information [Line Items]
Annual change in home pricing index	(0.30%)	(0.30%)
Loan resolution probabilities — modification	0.00%	0.00%
Loan resolution probabilities — rental	0.00%	0.00%
Loan resolution probabilities — liquidation	0.00%	0.00%
Loan resolution timelines (in years)	1 month	1 month
Value of underlying properties	$ 3,000	$ 3,000
Maximum [Member]
Fair value inputs, assets, quantitative information [Line Items]
Annual change in home pricing index	7.60%	7.60%
Loan resolution probabilities — modification	22.30%	22.30%
Loan resolution probabilities — rental	100.00%	100.00%
Loan resolution probabilities — liquidation	100.00%	100.00%
Loan resolution timelines (in years)	5 years 4 months	5 years 10 months
Value of underlying properties	$ 6,343,000	$ 3,550,000

Fair Value Assumptions, Value of Underlying Properties

No definition available.

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- Definition

Fair Value Inputs, Loan Resolution Probability, Liquidation

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Fair Value Inputs, Loan Resolution Probability, Modifications

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Fair Value Inputs, Loan Resolution Probability, Rental Rate

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Fair Value Inputs, Pricing Index

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	aamc_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period the instrument, asset or liability is expected to be outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=d3e19207-110258

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- Definition

Interest rate used to find the present value of an amount to be paid or received in the future as an input to measure fair value. For example, but not limited to, weighted average cost of capital (WACC), cost of capital, cost of equity and cost of debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (bbb)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=d3e19207-110258

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