CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total		Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Total New Residential Stockholders’ Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests in Equity of Consolidated Subsidiaries [Member]
Balance, beginning at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 1,513,075		$ 1,266	$ 1,158,384	$ 102,986	$ 3,214	$ 1,265,850	$ 247,225
Balance, beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013			126,598,987
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Dividends declared	(218,094)				(218,094)		(218,094)
Capital contributions	142,082							142,082
Capital distributions	(225,609)							(225,609)
Issuance of common stock	169,905		$ 144	169,761			169,905
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			14,375,000
Option exercise	909		$ 4	905			909
Option exercise (in shares)			426,102
Dilution impact of distributions from consolidated subsidiaries	0			(916)			(916)	916
Director share grants	453			453			453
Director share grants (in shares)			34,816
Comprehensive income (loss)
Net income (loss)	442,099				352,877		352,877	89,222
Net unrealized gain (loss) on securities	89,415					89,415	89,415
Reclassification of net realized (gain) loss on securities into earnings	(64,310)					(64,310)	(64,310)
Total comprehensive income	467,204						377,982	89,222
Balance, ending at Dec. 31, 2014	1,849,925		$ 1,414	1,328,587	237,769	28,319	1,596,089	253,836
Balance, ending (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014			141,434,905
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Dividends declared	(355,295)				(355,295)		(355,295)
Capital contributions	5,161							5,161
Capital distributions	(81,596)							(81,596)
Issuance of common stock	1,312,746		$ 854	1,311,892			1,312,746
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			85,435,389
Option exercise	$ 0		$ 36	(36)
Option exercise (in shares)	6,734,525	[1]	3,570,984
Director share grants	$ 450			450			450
Director share grants (in shares)			29,924
Modified retrospective adjustment for the adoption of ASU No. 2014-11	(2,310)				(2,310)		(2,310)
Comprehensive income (loss)
Net income (loss)	281,882				268,636		268,636	13,246
Net unrealized gain (loss) on securities	(17,075)					(17,075)	(17,075)
Reclassification of net realized (gain) loss on securities into earnings	(7,308)					(7,308)	(7,308)
Total comprehensive income	257,499						244,253	13,246
Balance, ending at Dec. 31, 2015	2,986,580		$ 2,304	2,640,893	148,800	3,936	2,795,933	190,647
Balance, ending (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015			230,471,202
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Dividends declared	(442,753)				(442,753)		(442,753)
SpringCastle Transaction (Note 9)	110,438							110,438
Capital contributions	0							0
Capital distributions	(167,026)							(167,026)
Issuance of common stock	278,775		$ 200	278,575			278,775
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			20,000,000
Option exercise	$ 0		$ 3	(3)
Option exercise (in shares)	1,100,497	[1]	280,111
Purchase of Noncontrolling Interest in the Buyer at a Discount	$ (3,280)			965			965	(4,245)
Director share grants	300			300			300
Director share grants (in shares)			21,804
Comprehensive income (loss)
Net income (loss)	582,716				504,453		504,453	78,263
Net unrealized gain (loss) on securities	84,703					84,703	84,703
Reclassification of net realized (gain) loss on securities into earnings	37,724					37,724	37,724
Total comprehensive income	705,143						626,880	78,263
Balance, ending at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 3,468,177		$ 2,507	$ 2,920,730	$ 210,500	$ 126,363	$ 3,260,100	$ 208,077
Balance, ending (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016			250,773,117

[1] The 1.1 million and 6.7 million options that were exercised in 2016 and 2015 had an intrinsic value of approximately $4.0 million and $59.4 million, respectively, at the date of exercise.