FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS - Schedule of Carrying Values and Fair Values of Financial Assets and Liabilities Recorded at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Investments in:
Real estate securities, available-for-sale	$ 2,501,881		$ 2,463,163
Non-hedge derivatives	2,689		32,597
Restricted cash	94,702		29,418
Liabilities:
Repurchase agreements	4,043,054		3,149,090
Derivative liabilities	13,443		14,220
Recurring Basis [Member]
Investments in:
Excess mortgage servicing rights, at fair value, principal balance	329,367,971	[1]	102,481,758	[2]
Excess mortgage servicing rights, equity method investees, at fair value, principal balance	73,058,050	[1]	146,257,821	[2]
Servicer advances, principal balance	7,578,110		3,102,492
Real estate securities, available-for-sale, principal balance	4,418,552		3,542,511
Residential mortgage loans, held-for-investment, principal balance	506,135		69,581
Residential mortgage loans, held-for-sale, principal balance	859,714		1,364,216
Non-hedge derivatives, notional amount	3,400,000		399,625	[3]
Cash and cash equivalents, principal balance	249,936		212,985
Restricted cash, principal balance	94,702		29,418
Liabilities:
Repurchase agreements, principal balance	4,043,942		3,149,090
Notes payable, principal balance	7,262,056		2,913,209
Derivative liabilities, notional amount	4,644,000		2,341,000
Recurring Basis [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Investments in:
Excess mortgage servicing rights, at fair value	0	[1]	0	[2]
Excess mortgage servicing rights, equity method investees, at fair value	0	[1]	0	[2]
Servicer advances	0		0
Real estate securities, available-for-sale	0		0
Residential mortgage loans, held-for-investment	0		0
Residential mortgage loans, held-for-sale	0		0
Non-hedge derivatives	0		0	[3]
Cash and cash equivalents	249,936		212,985
Restricted cash	94,702		29,418
Assets, fair value	344,638		242,403
Liabilities:
Repurchase agreements	0		0
Notes payable	0		0
Derivative liabilities	0		0
Liabilities, fair value	0		0
Recurring Basis [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Investments in:
Excess mortgage servicing rights, at fair value	0	[1]	0	[2]
Excess mortgage servicing rights, equity method investees, at fair value	0	[1]	0	[2]
Servicer advances	0		0
Real estate securities, available-for-sale	917,598		1,740,163
Residential mortgage loans, held-for-investment	0		0
Residential mortgage loans, held-for-sale	0		0
Non-hedge derivatives	2,689		195	[3]
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Restricted cash	0		0
Assets, fair value	920,287		1,740,358
Liabilities:
Repurchase agreements	4,043,942		2,246,651
Notes payable	0		822,587
Derivative liabilities	13,443		14,220
Liabilities, fair value	4,057,385		3,083,458
Recurring Basis [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Investments in:
Excess mortgage servicing rights, at fair value	1,581,517	[1]	417,733	[2]
Excess mortgage servicing rights, equity method investees, at fair value	217,221	[1]	330,876	[2]
Servicer advances	7,426,794		3,270,839
Real estate securities, available-for-sale	1,584,283		723,000
Residential mortgage loans, held-for-investment	330,433		47,913
Residential mortgage loans, held-for-sale	784,750		1,140,070
Non-hedge derivatives	0		32,402	[3]
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Restricted cash	0		0
Assets, fair value	11,924,998		5,962,833
Liabilities:
Repurchase agreements	0		902,439
Notes payable	7,260,909		2,092,814
Derivative liabilities	0		0
Liabilities, fair value	7,260,909		2,995,253
Recurring Basis [Member] | Carrying Value [Member]
Investments in:
Excess mortgage servicing rights, at fair value	1,581,517	[1]	417,733	[2]
Excess mortgage servicing rights, equity method investees, at fair value	217,221	[1]	330,876	[2]
Servicer advances	7,426,794		3,270,839
Real estate securities, available-for-sale	2,501,881		2,463,163
Residential mortgage loans, held-for-investment	330,178		47,838
Residential mortgage loans, held-for-sale	776,681		1,126,439
Non-hedge derivatives	2,689		32,597	[3]
Cash and cash equivalents	249,936		212,985
Restricted cash	94,702		29,418
Assets, fair value	13,181,599		7,931,888
Liabilities:
Repurchase agreements	4,043,054		3,149,090
Notes payable	7,249,568		2,908,763
Derivative liabilities	13,443		14,220
Liabilities, fair value	11,306,065		6,072,073
Recurring Basis [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Investments in:
Excess mortgage servicing rights, at fair value	1,581,517	[1]	417,733	[2]
Excess mortgage servicing rights, equity method investees, at fair value	217,221	[1]	330,876	[2]
Servicer advances	7,426,794		3,270,839
Real estate securities, available-for-sale	2,501,881		2,463,163
Residential mortgage loans, held-for-investment	330,433		47,913
Residential mortgage loans, held-for-sale	784,750		1,140,070
Non-hedge derivatives	2,689		32,597	[3]
Cash and cash equivalents	249,936		212,985
Restricted cash	94,702		29,418
Assets, fair value	13,189,923		7,945,594
Liabilities:
Repurchase agreements	4,043,942		3,149,090
Notes payable	7,260,909		2,915,401
Derivative liabilities	13,443		14,220
Liabilities, fair value	$ 11,318,294		$ 6,078,711

[1] The notional amount represents the total unpaid principal balance of the mortgage loans underlying the Excess MSRs. New Residential does not receive an excess mortgage servicing amount on non-performing loans in Agency portfolios.

[2] The notional amount represents the total unpaid principal balance of the mortgage loans underlying the Excess MSRs. New Residential does not receive an excess mortgage servicing amount on non-performing loans in Agency portfolios.

[3] The notional amount for formerly linked transactions consisted of the aggregate UPB amounts of the loans and securities that comprised the asset portion of the linked transaction.