INVESTMENTS IN EXCESS MORTGAGE SERVICING RIGHTS - Summary of Investments in Excess MSRs (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Investment [Line Items]
Weighted Average Life (Years)	10 months 28 days		3 years 8 months 12 days	[1]
Carrying Value	$ 417,733		$ 324,151
Change in fair value of investments in excess mortgage servicing rights	41,615		53,332		9,023
Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Change in fair value of investments in excess mortgage servicing rights	35,000		37,692		12,467
Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Change in fair value of investments in excess mortgage servicing rights	6,615		15,640		(3,444)
Excess MSRs [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance (UPB) of Underlying Mortgages	102,481,758		78,953,614
Weighted Average Life (Years)	5 years 9 months 8 days	[2]	5 years 9 months 8 days	[2]
Amortized Cost Basis	313,396	[3]	261,429	[3]
Carrying Value	417,733	[4]	324,151	[4]	245,036
Excess MSRs [Member] | Agency [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance (UPB) of Underlying Mortgages	48,217,901		28,134,026
Weighted Average Life (Years)	6 years 20 days	[2]	5 years 9 months 16 days	[2]
Amortized Cost Basis	149,342	[3]	100,747	[3]
Carrying Value	217,519	[4]	144,660	[4]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance (UPB) of Underlying Mortgages	48,217,901		28,134,026
Weighted Average Life (Years)	5 years 8 months 25 days	[2]	5 years 3 months 7 days	[2]
Amortized Cost Basis	140,455	[3]	93,099	[3]
Carrying Value	188,733	[4]	120,271	[4]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance (UPB) of Underlying Mortgages	0		0
Weighted Average Life (Years)	12 years 4 months 3 days	[2]	12 years 2 months 5 days	[2]
Amortized Cost Basis	8,887	[3]	7,648	[3]
Carrying Value	28,786	[4]	24,389	[4]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Non-Agency [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance (UPB) of Underlying Mortgages	54,263,857	[5]	50,819,588	[5]
Weighted Average Life (Years)	5 years 5 months 23 days	[2],[5]	5 years 10 months 2 days	[2],[5]
Amortized Cost Basis	164,054	[3],[5]	160,682	[3],[5]
Carrying Value	200,214	[4],[5]	179,491	[4],[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance (UPB) of Underlying Mortgages	54,263,857	[5]	50,819,588	[5]
Weighted Average Life (Years)	5 years 1 day	[2],[5]	5 years 2 months 18 days	[2],[5]
Amortized Cost Basis	152,763	[3],[5]	149,852	[3],[5]
Carrying Value	189,812	[4],[5]	173,007	[4],[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Unpaid Principal Balance (UPB) of Underlying Mortgages	0	[5]	0	[5]
Weighted Average Life (Years)	11 years 11 months 7 days	[2],[5]	13 years 3 months 10 days	[2],[5]
Amortized Cost Basis	11,291	[3],[5]	10,830	[3],[5]
Carrying Value	10,402	[4],[5]	6,484	[4],[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Lower Range [Member] | Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	32.50%		65.00%
Excess MSRs [Member] | Lower Range [Member] | Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	32.50%		65.00%
Excess MSRs [Member] | Lower Range [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	33.30%	[5]	40.00%	[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Lower Range [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	33.30%	[5]	40.00%	[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Upper Range [Member] | Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	66.70%		66.70%
Excess MSRs [Member] | Upper Range [Member] | Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	66.70%		66.70%
Excess MSRs [Member] | Upper Range [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	80.00%	[5]	80.00%	[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Upper Range [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	80.00%	[5]	80.00%	[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Fortress [Member] | Lower Range [Member] | Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	0.00%		0.00%
Excess MSRs [Member] | Fortress [Member] | Lower Range [Member] | Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	0.00%		0.00%
Excess MSRs [Member] | Fortress [Member] | Lower Range [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	0.00%	[5]	0.00%	[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Fortress [Member] | Lower Range [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	0.00%	[5]	0.00%	[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Fortress [Member] | Upper Range [Member] | Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	33.30%		33.30%
Excess MSRs [Member] | Fortress [Member] | Upper Range [Member] | Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	33.30%		33.30%
Excess MSRs [Member] | Fortress [Member] | Upper Range [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	50.00%	[5]	40.00%	[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Fortress [Member] | Upper Range [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	50.00%	[5]	40.00%	[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Nationstar [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Carrying Value	$ 409,076		$ 324,151		$ 245,036
Excess MSRs [Member] | Nationstar [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR			20.00%	[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Nationstar [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR			20.00%	[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Nationstar [Member] | Lower Range [Member] | Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	33.30%		33.30%
Excess MSRs [Member] | Nationstar [Member] | Lower Range [Member] | Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	33.30%		33.30%
Excess MSRs [Member] | Nationstar [Member] | Lower Range [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	0.00%	[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Nationstar [Member] | Lower Range [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	0.00%	[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Nationstar [Member] | Upper Range [Member] | Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	35.00%		35.00%
Excess MSRs [Member] | Nationstar [Member] | Upper Range [Member] | Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	35.00%		35.00%
Excess MSRs [Member] | Nationstar [Member] | Upper Range [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Original and Recaptured Pools [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	33.30%	[5]
Excess MSRs [Member] | Nationstar [Member] | Upper Range [Member] | Non-Agency [Member] | Recapture Agreements [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Interest in Excess MSR	33.30%	[5]

[1] The weighted average life is based on the expected timing of the receipt of cash flows.

[2] Weighted Average Life represents the weighted average expected timing of the receipt of expected cash flows for this investment.

[3] The amortized cost basis of the Recapture Agreements is determined based on the relative fair values of the Recapture Agreements and related Excess MSRs at the time they were acquired.

[4] Carrying Value represents the fair value of the pools or Recapture Agreements, as applicable.

[5] Excess MSR investments in which New Residential also invested in related servicer advances, including the basic fee component of the related MSR, as of December 31, 2014 (Note 6).